Turkish Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine

Oral Manifestations of Systemic Diseases

Zülal Feyza EKER — 2026-10-16

Oral lesions in cats are common disorders that adversely affect quality of life. Certain conditions (eg, stomatitis) may develop very early in life in some purebred cats. These lesions are frequently encountered in geriatric cats and in individuals that are immunosuppressed or have chronic systemic disease. Immunosuppression facilitates the involvement of opportunistic agents, disrupts the microbiota, and contributes to the development of oral lesions. In addition, infectious diseases, metabolic disorders, and multifactorial etiological factors are implicated in their pathogenesis. Many systemic diseases have oral manifestations. These manifestations can be categorized, based on histopathological/clinical features and etiology, into stomatitis, gingivitis, gingivostomatitis, chronic ulcerative stomatitis, lymphoplasmacytic gingivitis/stomatitis, and feline chronic gingivostomatitis.

Feline Retroviral Infections and Tumour Development: The Oncogenic Roles of Feline Leukaemia Virus and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus

Lora Koenhemsi — 2026-10-16

Feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) are the two most clinically significant retroviruses of domestic cats, both carrying well-documented oncogenic potential. FeLV, a gammaretrovirus, is the most important feline tumour virus known, increasing the risk of lymphoma development up to 60-fold in progressively infected cats through mechanisms including insertional mutagenesis, proto-oncogene activation, and recombination with host cellular oncogenes. FIV, a lentivirus analogous to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), increases lymphoma risk approximately 5-6-fold, primarily through chronic immune dysregulation, impaired tumour immunosurveillance, and sustained antigenic stimulation of lymphocytes, although direct insertional oncogenesis has also been demonstrated in rare cases. Co-infection with both viruses synergistically amplifies the risk of lymphoid malignancies up to 77-fold. Despite the marked decline in FeLV prevalence following widespread vaccination programmes, the overall incidence of feline lymphoma has not decreased proportionally, suggesting that FeLV-independent aetiological factors — including FIV, environmental carcinogens, and chronic inflammation — play increasingly important roles. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the oncogenic mechanisms, epidemiological associations, tumour types, and clinical implications of FeLV and FIV infections in domestic cats, with emphasis on recent advances in the understanding of retroviral oncogenesis.

An Investigation of Certain Inflammatory Markers in Whole Blood in Patients with Feline Panleukopenia

Yasin PARLATIR — 2026-10-16

Feline Panleukopenia Virus (FPV) is a highly contagious viral infection, most commonly observed in young and unvaccinated cats, characterized by high morbidity and mortality rates. Although several diagnostic methods exist, recent studies have increasingly emphasized the use of inflammation indicators derived from complete blood count (CBC) in the diagnosis and management of FPV. In the present study, CBC results from 25 infected cats (older than 45 days, regardless of sex) presenting to a veterinary hospital with complaints of vomiting and diarrhea, along with 10 healthy cats, were evaluated. Derived hematological indices including Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR), Lymphocyte-to-Monocyte Ratio (LMR), Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (PLR), Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index (SII), Systemic Inflammatory Response Index (SIRI), Pan-Immune Inflammation Value (PIV), and Neutrophil-Monocyte-Lymphocyte Ratio (NMLR) were analyzed. The study demonstrated statistically significant differences in NLR (p = 0.008), PLR (p = 0.019), NMLR (p = 0.007), SII (p < 0.001), SIRI (p = 0.001), and PIV (p < 0.001). These findings suggest that such parameters may serve as valuable tools in the diagnosis, clinical management, and prognostic assessment of FPV. It is concluded that with further comprehensive studies, the clinical utility of these indices will gain increasing importance.

Assessment of NT proBNP, Feline Pancreatic Lipase and Neutrophil/Lymphocyte Ratio in Cats

