Alternatively, could this be: The spread of feline upper respiratory tract infections with feline herpesvirus type 1(FHV-1) or feline calicivirus(FCV) is a concern, especially since many cats become latent FHV-1 carriers over their lifetime even after recovery and vaccines do not provide sufficient protection against either FHV-1 or FCV infection. As a probiotic product that may promote feline health, a lactic acid bacteria material has been created by heating, sterilizing and concentrating Enterococcus faecalis at high density. To investigate the antiviral activity of this lactic acid bacteria material, we used polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing on 11 cats that were FHV-1- or FCV-positive (including 1 cat coinfected with both viruses). Cats were divided into two groups: a test group (n=6) treated with the lactic acid bacteria material; and a control group (n=5) not treated with the lactic acid bacteria material. Positive rates from PCR testing were compared between groups. The final positive rate for FHV-1- or FCV-related viral disease was 16.7% (1/6 cats, including 1 cat coinfected with both viruses) in the test group and 80% (4/5 cats) in the control group. Final positive scores showed an odds ratio of 2.0 for a control group, although no significant difference was identified. These results suggest that this lactic acid bacteria material has specific antiviral activity against FHV-1 or FCV.

Early differentiation between chronic enteropathy (CE) and alimentary lymphoma (AL) in dogs is crucial. However, the differentiation is usually performed via gastrointestinal tissue biopsy, which is an invasive and complicated procedure. Although plasma amino acid (AA) concentrations are usually maintained at constant levels, they show characteristic changes in the presence of diseases. Moreover, blood collection is a simple method and less invasive for dogs. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the usefulness of plasma AA concentrations in differentiating between CE and AL in dogs. Plasma samples were collected from dogs with CE or AL, and the concentrations of 36 AAs in each sample were measured by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. The correlation ratio of the plasma concentration of each AA in the two groups was calculated, and discriminant analysis was performed by selecting plasma AA concentrations with significant correlations between the two groups. A total of 12 dogs were included, including six in each group. The two groups showed no significant differences in age, sex, neutered status, clinical severity, and prednisolone use before blood sample collection. Among the 36 AAs measured, 26 were evaluable in all dogs. Discriminant analysis was conducted by combining the plasma concentrations of three AAs (citrulline, glutamine, and ornithine), and it yielded a discriminant formula with a correlation ratio of 0.8228, a discrimination accuracy rate of 100%, and a probability of misclassification of 2.5%. These results suggest that the index using plasma AA concentrations may be useful for simple and accurate differentiation between CE and AL in dogs.

To search for novel prebiotics for cats, adult castrated male cats were fed three test diets (containing: [i] a cellulose-based materia [CEL], [ii] fructo-oligosaccharides [FOS], and [iii] indigestible dextrin [IDD]), and a control diet containing no prebiotic materials for 30 days. Fecal weights and short-chain fatty acid concentrations in fecal samples were measured, and the microbiom in fecal samples was analyzed via 16S rRNA sequencing. Feeding with either FOS or IDD enhanced the fecal weights (P＜0.05). In contrast, feeding any of the prebiotic materials did not affect the concentration of short-chain fatty acids in feces. The materials used in this study affected relative abundance of Bifidobacterium, Clostridium, and Catenibacterium (P＜0.05). The average proportions of Bifidobacterium, Clostridium, and Catenibacterium genera were highest when the cats were fed FOS, CEL, and IDD, respectively, while feeding IDD lowered the average proportions of Clostridium. CEL and IDD affected the feline intestinal microflora. The increased fecal weight suggests that IDD may be used as a prebiotic.