Adriana de Siqueira

Non-accidental injuries found in necropsies of domestic cats: a review of 191 cases

Animal cruelty is defined as a deliberate action that causes pain and suffering to an animal. In Brazil, legislation known as the Environmental Crimes Law states that cruelty toward all animal species is criminal in nature. From 644 domestic cats necropsied between January 1998 and December 2009, 191 (29.66%) presented lesions highly suggestive of animal cruelty. The main necroscopic finding was exogenous carbamate poisoning (75.39%) followed by blunt-force trauma (21.99%). Cats from 7 months to 2 years of age were the most affected (50.79%). In Brazil, violence is a public health problem and there is a high prevalence of domestic violence. Therefore, even if laws provide for animal welfare and protection, animals are common targets for violent acts. Within a context of social violence, cruelty toward animals is an important parameter to be considered, and the non-accidental lesions that were found are evidence of malicious actions.

Poisoning of cats and dogs by the carbamate pesticides aldicarb and carbofuran.

The intentional and accidental poisoning of animals and people is a threat to public health and safety worldwide. Necropsies and histopathological examinations of 26 cats and 10 dogs poisoned by the carbamates aldicarb and carbofuran, confirmed by thin layer chromatography (TLC) and high performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detector (HPLC-DAD) were analysed, with variable post mortem interval and conservation of the carcass. Biological matrices were collected for toxicological and histopathological analyses. High performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detector (HPLC-DAD) was utilized to detect aldicarb and its metabolites, aldicarb sulphoxide and aldicarb sulphone, and carbofuran. The variable post mortem interval and the method of conservation of the carcass may be harmful to toxicological, necroscopic and histopathological analyses, that should be performed in order to provide reliable evidences to investigate possible poisoning of animals, which is cruel crime, and are usually linked to domestic or social conflict.

Effects of long-term heat stress in an experimental model of avian necrotic enteritis

Stressful conditions are predisposing factors for disease development. Heat stress is one of the most important stressors in poultry production. The reemergence of some previously controlled diseases [e.g., avian necrotic enteritis (NE)] has been extensively reported. The combination of bacterial infection and certain environmental factors have been reported to trigger the disease. The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of long-term heat stress (35 ± 1°C) on the development of NE in broiler chickens. For this purpose, 60 male broiler chickens were divided into the following 6 groups: control group (C), heat stressed control group (C/HS35), thioglycolate group (T), thioglycolate heat-stressed group (T/HS35), infected group (I), and infected heat-stressed group (I/HS35). The poultry of groups I and I/HS35 were experimentally infected with Clostridium perfringens via their feed from 15 to 21 d of life. Heat stress (35 ± 1°C) was constantly applied to the birds of the stressed groups from 14 to 21 d of life. The infected and heat-stressed broiler chickens presented a trend toward a decrease in gross lesion scores and significantly lower microscopic scores of necrosis in the duodenum and jejunum (P < 0.05), lower fusion of villi in the duodenum (P < 0.05), and lower congestion scores in the jejunum and ileum (P < 0.05) in relation to infected and non-heat-stressed chickens. Broilers of I/HS35 group also exhibited small number of heterophils in the duodenum and jejunum compared with those of the I group (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the duodenum and jejunum of infected and heat-stressed broilers showed lower number of clostridia on the intestinal mucosa (P < 0.05). Data were discussed in light of a heat stress induced reduction on intestinal inflammation via a decrease in heterophil migration to the intestinal mucosa, which in turn might have reduced tissue damage during inflammation, hence preventing the development of a more severe form of NE.

Occurrence of antibodies against Neospora caninum and/or Toxoplasma gondii in dogs with neurological signs

This study aimed to evaluate occurrences of antibodies against Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii in dogs with neurological signs. Blood samples from 147 dogs were collected: 127 from owned dogs (attended at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of the Federal University of Paraná (HV-UFPR) and at private veterinary clinics in the city of Curitiba), and 20 from stray dogs found in Curitibas metropolitan region. The dogs presented one or more of the following neurological signs: seizures, paresis or paralysis, ataxia, behavioral abnormalities, sensory and somatic disorders and chorioretinitis. The samples were analyzed by means of the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT), at a cutoff dilution of 1:50. Out of the 147 samples obtained, 17 (11.56%) were seropositive for N. caninum, 31 (21.08%) for T. gondii and four (2.72%) for both protozoa. Serum titration on the positive animals showed that 54.83% (17/31) and 41.18% (7/17) had titers ≥ 1:200 against T. gondii and N. caninum, respectively. A significant difference in seropositivity for T. gondii (P = 0.021; OR = 2.87; CI = 1.1 > 2.8 > 7.4) was observed between owned dogs (18.11%) and stray dogs (40%). Inclusion of serological tests for neosporosis and toxoplasmosis is recommended in diagnosing neurological diseases in dogs.

Hypervitaminosis A-induced hepatic fibrosis in a cat

Rationale: The excessive intake of vitamin A in the form of vitamin concentrate, supplement or vitamin-rich liver can result in hypervitaminosis A in man and animals. Although osteopathologies resulting from chronic vitamin A intoxication in cats are well characterized, no information is available concerning feline hypervitaminosis A-induced liver disease. Clinical summary: We report the first case of hepatic stellate cell lipidosis and hepatic fibrosis in a domestic cat that had been fed a diet based on raw beef liver. Radiographic examination revealed exostoses and ankylosis between vertebrae C1 and T7, compatible with deforming cervical spondylosis. Necropsy showed a slightly enlarged and light yellow to bronze liver. Microscopic and ultrastructural analyses of liver tissues revealed diffuse and severe liver fibrosis associated with hepatic stellate cell hyperplasia and hypertrophy. These cells showed immunopositive staining for α-smooth muscle actin and desmin markers. The necropsy findings of chronic liver disease coupled with osteopathology supported the diagnosis of hypervitaminosis A. Practical relevance: As in human hepatology, if there is dietary evidence to support increased intake of vitamin A, then hypervitaminosis A should be considered in the differential diagnosis of chronic liver disease in cats.

