Maria Lígia De Arruda Mistieri

Dioctophyma renale em 28 cães: aspectos clinicopatológicos e ultrassonográficos

Dioctophyma renale infection in dogs is being considered uncommon for most parts of the world. However, some regions show an increase of this infection; but many data of the epidemiology and the biological cycle of the parasite are still unclear. The present study describes the epidemiological, clinicpathological and ultrasonographic aspects of 28 cases of infection by Dioctophyma renale in dogs in the West Frontier region of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Street dogs were the most affected and all of them had access to the banks of the Uruguay River. The renal and extra-renal lesions were predominantly characterized by atrophy of the renal parenchyma, sclerotic glomerulonephritis and granulomatous peritonitis, associated with free adult parasites and eggs in the abdominal cavity and erratic migration into the subcutaneous tissue. The ultrasound findings corresponded especially to the circular cross-sectional images with 0.6cm in diameter at most, with hyperechoic margin and hypoechoic center too. These findings were pathognomonic for Dioctophyma renale infection and this examination was essential for the definitive diagnosis by clinical evaluation. The results of the study demonstrate the importance of this parasitism in the region, alert that the diagnosis has being underestimated, and point out the need to clarify its epidemiology in order to reach effective control measures.

Estudo eletrocardiográfico de éguas da raça Crioula

The electrocardiography is an indispensable diagnostic tool to detect heart arrhythmias and electrical conductions disturbances in equines, as well as on prognosis determination of heart diseases, athletical performance, efficiency of training, and on electrolytic disturbance evaluation. However, electrocardiographic variables can be influenced by several factors such as age, gender, breed and phenotypic characteristics. Therefore the establishment of the characteristics of normality for different breed and phases of development is fundamental. Creole breed were firstly introduced to the American continent more than four centuries ago and it descends from horses of Iberian Peninsula. The breed is a result of natural selection that configured resistance and unique physical attributes. The present study aimed to analyze and compare the electrocardiographic parameters of Creole females in different ages, and verify the possibly influence of pregnancy on it. Digital electrocardiographic evaluation on apex-base lead was performed on 84 healthy creole mares (34 pregnant and 50 non-pregnant). The electrocardiograms were divided in groups concerning the age as G1 (until 4 years old), G2 (from 5 to 9 years old) and G3 (over 10 years old). No physiological or pathological heart arrhythmias and electrical conduction disturbances were seen in all examined mares. Sinus tachycardia , bifid P waves, rS configuration of QRS and biphasic T waves were the predominant patterns in all evaluated groups. Only the average of QRS duration of G1 females was significant superior (110,65±8,49) (p=0,0002) when compared with G2 (101,98±10,02) and G3 (100,92±10,72). The autonomic variables (ITV, average NN and SDNN) were lower in pregnant mares comparing to non-pregnant mares, suggesting a greater sympathetic autonomic system tonus and/or decrease of parasympathetic tonus on pregnant mares. In conclusion, the age affect only the QRS duration, and the pregnant condition was capable to decrease the time domain heart rate variability indexes with maybe influence the electrocardiographic evaluation of enrolled Creole mares.

Clinical and histopathological features of myocarditis in dogs with visceral leishmaniasis

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a cosmopolitan parasitic zoonosis that can promote myocarditis and heart rate changes in canine and human hosts. Thus, histopathological aspects of the myocardium and clinical, hematological, biochemical, radiological and electrocardiographic data were evaluated in a group of 36 dogs naturally infected with VL (VLG) and compared to data from 15 non-infected dogs (CG=Control Group). A prevalence of asymptomatic dogs was present in the CG (100%) and polysymptomatic dogs in the VLG (66%). In addition, two dogs in the VLG demonstrated systolic murmurs in the mitral valve region: one with a II/VI intensity and the other with a III/VI intensity. The mean values of RBC, hemoglobin and hematocrit were lower in dogs in VLG and were associated with higher values of total protein, total leukocytes, neutrophils, creatine kinase overall (CK) and the CK-MB fraction (CK-MB). The absence of radiographic changes was accompanied by a predominance of respiratory sinus arrhythmia associated with episodes of migratory pacemaker and sinus arrest in dogs in VLG (75%), sinus rhythm in dogs in CG (60%) and decreased P wave amplitude in VLG electrocardiography. Mononuclear cell infiltration was detected in the myocardium of 77,8% of dogs in GVL and classified primarily as mild multifocal lymphohistioplasmacytic. Amastigotes were detected in only one dog, which did not allow the association between myocarditis and parasitism, although the myocardial lesions that were found constitute irrefutable evidence of myocarditis in the VLG dogs, accompanied by lenient electrocardiographic changes compared to CG.

Evolução do condrossarcoma em articulação sacro–ilíaca em um cão: Relato de caso

Chondrosarcoma is a malignant neoplasm of bone that develops from the cartilaginous tissues, classified in the category of sarcomas, among the three tumors that most affect the pelvic region of dogs. The objective of this report was to describe the case of a chondrosarcoma located in the right sacroiliac joint in an 8-year-old female canine patient of the German shepherd breed. In this way, we emphasize the importance of the radiographic examination in the diagnostic conclusion, emphasizing that the histopathological examination is the examination of predilection for the definitive diagnosis of this affection.