The pancytopenia can be associated with intra and extra medullary disorders. When the etiology is not obvious, the examination of bone marrow is necessary. The study aims to report and discuss quantitative amendments in bone marrow and their causes in dogs with pancytopenia. Bone marrow aspirate was obtained from 65 dogs with pancytopenia over a period of 13 consecutive months for preparation of smears stained by Giemsa and observed in light microscopy. Five hundred cells differential count was held; and assessed myeloid:erythroid ratio, cellularity, megakaryocytes and direct parasitological examination. The data were evaluated by the Chi-square statistical test. Blood tests of 3120 canines with several clinical changes were analyzed to identify pancytopenia, which accounted for 167 (5.4%) dogs. Interpretation of quantitative characteristics was carried out from the bone marrow smear in 65 pancytopenic dogs and the etiology was established in 40 (61.5%) of these, which included infection by E. canis and L. chagasi, idiopathic aplastic anemia, chronic renal failure and co-infections. In 17 (26.2%) animals were not observed medullary changes. The most bone marrow change was observed myeloid and erythroid hypoplasia in 17 (26.2%) dogs, followed by myeloid and erythroid hyperplasia (24.6%). The myelogram association to the blood cell count allowed the identification of medullary findings and its participation on the occurrence of pancytopenia cases. The number of cases resulting from infectious diseases was 38 (58.5%) in canine assessed: significant number due to its endemic characteristic of the study region. Key words: Cytology. Canine. Cytopenia. Hemoparasites. Myelogram. ResumoA pancitopenia pode estar associada a distúrbios intra e extra medulares. Quando a etiologia não é óbvia, o exame da medula óssea é necessário. Este estudo tem como objetivo relatar e discutir alterações quantitativas na medula óssea e suas causas em cães com pancitopenia. De 65 cães pancitopêncicos atendidos durante um período de 13 meses consecutivos, foram realizados aspirados de medula óssea, corados com Giemsa, e observados em microscopia de luz. Quinhentas células foram observadas para contagem diferencial, razão mieloide: eritróide, celularidade, megacariócitos e exame parasitológico direto. Os dados foram avaliados pelo teste estatístico Qui-quadrado. Hemograma de 3120 caninos com diversas alterações clínicas foram analisadas para identificar a pancitopenia, encontrada em 167 (5,4%) cães. A interpretação das características quantitativas foi realizada a partir do esfregaço de medula óssea em 65 cães pancitotopênicos e a etiologia foi estabelecida em 40 (61,5%), incluindo infecção por

Rangelia vitalii infects erythrocytes, leukocytes and endothelial cells of dogs. The present study aimed to report the molecular detection confirmed by sequencing of R. vitalii in the state of Paraná, as well as describe the clinical, hematological and biochemical alterations of the infected dogs. Three sick dogs from the metropolitan area of Curitiba, PR, Brazil, underwent a physical exam, and laboratory tests included hematology, biochemistry, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and gene sequencing. Clinical signs included apathy, anorexia, and hemorrhage. Intra-erythrocytic and extracellular piroplasms were found on peripheral blood smears from all three dogs. Blood samples from these animals were positive for Babesia sp. by PCR targeting 18S rRNA. PCR products from all three dogs were sequenced, and BLAST analysis showed that the PCR-generated sequences were highly homologous with those of R. vitalii previously reported. Hematologic findings included severe anemia, shift of neutrophils to the regenerative left, and thrombocytopenia. Serum urea levels were increased in all three dogs, and direct bilirubin levels were elevated in one dog.

Background Canine monocytic ehrlichiosis (CME) is caused by the tick-borne pathogen Ehrlichia canis, an obligate intracellular Gram-negative bacterium of the family Anaplasmataceae with tropism for canine monocytes and macrophages. The trp36 gene, which encodes for the major immunoreactive protein TRP36 in E. canis, has been successfully used to characterize the genetic diversity of this pathogen in different regions of the world. Based on trp36 sequence analysis, four E. canis genogroups, United States (US), Taiwan (TWN), Brazil (BR) and Costa Rica (CR), have been identified. The aim of this study was to characterize the genetic diversity of E. canis in Cuba based on the trp36 gene. Methods Whole blood samples (n = 8) were collected from dogs found to be infested with the tick vector Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (s.l.) and/or presenting clinical signs and symptoms of CME. Total DNA was extracted from the blood samples and trp36 fragments were amplified by PCR. Nucleotide and protein sequences were compared using alignments and phylogenetic analysis. Results Four of the trp36 sequences obtained (n = 8) fall within the phylogenetic cluster grouping the US genogroup E. canis strains. The other E. canis trp36 sequences formed a separate and well-supported clade (94% bootstrap value) that is phylogenetically distant from the other major groups and thus represents a new genogroup, herein designated as the ‘Cuba (CUB) genogroup’. Notably, dogs infected with the CUB genogroup presented frequent hemorrhagic lesions. Conclusions The results of this study suggest that genetic diversification of E. canis in Cuba is associated with the emergence of E. canis strains with increased virulence.

Toxoplasmosis is a cosmopolitan disease caused by Toxoplasma gondii, an obligate protozoan that affects endothermic animals, including man. Being a zoonosis that can cause abortions, fetal malformations and blindness. Cats are the definitive hosts, acting as a source of dissemination. In order to collect epidemiological data on the distribution of T. gondii in Mineiros, Goiás, samples of domestic cats were analyzed to verify the circulation of the protozoan and reinforce preventive measures. Ninety-four samples of domestic cats, regardless of gender, age and breed, were randomly processed in the neighborhoods of Mineiros, Goiás. They were submitted to the indirect fluorescent antibody test for antibodies against T. gondii, using tachyzoites as antigens and anti-cat IgG conjugate (1:16 were positive). Of the 94 samples analyzed, 35 (37.2%) were reagents, of which four had a titration of 1:16, ten of 1:32, eleven of 1:64, eight of 1:128 and two of 1:256. All cats were semi-domiciled, but lifestyle and diet were not assessed. T. gondii infection is rarely symptomatic and the severity depends on the pathophysiological state. Brazil has high prevalence rates and requires effective care in the management of cats. In Mineiros, 29 reports of infected pregnant women were identified. Although infection in humans occurs primarily through consumption of undercooked meat, ingestion of oocysts in feces of cats is a possibility. Therefore, state public health institutions and veterinarians should promote health education, highlighting food hygiene. Since, when symptomatic, the disease presents severe clinical conditions and, in some cases, irreversible.