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Information for Readers
(Source: Topics in Companion Animal Medicine)
Source: Topics in Companion Animal Medicine - February 29, 2016 Category: Veterinary Research Source Type: research

Lateral Flow Technology for Field-Based Applications—Basics and Advanced Developments
In terms of their ability to provide accurate information there is a traditional continuum in diagnostics that ranges from highly accurate methods requiring infrastructure and a centralized approach to testing to less accurate technologies that can be used in a decentralized or point of care testing strategy and that require little to no supporting infrastructure. Today’s lateral flow assays marry the utility of a truly field deployable, simple to use technology with the high performance of many laboratory based assay formats. (Source: Topics in Companion Animal Medicine)
Source: Topics in Companion Animal Medicine - December 21, 2015 Category: Veterinary Research Authors: Brendan O׳Farrell Tags: Topical Review Source Type: research

Introduction to Antigen and Antibody Assays
Serological tests are used widely in veterinary practice; most often in the diagnosis of infectious disease. Such tests may be used to detect antigen from an infectious agent within a biological sample or to detect the presence of serum antibody specific for the pathogen as evidence of immunological exposure. These tests are all based on the fundamental principles of interaction between antigenic epitopes and antibodies of either the immunoglobulin (Ig) G, IgM, IgA or IgE classes. The relative concentration of specific antibody within a sample is traditionally determined by calculation of the titre of antibody. (Source: To...
Source: Topics in Companion Animal Medicine - December 21, 2015 Category: Veterinary Research Authors: Michael J. Day Source Type: research

SNAP Assay Technology
The most widely used immunoassay configuration is the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) because the procedure produces highly sensitive and specific results and generally is easy to use. By definition, ELISAs are immunoassays used to detect a substance (typically an antigen or antibody) in which an enzyme is attached (conjugated) to one of the reactants and an enzymatic reaction is used to amplify the signal if the substance is present. Optimized ELISAs include several steps that are performed in sequence using a defined protocol which typically includes application of sample and an enzyme-conjugated antibody or an...
Source: Topics in Companion Animal Medicine - December 21, 2015 Category: Veterinary Research Authors: Thomas P. O'Connor Source Type: research

Lateral Flow Technology for Field Based Applications – Basics and Advanced Developments
There is a continuum in diagnostic technologies that ranges from methods that require infrastructure and a centralized approach to testing, to technologies that can be used in a decentralized testing strategy and that require little to no supporting infrastructure (“Point of contact”). Historically those technologies employed at the point of contact have been considered to have less diagnostic accuracy than those used in centralized testing environments, so the use of field deployed tests meant compromising performance. (Source: Topics in Companion Animal Medicine)
Source: Topics in Companion Animal Medicine - December 21, 2015 Category: Veterinary Research Authors: Brendan O’Farrell Source Type: research

Table of Contents
(Source: Topics in Companion Animal Medicine)
Source: Topics in Companion Animal Medicine - November 30, 2015 Category: Veterinary Research Source Type: research

Introduction: Point of Care Tests in Veterinary Medicine
Things have changed rapidly in the field of veterinary medicine with respect to point-of-care testing. In a large part this was initially driven by the need to have a means of diagnosing heartworm infections in dogs without circulating microfilariae, that is, occult heartworm infection, that was identified as a diagnostic problem by Wong et al.1 In 1977 at the meeting of the American Heartworm Society, Otto2 summarized that up to 25% of dogs in enzootic areas may be without detectable microfilariae. (Source: Topics in Companion Animal Medicine)
Source: Topics in Companion Animal Medicine - November 30, 2015 Category: Veterinary Research Authors: Dwight D. Bowman, Susan E. Little Tags: Topical Review Source Type: research

Table of Contents
(Source: Topics in Companion Animal Medicine)
Source: Topics in Companion Animal Medicine - September 1, 2015 Category: Veterinary Research Source Type: research

