This study aimed to characterize ocular diseases in dogs naturally affected by visceral leishmaniasis in Teresina, Piauí State, Brazil. The diagnosis was made using parasitological exams of the bone-marrow and lymph-node samples. The main ophthalmological findings were uveitis, conjunctivitis, blepharitis, keratitis, and keratoconjunctivitis sicca. Normocytic normochromic anemia was the main hematological finding, followed by thrombocytopenia. Plasma proteins were also considered, and hyperproteinemia, hypergammaglobulinemia, and hypoalbuminemia were observed. Ocular histopathological examination revealed mild inflammation involving lymphocytes, monocytes, and macrophages. Results indicate the need to perform a differential diagnosis to rule out or establish the presence of Leishmania sp. in dogs presenting with ophthalmic lesions in endemic regions.

Neonatology (the study of newborns) remains a little-explored specialty in medical clinics treating dogs. Therefore, neonatal mortality in dogs is high, and there is a lack of data on the subject in Brazil. The objective of this study was to record the neonatal mortality rate in dogs being treated at a Teaching Veterinary Hospital. We analyzed 69 (35 female and 34 male) newborn puppies born to 17 female dogs. The majority of the female dogs (94%; 16/17) and had dystocic parturition. Of the 69 puppies, only 30 (43.47%) survived the first 24 hours after birth. Based on these numbers, the neonatal mortality was considerably high at 56.52% (39/69), probably due to hypoxia that is known to be common in neonates with dystocic births. Given the above, it is concluded that assisted reproduction and prenatal examinations should be encouraged to reduce neonatal mortality in dogs.