G.E.S. Alves

Estudo eletrocardiográfico de eqüinos da raça Mangalarga Marchador

For the electrocardiographic evaluation of Mangalarga Marchador breed horses, 60 electrocardiograms were recorded from clinically healthy equines aging from one to 28-year-old, being 39 females and 21 males. The heart rate tended to decrease with age and the amplitude of P wave increased with the growth of the animals. The duration of the QRS complex and the amplitude of S wave were greater in males than in females.

Histopatologia das lâminas do casco de equinos com laminite aguda induzida e tratados com ketoprofeno, fenilbutazona e flunixin meglumine

ABSTRACT Experimental laminitis caused by carbohydrate overload was induced in 20 healthy horses. Seventy two hours after induction, samples of the laminar tissue were obtained by biopsy from the thoracic limbs digits for histopathology. The histological findings were compared to samples from horses without laminitis. Neutrophilic infiltrate was observed in 80% of the samples, congestion in 50%, hemorrhage in 35%, and hyperplasia of the arteriolar intima layer of the primary dermal lamina in 15%. Thrombi and intravascular blood clots were observed in 15% and 20% of the samples, respectively. Apparently, these findings were due to circulatory changes that resulted in edema, congestion, and hyperemia, followed by degeneration. In 70% of analyses performed on treated horses, the histological lesions were less severe than the clinical signs of lameness. It is concluded that: (i) the biopsy technique of laminar digital tissue from horses is viable; (ii) the artifacts generated by the biopsy technique do not compromise the histological analyses; and (iii) non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs do not avoid laminar lesions when administered after the beginning of clinical signs of laminitis. Keywords: equine, laminitis, digital histology, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

Análise biomecânica ex vivo de um modelo de haste intramedular de polipropileno para osteossíntese em úmeros de bezerros

A total of 12 pairs of humeri from male calves 15 to 30 days old were used. The left humeri remained unchanged and the right ones were fractured in the diaphysis between proximal and middle thirds. The fracture was fixed with a polypropylene intramedullary nail interlocked with two steel bone screws crossed along each segment. Six pairs of bones were subjected to a compression test and the others to a flexural test using a universal testing machine. In the compression tests, the mean rupture loads were 738,3N and 473,3N, and in the flexural tests they were 322,4N and 117,9N for the intact and fractured bones respectively. Fractured bones fixed with the proposed model were able to resist 66.4% of the load during compression and 36.6% during bending when in comparison to intact bones. Fractured humeri treated with polypropylene intramedullary nail showed limited resistance compared to intact ones.

Avaliação hematológica e bioquímica de equinos suplementados com óleo de arroz semirrefinado, rico em gamaorizanol

The effect of the supplementation with rice oil was evaluated on the weight and hematologic profile of equines submitted moderate physical exercise. Fourteen male equines, averaging 411kg, were distributed into treated group (GT; n=7), supplemented daily with rice oil added to the diet (0.5ml/kg/BW); and control group (GC; n=7), treated with soybean oil (0.5ml/kg/BW). Three evaluations were made before the treatment, and 20 and 40 days after the beginning of the treatment, consisting of the determination of the weight, the clinical examination, and the collection of blood samples before and after the exercise for hematocrit, hemogram, glucose, lactate, and total protein determinations. There was no difference between the groups, neither between evaluations for weight nor total protein. The glucose increased significantly after the exercise in the second collection in the GC and in the third in the GT. The GC lactate increased significantly in the collections after exercise; while in the GT, the results were similar before and after treatments. The supplementation of the diet with rice oil was determinant to hinder the lactate increase in the animals submitted to exercise, what could be relevant to increase their athletic performance.

Estudo da correlação de medidas radiográficas indicadoras de laminite em éguas da raça Mangalarga Marchador com e sem sinais de sobrepeso

The radiographic evaluation of the hoof is essential in the diagnosis and follow-up of equine laminitis; however, few studies have been conducted in Brazilian breeds. The aim was to perform the morphometry of radiographic images taken from the digit of Mangalarga Marchador in order to obtain a profile of measurements indicative of laminitis in this population. We also compared measurements form mares without (body score 5 and 6) and with (body score 7 and 8) signs of overweight. There was no significant difference between measurements from the two groups (P> 0.05), but there was significant positive correlation between founder distance and signs of adiposity in the neck and in the base of the tail. Findings from this study demonstrate that radiographic morphology of the hoof from this population of Mangalarga Marchador mares differ from standard international reference values. Furthermore, in this group of mares, those with body condition grading 7 and 8 did not seem to be more prone to develop laminitis, since there was no difference when they were compared with mares showing lower grades. However, a significant correlation among founder distance and signs of adiposity in the neck and base of tail indicate that Mangalarga Marchador mares are also prone to obesity-associated laminitis.