Introduction
We are excited to share the Emergency Ophthalmology issue of Topics in Companion Animal Medicine. It was our goal to provide an overview of many of the common ocular conditions that are seen more often as emergency situations. The focus is to provide an update on these specific topics and address relevant etiologies, diagnostics, and therapeutics. First, corneal emergencies, with an emphasis on the right time for referral and prognosis for vision is presented by Dr Ellen Belknap. Drs Carmen Colitz and Kristen O׳Connell then cover lenticular emergencies and how to best diagnose, treat, and manage these cases to preserve vi...
Source: Topics in Companion Animal Medicine - September 1, 2015 Category: Veterinary Research Authors: Ellen B. Belknap, Caroline Betbeze Tags: Topical Review Source Type: research

Lens-Related Emergencies: Not Always So Clear
Emergencies involving the crystalline lens are not common, however, their clinical signs must be recognized quickly in order to begin treatment or refer immediately in order to improve the chances of retaining sight. The lens is a unique structure because of its immunologically privileged status and its imperative clarity for vision. Any insult to the lens capsule’s integrity, its position within the globe, or to its clarity may result in undesirable sequelae. (Source: Topics in Companion Animal Medicine)
Source: Topics in Companion Animal Medicine - August 10, 2015 Category: Veterinary Research Authors: Carmen M.H. Colitz, Kristen O’Connell Source Type: research

Relationship between gender, age, and weight and the serum ionized calcium variations in dog periodontal disease evolution
To analyse the relationships between gender, age, weight and variations in the levels of serum-ionized calcium ([iCa2+]) during periodontal disease (PD) evolution. (Source: Topics in Companion Animal Medicine)
Source: Topics in Companion Animal Medicine - July 17, 2015 Category: Veterinary Research Authors: Daniela Dias, Pedro Azevedo, L. Miguel Carreira Source Type: research

Glaucomas
Canine and feline glaucomas are commonly presented as ocular emergencies. Glaucoma is a common cause of vision loss and a frustrating disorder in terms of medical and surgical treatment. Increased intraocular pressure (IOP) is a significant risk factor in the disease, leading to damage of the retina and optic nerve head. IOP measurement and gonioscopic and fundic examinations provide the instruments for diagnosis of glaucoma. The primary goal in glaucoma therapy is aimed at vision preservation. Medical treatment provides temporary relief, but alone it fails to control IOP in the long term, and surgical intervention is reco...
Source: Topics in Companion Animal Medicine - July 10, 2015 Category: Veterinary Research Authors: Federica Maggio Tags: Topical Review Source Type: research

The Glaucomas
Canine and feline glaucomas are commonly presented as ocular emergencies. Glaucoma is a common cause of vision loss and a frustrating disorder in terms of medical and surgical treatment. Increased intraocular pressure is a significant risk factor in the disease, leading to damage of the retina and optic nerve head. IOP measurement and gonioscopic and fundic examinations provide the instruments for diagnosis of glaucoma. The primary goal in glaucoma therapy is aimed at vision preservation. Medical treatment provides temporary relief, but alone fails to control intraocular pressure in the long term, and surgical intervention...
Source: Topics in Companion Animal Medicine - July 10, 2015 Category: Veterinary Research Authors: Federica Maggio Source Type: research

Canine Pancreas-Specific Lipase and C-reactive Protein in Dogs Treated With Anticonvulsants (Phenobarbital and Potassium Bromide)
Animals treated with anticonvulsant drugs may have increased canine pancreas-specific lipase (cPLI) values. Inflammatory conditions and specifically acute pancreatitis are of major concern in these animals. Elevation in C-reactive protein is being associated with inflammatory status in dogs and it has been correlated with the clinical severity of pancreatitis. In the present study, we investigated if there is a correlation between the cPLI increase, changes in C-reactive protein and hepatic enzymes, as well as the incidence of severe acute pancreatitis (AP) in dogs with anticonvulsant treatment (phenobarbital, or potassium...
Source: Topics in Companion Animal Medicine - July 9, 2015 Category: Veterinary Research Authors: Viviana Albarracín, Mariana Teles, Antonio Meléndez-Lazo, Jaume Rodón, Josep Pastor Tags: Topical Review Source Type: research

Acute blindness
This article reviews specific pre-chiasm (retina and optic nerve) and cerebral cortical diseases that lead to acute blindness. Information regarding specific etiologies, pathophysiology, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis for vision are discussed. (Source: Topics in Companion Animal Medicine)
Source: Topics in Companion Animal Medicine - July 9, 2015 Category: Veterinary Research Authors: Jessica M. Meekins Source Type: research