The capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) are the largest rodent found throughout South America and are present in almost all the Brazilian territory, however, still lack basic descriptions about the species, such as about their cranial anatomy. This study was carried out to investigate the anatomical features in the capybara skull. Eight skulls and two heads, without sexual distinction, were used for the osteological, radiographic and tomographic identification of their structures. The skull of the capybara could be divided into a neurocranium and a viscerocranium. The capybara had a more robust and rectangular skull, elongated face caudally, thinned in the nasal region and slightly convex in the parietal region. The zygomatic arch was expanded and wide, the orbit had a circular shape, the infraorbital foramen was well developed, external acoustic meatus and tympanic bulla were relatively small, and the paracondylar process was large. These anatomical characteristics are compatible with the eating habit and semi‐aquatic life of capybaras, which can be compared with characteristics reported for animals of similar habits. The radiographic image allowed to identify structures such as the frontal sinus, whereas 3D tomographic reconstruction was essential to have a spatial view of the skull of the capybara.

Myxomas are benign mesenchymal tumors rarely described in birds. This report describes the clinical and

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Background: The capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) is the largest rodent in the world. They are territorial animals, and live in social groups, commonly occurring in anthropized area, what has attracted the attention of researchers in relation to this animal species, since it is the host of the Amblyomma cajennese tick that transmits spotted-fever to humans and are responsible for severe impact on livestock and public health. The skull is a part of the axial skeleton that enclosing the brain, sensory organs and digestive and respiratory structures. Moreover, the phenotypic appearance of the capybara head depends on the shape of the skull. Thus, the aim of this study was to describe the reference values of cranial measurements of capybaras. The knowledge of morphometric parameters of skull is pivotal for veterinary treatment of pathological conditions and taxonomic affiliation. Materials, Methods & Results: Eight capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) skulls were used in this study, irrespective of age and sex. The skulls belonging to the anatomical collection of the Laboratory of Wildlife Anatomy and Anatomical Museum, Department of Anatomy, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho, UNESP, Botucatu, São Paulo. A total of 35 morphometric parameters were performed using a digital caliper and 6 cranial indices were calculated. All investigated features were expressed as mean ± standard deviation. Anatomically, capybara skull were elongated, rectangle-like and consisted of cranial and facial bones. The morphometric parameters were used to calculate the following craniometrics indices: skull index (57.86 ± 3.62), cranial index (50.49 ± 2.08), facial index (49.22 ± 3.82), basal index (33.98 ± 0.86), nasal index (26.73 ± 3.1), and the foramen magnum index (149.61 ± 1.07). Moreover, the facial part length (mean 137.90 mm) and cranium part length (mean 87.76 mm) also were calculated. The facial part length was a distance from the cribriform plate of the ethmoid bone to the rostral edge of the incisive bone and, the cranium part length was a distance from the external occipital protuberance to the cribriform plate of the ethmoid bone.  Discussion: This study established morphometric parameters in the capybara skull. The craniometric measurements showed in this study are compatible with reported in other studies in the capybara skull, although the most parameters measured in this study were not calculated in previous studies of the capybara skull. Moreover, none of the cranial indices calculated in this study were previously calculated. Based on some cranial measurements, the 8 capybaras used in this study could be classified into subadult (4) and adults (4). The foramen magnum showed a dorsal triangular notch in the capybara skull differently from described in the Cavia spp., and similar to reported to other rodent as Gambian rat and other mammals species such as maned wolf, four-toed hedgehog, and dromedaries. The rectangular shape of the capybara skull is different from that found in other caviids rodents such as Brazilian guinea pig. The capybara skull showed greater development of the facial part in relation to the cranial part, which allows to relate the skull shape with the skull shape presented by dolichocephalics dogs. This feature is commonly reported in large caviomorph rodents. Probably, this morphology is compatible with the ecology and phylogeny of the species. Keywords: capybaras, craniometry, cranium, veterinary anatomy, wildlife.

