Oral administration of bovine lactoferrin for treatment of intractable stomatitis in feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV)-positive and FIV-negative cats.
OBJECTIVE
To study the effects of oral administration of bovine lactoferrin (LF) on intractable stomatitis in feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV)-positive and FIV-negative cats, and phagocytosis of neutrophils in healthy and ill cats, simultaneously.


METHODS
7 ill cats with diagnosis of intractable stomatitis (4 FIV positive and 3 FIV negative) and 7 healthy, FIV-negative cats.


METHODS
LF (40 mg/kg ot body weight) was applied topically to the oral mucosa of cats with intractable stomatitis daily for 14 days and improvement of clinical signs of disease (pain-related response, salivation, appetite, and oral inflammation), expressed by scoring from 1 to 4, were evaluated. Assay of neutrophil phagocytosis was examined before and 2 weeks after starting LF treatment, using nonopsonized hydrophilic polymer particles (2 microns).


RESULTS
Oral administration of LF improved intractable stomatitis in all 4 respects. Phagocytic activity of neutrophils increased after LF treatment. This effect was observed in healthy and ill (FIV positive and FIV negative) cats.


CONCLUSIONS
Oral administration of LF improved intractable stomatitis and concurrently enhanced the host defense system. Topical application of LF to oral mucous membrane is useful as a treatment for intractable stomatitis even in FIV-positive cats.
Department of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture, Iware University, Morioka, Japan.
R
R
Sato
O
O
Inanami
Y
Y
Tanaka
M
M
Takase
Y
Y
Naito
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D002417:Cattle; D016181:Feline Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D016089:Immunodeficiency Virus, Feline / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007781:Lactoferrin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009919:Orchiectomy; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000187:drug effects; D013280:Stomatitis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*
D007781:Lactoferrin