Hikmet Öztürk — 2026-10-16

Cardiovascular diseases and pancreatitis represent significant clinical entities in veterinary medicine, both as primary conditions and through their mutual influence on each other’s pathophysiological processes. While numerous studies in human medicine have demonstrated the relationship between cardiac injury and pancreatitis, investigations addressing this interaction in cats remain limited. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship among N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), a biomarker of cardiac injury; feline pancreatic lipase (fPL), a diagnostic marker of pancreatitis; and the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), an indicator of systemic inflammation, independent of disease status in cats. The study was conducted on 20 cats of various breeds, ages (mean 4.75 years), and sexes presented to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of Kırıkkale University. Blood samples were collected to measure NT-proBNP and fPL concentrations, while complete blood count data were used to calculate NLR values. Statistical analyses included the Shapiro–Wilk test for normality, Spearman’s correlation analysis to assess relationships among parameters. The analyses revealed no statistically significant associations among the biomarkers examined. Correlation analysis demonstrated very weak and non-significant relationships (p > 0.05) between NT-proBNP and fPL (r = 0.067, p = 0.779), NT-proBNP and NLR (r = 0.263, p = 0.263), and fPL and NLR (r = 0.274, p = 0.242). The findings suggest that NT-proBNP, fPL, and NLR alone are not sufficient to explain the coexistence of pancreatitis in cats with cardiomyopathy or suspected cardiac injury. Although these biomarkers provide valuable clinical information, definitive diagnosis requires integration with physical examination, medical history, and imaging modalities such as ultrasonography. Furthermore, the complexity of the underlying mechanisms highlights the need for larger-scale, prospective studies to achieve a more comprehensive understanding of this interplay.

An Investigation Of Stress Factor That Pose A Risk For Lower Urinary Tract Diseases In Cats

Serkal Gazyağcı — 2026-10-16

Abstract This study was designed as a prospective, controlled, questionnaire-based case-control study to investigate stress-related risk factors for lower urinary tract diseases in cats. The study was conducted between 01.04.2026 and 01.09.2026 in veterinary clinics in Ankara, Turkey. Thirty-eight cats diagnosed with lower urinary tract disease were included as the patient group, and 31 healthy cats constituted the control group. The study was approved by the Kırıkkale University Local Ethics Committee for Animal Experiments (Decision No: 20, dated 25.03.2026). Data were collected using a 30-item questionnaire adapted from Cameron et al. (2004) and the MEMO protocol developed by Buffington et al. (2006), covering five main categories: demographic information, housing conditions, social environment, care practices, and owner profile. The questionnaire was administered through facetoface interviews and via the Google Forms platform. No statistically significant differences were found between the patient and control groups regarding adoption age, current age, breed, sex and neuter status, body weight, number of cats in the household, feeding type, living area, daily routine regularity, and temperament characteristics. However, several noteworthy findings were obtained. A statistically significant difference was detected between groups in terms of litter box cleaning frequency (p=0.022; Cramer’s V=0.407), with smart litter box use reported exclusively in the patient group. The presence of at least one clinical or behavioral problem in the past six months was significantly higher in the patient group (p=0.045; OR=3.04). Vocalization during urination (p=0.019) and hiding behavior (p=0.034) were reported at significantly higher rates in the patient group. Multiple correspondence analysis revealed that the two groups did not form completely distinct profiles; however, categories related to clinical symptom reporting and behavioral responses were positioned closer to the patient group. These findings suggest that the evaluation of lower urinary tract diseases in cats should encompass not only clinical signs but also housing conditions, care practices, behavioral responses, and stressrelated factors.

Assessment of Whole Blood Parameters in Healthy Cats Under Enviromental Cigarette Smoke Exposure

Mehmet Ali Yenioğlu — 2026-10-16

The study aimed to evaluate whole blood parameters in healthy cats exposed to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS). Because humans and pets share living spaces, the potential effects of tobacco smoke on pets are becoming increasingly important. The study compared healthy domestic cats exposed to ETS (ETS group) with those not exposed (control group). It is known that tobacco smoke has toxic, mutagenic, and carcinogenic effects on living organisms through various exposure routes classified as first-, second-, and third-hand smoke. According to the study’s findings, the mean mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) level in the SDE group was found to be statistically significantly higher than that in the control group (p=0.017). Additionally, the red blood cell distribution width (RDW) value was found to be statistically significantly lower in the SDE group compared to the control group (p=0.039). No statistically significant differences were observed between the groups regarding other complete blood count parameters (RBC, HGB, HCT, MCV, MCHC, WBC, LEN, MON, GRAN, PLT, PDW, PCT). In conclusion, this study demonstrated that environmental cigarette smoke exposure in healthy cats can lead to limited but statistically significant changes in complete blood count parameters. In particular, the differences in MCH and RDW values highlight the need for further research to investigate cats’ hematological responses to environmental cigarette smoke. These findings highlight the potential risks of environmental tobacco smoke exposure to pet health and underscore the need for more sensitive biomarkers and long-term follow-up studies.

