Maria Isabel de Souza

Intoxicação espontânea por vagens de Prosopis juliflora (Leg. Mimosoideae) em bovinos no Estado de Pernambuco

Three outbreaks of poisoning by Prosopis juliflora pods are reported in the semiarid region of the state of Pernambuco, Northeastern Brazil, in cattle grazing in fields invaded by the plant or ingesting mesquite beans as a concentrate food. In two farms the disease occurred sporadically. In another, 112 (9.28%) cattle out of 1206 were affected, 84 (6.96%) died due to emaciation, and 28 (2.32%) gained weight after the pods had been withdrawn from the feed. Main clinical signs were progressive weight loss, atrophy of the masseter muscles, dropped jaw, tongue protrusion, difficulties in prehending food, tilting the head during mastigation or rumination, salivation, impaired swallowing, and decreased tone of the tongue. The hematology reveals hypoproteinemia and anemia. Gross lesions were emaciation and reduction in size of the masseter muscles, which appear thinner than normal and grayish due muscular atrophy. Degeneration of neurons of the trigeminal motor nuclei, Wallerian degeneration of the trigeminal nerve roots, and muscular atrophy of the masseter muscles with substitution by fibrous tissue were observed on histologic examination. For the prevention of the poisoning is necessary to limit the amount of mesquite beans in animal nutrition. It is also necessary to develop research to determine the economic and sustainability of the use of Prosopis juliflora for animal food, human food or other uses such as charcoal, wood and fuel wood.

Compactação primária do abomaso em 14 bovinos no estado de Pernambuco

Despite the frequent use of dry and fibrous roughage for feeding cows in many regions, especially during the dry season, impaction of the abomasum has been poorly reported in Brazil, probably because the condition is misdiagnosed by practitioners. The present paper aimed to accomplish a retrospective study on primary abomasal impaction in 14 cattle from Pernambuco State, northeastern Brazil. Eight moderate cases, without severe abdominal distention and with no rumen compaction, were treated conservatively, and four severe cases, with severe abdominal distention and rumen compaction, were treated surgically. One bull was slaughtered and one cow died without treatment. The greater number of abomasal impaction cases was in Holstein cows with six cases (42.9%), followed by crossbred cattle with five cases (35.8%), and the breeds Brown-Swiss, Nelore and Marchigiana, each with one case (21.3%). The food composition was characterized by low quality fibers and varied greatly among cases. Most frequent clinical signs were apathy, dehydration, hypomotility and ruminal bloat, intestinal hypomotility and scanty or absent feces with mucus. The hematological findings revealed leukocytosis with neutrophilia and hyperfibrinogenemia in most cases. Ruminal fluid analysis showed compromised flora and fauna dynamics and increased chlorine ion concentration. Clinical (4/8) and chirurgical (2/4) recovery rate achieved 50%. The clinical and chirurgical methods remain as viable options for the treatment of light and severe impaction, but the prognosis is always reserved especially when associated to late pregnancy.

Fatores de risco, achados clínicos, laboratoriais e avaliação terapêutica em 36 bovinos com deslocamento de abomaso

The continuous genetic selection for high milk production in association with greater digestive capacity and corporal depth increases the susceptibility for abomasopathies including abomasal displacement. The present work aimed to accomplish a retrospective study on abomasal displacement in 36 cattle attended at Bovine Clinic, Garanhuns Campus, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, through January 2000 to February 2009. Twenty seven cases of right abomasal displacement, six cases of left abomasal displacement and three of abomasal volvulus were diagnosed. Eleven moderate cases, without severe abdominal distention, appetite for roughage and metallic sound (“ping”) reaching at the most the 8th intercostal space were treated conservatively, and 20 severe cases with moderate to severe abdominal distention associated to systemic disturbances were treated surgically. Two cows were euthanized due to diffuse peritonitis or severe alterations in the abomasal serosa totalizing 18 animals submitted to the surgical treatment. Two animals were slaughtered and three cows arrived prostrated and died without receiving any treatment. Risk factor analysis identified rainy season as statistically significant. The greater number of abomasal displacement was in crossbred cows with 24 cases (66.6%), followed by Holstein and Gir cattle with 11 (30.5%) and one (2.9%) cases, respectively. Food composition varied greatly and characterized by excess of carbohydrates and in most cases low quality fibers. Most frequent clinical signs were apathy, dehydration, light to severe ruminal bloat with reduced or absent motility, splashing sound during right flank ballottement, ping and a distended viscera-like structure in the side of the displacement; liquid, blackish and fetid feces. Hematology reveals leukocytosis with neutrophilia and hyperfibrinogenemia in most cases. Ruminal fluid analysis showed compromised flora and fauna dynamics and increased chloride ion concentration in 93.9% of the cases achieving the media index of 47.66 mEq/L. Clinical and surgical recovery rate achieved 100% and 72.2%, respectively. Those methods described are viable options for the treatment of light and severe displacements but the prevention remains the best choice.

Análise dos fatores relacionados a 60 casos de distocia em ovelhas no Agreste e Sertão de Pernambuco

The aim of the present study was to report the main dystocia causes in sheep in Agreste and semiarid region of Pernambuco and to evaluate some factors related to their occurrence, besides of determining the efficiency of the treatment choices. The higher incidence of dystocia occurred in rainy season corresponding to 61.7%. Results showed a major predominance of maternal dystocia (71.6%) over fetal dystocia (29.4%) with higher incidence in primiparous and gemelar pregnant Santa Ines ewes. The main maternal dystocia was ringwomb while fetal dystocia was maldisposition in anterior presentation. Maternal survival rate correspond to 100% and 88.6%, while lambs achieved 41.2% and 46.7% after obstetrical maneuver and caesarean section, respectively, with predominance of unviable lambs in both procedures. Obstetrical maneuver and left flank cesarean section remain as safe options for the treatment of sheep dystocia and are also important coadjutants in minimizing the economical impact that this disease causes in Pernambuco.