Glial response in the central nervous system of cats with feline infectious peritonitis.

Objectives The aim of the study was to evaluate central nervous system (CNS) lesions in non-effusive and effusive cases of feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) regarding aspects related to astrocytic and microglial reactions. Methods Five necropsied cats that were naturally infected with FIP virus, confirmed by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry, with different intensities of CNS lesions, were studied. Brain and cerebellum were evaluated by light microscopy and immunohistochemistry for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and vimentin to assess astrocytic morphology, and lectin histochemistry for Ricinus communis agglutinin-I (RCA-I) to detect microglia was performed to evaluate the glial response in the CNS of cats with FIP. Results An important astrocytic response in many areas of the CNS of all cats, including the periventricular areas of lateral ventricles and fourth ventricle, the molecular layer of the cerebellum and cerebral cortex, was visualized. This astrocytic reactivity was associated with areas of granulomatous or pyogranulomatous vasculitis/perivasculitis in most cases, and it was characterized by multifocal to coalescing astrocytosis and astrogliosis with an increase in the expression of intermediate filaments, such as GFAP. However, astrocytes exhibited strong vimentin expression in neuroparenchyma with severe inflammatory and necrotic changes, but GFAP expression was mild or absent in these cases. A microglial response was present only in severe lesions, and RCA-I expression was detected primarily in gitter cells and resting microglia. Conclusions and relevance The present study indicates a strong astrocytic response, including the presence of many less differentiated vimentin-positive astrocytes and gitter cells positive for RCA-1 in severe lesions in the CNS of cats with FIP.

Animal serial killing: The first criminal conviction for animal cruelty in Brazil

Animal cruelty is a known behavior of psychopaths, and although the serial killing of humans is widely acknowledged worldwide, this type of crime against animals is seldom discussed. This report describes the necropsy and toxicological findings of 37 dogs and cats, which were found dead in plastic bags in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The animals had all been in the care of an alleged animal rescuer and were to be referred for adoption before being found dead. In the necropsy, the animals showed varying degrees of putrefaction, indicating different periods of death, as well as single or multiple perforations on the thorax. The perforations reached the heart, lungs or large thoracic vessels, culminating in hemopericardium and hemothorax that led to death by circulatory failure and cardiac tamponade. Blood from the heart and thoracic cavity was analyzed by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and tested positive for ketamine, a dissociative anesthetic. The suspect declared that she had killed only five of the animals and that they had all been fatally sick. The necropsy proved that all 37 animals were killed in the same way, that none of the animals had any terminal diseases and that a restricted drug was used. The suspect was sentenced to 12 years, 6 months and 14days of prison for the killing of the 37 animals. This was the first conviction for the crime of animal cruelty in Brazil. The combined role of police, forensic veterinary pathologists and prosecutors were essential to the conviction, which was a great historical occasion in the fight against animal cruelty.

Development and validation of carbofuran and 3-hydroxycarbofuran analysis by high-pressure liquid chromatography with diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) for forensic Veterinary Medicine

Agricultural pesticides used with the criminal intent to intoxicate domestic and wild animals are a serious concern in Veterinary Medicine. In order to identify the pesticide carbofuran and its metabolite 3- hydroxycarbofuran in animals suspected of exogenous intoxication a high pressure liquid chromatography with diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) method was developed and validated in stomach contents, liver, vitreous humor and blood. The method was evaluated using biological samples from seven different animal species. The following parameters of analytical validation were evaluated: linearity, precision, accuracy, selectivity, recovery and matrix effect. The method was linear at the range of 6.25-100μg/mL and the correlation coefficient (r2) values were >0.9811 for all matrices. The precision and accuracy of the method was determined by coefficient of variation (CV) and the relative standard deviation error (RSE), and both were less than 15%. Recovery ranged from 74.29 to 100.1% for carbofuran and from 64.72 to 100.61% for 3-hydroxycarbofuran. There were no significant interfering peaks or matrix effects. This method was suitable for detecting 25 positive cases for carbofuran amongst a total of 64 animal samples suspected of poisoning brought to the Toxicology Diagnostic Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of Sao Paulo.

Exhumation of Wistar rats experimentally exposed to the carbamate pesticides aldicarb and carbofuran: A pathological and toxicological study.

Exhumation is required for the investigation of suspicions deaths when a body is buried and is usually performed under court order. Exhumation of animals is not a routine practice in forensic pathology. In this study, 30 male 70-day-old Wistar rats were experimentally exposed to the carbamate pesticides aldicarb and carbofuran. Toxicological, macroscopic and microscopic examinations were performed. Groups of 3 animals (2 exposed and 1 control) were evaluated at 24h, 3days, 5days, 7days and 10days post-mortem. In histopathological examination, the brain, liver, lungs and kidneys were assessed, and for toxicological analysis, the gastric contents, liver, vitreous humor, skeletal muscle and larvae (when available) were collected. The pesticides were detected by HPLC and quantified in the analyzed matrices, and a possible delay in tissue putrefaction due to the pesticides was observed. This study has revealed that it is possible to exhume animals for investigations of possible poisoning by carbamates and has demonstrated that the exhumation of an animal in a suspected case of poisoning should not be ruled out. The increasing demand for investigations of suspicious animal deaths, e.g., in cases of poisoning, will likely lead to an increase in the use of this type of procedure in veterinary pathology.