Dioctophymosis is the disease caused by Dioctophyma renale, a large nematode, popularly known as giant kidney worm, and whose definitive hosts are the domestic dog and many wild mammal species. There are some reports of maned wolf parasitism by D. renale, however, in most cases the reports are restricted to the finding of the parasite during necropsy, without clinical assessment. The present report aimed to describe the clinical-therapeutic, ultrasonographic and pathological aspects of D. renale parasitism in a free-ranging maned wolf, emphasizing the treatment with an association of doramectin, praziquantel, pyrantel pamoate, and febantel that resulted in complete elimination of the parasite.

Background Acanthocephalosis is an important cause of death in captive New World primates (NWP). Once established in a colony, it is extremely difficult to treat and control, quickly spreading among NWP with a high mortality rate. This study aimed to characterize the disease associated with infection with acanthocephalans according to its epidemiological, clinical, and anatomopathological aspects in a captive NWP population. Methods From 2010 to 2020, a Brazilian zoo had recurrent deaths of NWP associated to acanthocephalan parasitism. Clinical and pathological profiles of these animals were analyzed considering the host species, sex, age, weight, clinical signs, therapeutic protocols, and pathological findings. Results A total of 27 deaths associated with acanthocephalosis were recorded, all lethal cases affected tamarins and lion tamarins, corresponding to 67.5% of total deaths during the course of this study. Ten animals died with no previously detected clinical signs, whereas cases with noticeable clinical signs often had apathy and progressive weight loss, resulting in cachexia. Symptomatic NWP were treated with anthelmintic protocols, antibiotics, and support therapy. However, all hospitalized animals died and had grossly detectable adult acanthocephalans in the intestinal lumen that were identified as Prosthenorchis sp., which were associated with transmural and ulcerative enteritis. Conclusions This report revealed the impact of acanthocephalosis in a naturally infected captive colony of NWP, particularly affecting tamarins (Saguinus spp.) and lion tamarins (Leontopithecus spp.), with failed treatment and control strategies.

ABSTRACT: Hemoplasmas are bacteria able to adhere themselves loosely to the plasma membrane of erythrocytes and may parasitize several species of mammals. There are three known species of hemoplasmas that parasitize domestic and wild cats: Mycoplasma haemofelis, ‘Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum’ and ‘Candidatus Mycoplasma turicensis’. Dogs are infected by at least two species of hemoplasmas: ‘Candidatus Mycoplasma haematoparvum’ and Mycoplasma haemocanis. The hemoplasmoses are very important in veterinary clinics, either because of its worldwide distribution and severity of clinical signs, depending on parasite species and host immune competence, or due to its zoonotic potential and capability of infecting endangered species. This study set out to investigate which hemoplasmas species parasitize different captive wild carnivores in order to clarify the epidemiology of hemoplasmoses in wild animals. Furthermore, the research intended to characterize the hematological changes caused by different species of hemotropic mycoplasmas infection in order to establish their clinical importance to wild species and the capacity of these species to become a reservoir of studied agents. Samples of 33 wild felids and 18 wild canids were investigated using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect hemoplasmas DNA and it was observed that the occurrence of infection in these species is 45.5% and 83.3%, respectively. Factors such as age, gender or anaemia are not more frequent in animals positive for the infection. Therefore, it is concluded that infection caused by hemoplasmas in wild carnivores has high prevalence, and either agent pathogenicity is low, or chronic stage is more frequent, resulting in a low rate of diagnosis.

Pulmonary adenocarcinoma is a malignant epithelial neoplasia that usually arises from conducting airways or alveolar parenchyma. It has rarely been described in wild felids, with no previous reports in ocelots. In domestic cats it is a very aggressive neoplasm with a high metastatic rate that usually evolves to death. This report aimed to describe a pulmonary adenocarcinoma in a captive and senile ocelot (Leopardus pardalis), with a thorough morphologic and immunophenotypically characterization, evidencing the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenomenon in a high metastatic carcinoma, an important feature rarely described in veterinary medicine, even in domestic cats.