A Case of Staphylococcus pseudintermedius in a Dog

Şima Şahinduran — 2026-10-16

This report presents a case of deep pyoderma in a 5-year-old dog presented with widespread skin lesions, anorexia, and poor general condition. Microbiological examination of skin scrapings isolated Staphylococcus pseudintermedius. The isolate was determined to be susceptible to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, enrofloxacin, erythromicin, gentamicin, lincomycin, cefoperazone, rifamicin, cefoxitin, kanamycin, cefotaxime and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and resistant to oxytetracycline, vancomycin and doxycycline. Although initial treatment with amoxicillin-clavulanic acid based on the antibiogram showed temporary improvement, symptoms recurred; the subsequent combination of enrofloxacin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole was ineffective. Due to the progressive deterioration of the patient's general condition, euthanasia was performed. The failure to achieve the expected clinical response despite using susceptible antibiotics was attributed to the chronicity of the disease, the widespread nature of the lesions, the patient's dehydration, and a weakened immune system limiting antibiotic efficacy.

Investigation of the Effectiveness of Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy (Crrt) on Blood Urea Nitrogen and Serum Creatinine Values in Dogs and Cats with Renal Failure

Hüseyin GÜNGÖR — 2026-10-16

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) on blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine (CREA) levels in cats and dogs with renal failure where conventional treatment methods were insufficient. The distribution characteristics of the data were examined using the Shapiro-Wilk test, and it was determined that they did not show a normal distribution. Therefore, non-parametric statistical methods were applied. Comparisons between treatment groups (CRRT and medical treatment) were performed using the Kruskal-Wallis test, and pairwise post hoc comparisons were carried out using the Dunn test and Bonferroni correction for parameters showing significant differences. Changes over time in animals receiving CRRT treatment were examined using the Friedman test, and median values and time-dependent change curves were evaluated. Furthermore, the biochemical recovery time was analyzed using a Kaplan-Meier-like method. In cats, CRRT treatment resulted in a significant decrease in BUN, creatinine, and inorganic phosphorus levels; changes were more limited in the medical treatment group. In dogs, a decrease in parameters was also observed after CRRT, but some changes were not statistically significant. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that biochemical recovery in cats occurred in approximately six hours for BUN and IP, and approximately five hours for creatinine. In dogs, creatinine recovered rapidly (approximately one hour), while BUN and IP returned to normal within six and four hours, respectively. CRRT offers a significant therapeutic advantage over conventional medical treatment in cases of severe renal failure, particularly in cats, by enabling faster and more significant recovery of important renal biomarkers.

Mechanical brushing, social interaction and gut microbiota analysis: Gut-brain axis directed gut microbiota in healthy calves before and after mechanical brushing

Deniz ALIÇ URAL — 2026-10-16

Mechanical brushes are well-recognized grooming tools widely adopted to improve the well-being of dairy cows and calves, and automated brushing has been reported to interact with social networks and behaviour in several species. Building on these observations, the present study hypothesized that calves that naturally investigate and use mechanical brushes may undergo shifts in gut microbiota composition, potentially mediated by social interaction and the associated skin–oral network. This field study was conducted under commercial farm conditions in apparently healthy calves aged 30–70 days that were socially bonded to their pen mates and used a mechanical brush at least daily. Infectious enteropathogens were excluded using point-of-care rapid diagnostic test kits. Faecal samples were collected rectally before brushing and after three weeks of mechanical brush use. Following extraction of faecal DNA, the V4 and V4–V7 regions of the 16S rRNA gene were amplified and sequenced on the Illumina iSeq100 platform (2 × 150 bp), and data were processed using QIIME 2 and Kraken2 with taxonomic assignment against the SILVA database. Before brushing, the microbial community was dominated by Yersinia enterocolitica (25.9%), others (26.7%) and Pseudomonas tolaasii (9.94%). After three weeks, the relative abundances of Y. enterocolitica and P. tolaasii fell to 10.1% and 5.75%, respectively, while taxa absent at baseline — Haloquadratum walsbyi (14.9%), Methanobrevibacter smithii (13.0%) and Bacteroides uniformis (5.50%) — became established. Increased proportions of Phocaeicola vulgatus, [Ruminococcus] torques and Pedobacter sp. HDW13 were also recorded, whereas Burkholderia pyrrocinia, Defluviimonas sp. SAOS 178_SWC and Streptomyces sp. NBC_00536 were no longer detected. The reduction in potential pathogens, most notably Y. enterocolitica, is of particular interest given its role in enteric disease of cattle and its zoonotic importance. To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first report associating mechanical brushing with gut microbiota alterations in calves, providing a rationale for enrichment-based interventions targeting gut health and welfare.