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Papers by Elena Fraccaroli

Research paper thumbnail of Successful treatment of abnormal feeding behavior in a cat

Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research, 2012

An 8-month-old male cat was presented with a history of abnormal feeding behavior. Physical exami... more An 8-month-old male cat was presented with a history of abnormal feeding behavior. Physical examination revealed a dull hair coat and slightly thin body condition. A detailed history and a behavioral examination revealed context-specific excessive appetite, pica, food-related aggressiveness, and excessive solicitation of interspecific interactions. Results of routine hematological and urine laboratory tests were normal, except for the presence of hyperglycemia. The presumptive diagnosis was of psychogenic abnormal feeding behavior. The treatment was aimed at reducing exposure to stressors and modifying the cat's behavior through desensitization to food and counterconditioning to feeding. The diagnosis of a psychogenic problem was supported by the progression and the successful outcome of the proposed treatment. Given the lack of an exhaustive description of psychogenic abnormal feeding behavior in the scientific literature, the present case provides the first characterization of its clinical aspects and demonstrates the efficacy of treatment.

Research paper thumbnail of Effects of Some Botanicals with Anti-Inflammatory and Antitoxic Activity

Several extrinsic factors, like drugs and chemicals, can foster autoimmunity. Tetracyclines, in p... more Several extrinsic factors, like drugs and chemicals, can foster autoimmunity. Tetracyclines, in particular oxytetracycline (OTC), appear to correlate with the emergence of immune-mediated diseases. Accumulation of OTC, the elective drug for gastrointestinal and respiratory infectious disease treatment in broiler chickens, was reported in chicken edible tissues and could represent a potential risk for pets and humans that could assume this antibiotic as residue in meat or in meat-derived byproducts. We investigated the in vitro anti-inflammatory properties of a pool of thirteen botanicals as a part of a nutraceutical diet, with proven immunomodulatory activity. In addition, we evaluated the effect of such botanicals in contrasting the in vitro proinflammatory toxicity of OTC. Our results showed a significant reduction in interferon-(INF-) í µí»¾ production by human and canine lymphocytes in presence of botanicals (* í µí± < 0.05). Increased INF-í µí»¾ production, dependent on 24-hour OTC-incubation of T lymphocytes, was significantly reduced by the coincubation with Haematococcus pluvialis, with Glycine max, and with the mix of all botanicals (* í µí± < 0.05). In conclusion, the use of these botanicals was shown to be able to contrast OTC-toxicity and could represent a new approach for the development of functional foods useful to enhance the standard pharmacological treatment in infections as well as in preventing or reducing the emergence of inflammatory diseases.

Research paper thumbnail of Successful treatment of abnormal feeding behavior in a cat

Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research, 2012

An 8-month-old male cat was presented with a history of abnormal feeding behavior. Physical exami... more An 8-month-old male cat was presented with a history of abnormal feeding behavior. Physical examination revealed a dull hair coat and slightly thin body condition. A detailed history and a behavioral examination revealed context-specific excessive appetite, pica, food-related aggressiveness, and excessive solicitation of interspecific interactions. Results of routine hematological and urine laboratory tests were normal, except for the presence of hyperglycemia. The presumptive diagnosis was of psychogenic abnormal feeding behavior. The treatment was aimed at reducing exposure to stressors and modifying the cat's behavior through desensitization to food and counterconditioning to feeding. The diagnosis of a psychogenic problem was supported by the progression and the successful outcome of the proposed treatment. Given the lack of an exhaustive description of psychogenic abnormal feeding behavior in the scientific literature, the present case provides the first characterization of its clinical aspects and demonstrates the efficacy of treatment.

Research paper thumbnail of Effects of Some Botanicals with Anti-Inflammatory and Antitoxic Activity

Several extrinsic factors, like drugs and chemicals, can foster autoimmunity. Tetracyclines, in p... more Several extrinsic factors, like drugs and chemicals, can foster autoimmunity. Tetracyclines, in particular oxytetracycline (OTC), appear to correlate with the emergence of immune-mediated diseases. Accumulation of OTC, the elective drug for gastrointestinal and respiratory infectious disease treatment in broiler chickens, was reported in chicken edible tissues and could represent a potential risk for pets and humans that could assume this antibiotic as residue in meat or in meat-derived byproducts. We investigated the in vitro anti-inflammatory properties of a pool of thirteen botanicals as a part of a nutraceutical diet, with proven immunomodulatory activity. In addition, we evaluated the effect of such botanicals in contrasting the in vitro proinflammatory toxicity of OTC. Our results showed a significant reduction in interferon-(INF-) í µí»¾ production by human and canine lymphocytes in presence of botanicals (* í µí± < 0.05). Increased INF-í µí»¾ production, dependent on 24-hour OTC-incubation of T lymphocytes, was significantly reduced by the coincubation with Haematococcus pluvialis, with Glycine max, and with the mix of all botanicals (* í µí± < 0.05). In conclusion, the use of these botanicals was shown to be able to contrast OTC-toxicity and could represent a new approach for the development of functional foods useful to enhance the standard pharmacological treatment in infections as well as in preventing or reducing the emergence of inflammatory diseases.

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