Efeitos da solução salina hipertônica a 7,5% em glicose a 5% nas concentrações séricas de sódio, cloreto e potássio de eqüinos com hipovolemia induzida

The effect of isotonic and hypertonic solutions on serum levels of sodium, chloride and potassium and cardiac (CR) and respiratory rates (RR) of hypovolemic horses were studied. Fifteen horses weighting from 390 to 475kg, aging from four to 18-years-old were submitted to bleeding of 2% of body weight and divided in three groups: 7.5% NaCl hypertonic saline in 5% glucose (GSH), 0.9% NaCl isotonic saline and control group (GC). Serum electrolytes were evaluated before (T0) and after bleeding (T1) and after the administration of the solutions between 20 and 30 minutes (T2), 60 and 70 minutes (T3) and 120 and 130 minutes (T4). After T0, CR and RR increased while serum sodium, chloride, potassium were not affected. After the treatment, the clinical variables improved in GSI and GSH as compared to GC. The Na levels increased in GSH at T2 being higher than T3 and T4 while chloride and potassium concentrations did not change. The hypertonic and isotonic solutions safely corrected the hypovolemia of the horses, without altering significantly the electrolyte balance.

Neurectomia digital em eqüinos: comparação das técnicas guilhotina e stripping

The surgical difficulties and the postoperative complications of two techniques for equine digital neurectomy, the guillotine (TG) and the stripping (TS), were evaluated. Four mares under halothane anesthesia were submitted to the TS in the digital nerves of a thoracic and a pelvic limbs, and TG in the contralateral limbs. The mean surgical times for TG and TS were similar. The mean transected nerve length was three times greater in TS (P<0.001). In both techniques, total lost of sensibility was observed in all heel bulbs during the first four months. After 14 months, sensibility returned to 37% limbs in treated by TG, and 18.8% in those treated by TS (P=0.06). Discreet painful sensation was identified by the response of digital palpation of the neuroma in a greater number of nerve stumps where TS was performed, 53.6% versus 6.4% of those operated by TG (P=0.003). No major complications were observed during or after surgery and both techniques were considered satisfactory. TG was considered with less potential to produce painful neuromas and reinnervation.

Efeito de anti-inflamatórios não esteroidais na apoptose de células epidermais lamelares de equinos com laminite

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of the administration of anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) ketoprofen, phenylbutazone and flunixin meglumine on the apoptotic index of the epithelial cells of lamellar tissue of horses with induced laminitis. 20 healthy horses were employed and underwent induction of laminitis by administration of starch, divided into four groups with induced laminitis (n = 5): saline, ketoprofen, phenylbutazone and flunixin meglumine. The lamellar tissue was collected by biopsy, fixed and stained with the TUNEL technique. All that were stained positive by this technique were added to the cell morphological identification of apoptosis. No significant difference was found in the apoptotic index between the groups treated with anti-inflammatory and controls (P> 0.05). It was concluded that the administration of NSAIDs after the prodromal phase of laminitis does not contribute to an intervention in the course of apoptosis in the lamellar tissue of horses with laminitis when compared to the untreated control group. Other studies with different evaluation periods are needed to clarify the effects of anti-inflammatory non-steroidal drugs in the pathophysiology of laminitis in horses, especially regarding the role of apoptosis.

Avaliação macroscópica, microscópica e histomorfométrica do tecido cicatricial pós-cirúrgico de eqüinos submetidos a duas técnicas de neurectomia digital

The post-operative healed tissues in horses submitted to two digital neurectomy techniques, the guilhotine (GT) and the stripping (ST), were evaluated by macroscopy and microscopy. Fourteen months after surgery, 32 samples of scar tissue were collected from four mares that had the members experimentally submitted to both surgical techniques. By macroscopy, the dimensions of the scar tissue of the proximal stump and the distance between nerve stumps were taken. By microscopy, the proportion of nervous tissues in the scar tissue was quantified by histomorphometry. There were no differences between the scar tissue dimensions, but the distance between stumps was 5.6-fold greater in ST subjects. Histologically, connective tissue, macrophages, and thin nervous fibers were observed in scar tissue present in animals of both groups. Nodular structures composed by nervous fascicules were visualized in 56.2% (9/16) of the samples collected from the ST group. The mean percentage of the nervous tissue in scar tissue was 0.31% in GT samples and 2.6% in ST samples (P<0.001). After ST, a longer time to the return of the sensibility may occur due to the greater distance between stumps. However, greater proportion of nervous tissue in the scar tissue suggests that the use of this technique favors nervous regeneration.

Fraturas odontomaxilares e mandibulares em eqüídeos tratados por diferentes técnicas de osteossíntese

Eight equines and one mule with odontomaxillaries and mandibularies fractures were treated with different osteosynthesis modified techniques, consisting of cerclages with or without tension bands, neutralization plates, and intraosseous pin applied by a methodology which was not found in the literature. The surgery procedures in equides were performed with the animals in stand position under physical contention, sedation, or neuroleptoanalgesy and regional nerve block. All animals were able to eat voluntarily in the immediate post-operatory time and had good bone recuperation.