Diseases’ clinical-epidemiological characterization assists in directing the diagnosis. The objective of this study was to describe epidemiological, clinical and laboratorial aspects of a case series of canine hyperadrenocorticism (HAC). One-hundred fifteen records of dogs diagnosed by the low dose dexamethasone suppression test and/or ACTH stimulation test were evaluated. Of the cases, 81.3% were HAC ACTH-dependent and 18.7% HAC ACTH-independent. Females were more affected, representing 69.3% of the cases. The mean age was 10.3±2.5 years and 64.9% were gonadectomized. Most of the patients were small size dogs, weighting less than 10kg (73.9%). The most frequent breeds were: Poodle (27%), Dachshund (17.4%), and Yorkshire Terrier (10.4%). The most frequent clinical manifestations were polyphagia (86%), polydipsia (82.6%), polyuria (80%), abdominal enlargement (82.6%), thin skin (79.1%), muscular weakness (78.3%) and panting (74.8%). However, eventually unusual HAC-associated signs would be present in some dogs in a more important way compared with the classic disease´s clinical signs. The CBC showed neutrophilia (66%), eosinopenia (58.3%) and lymphopenia (42.6%) as main hematological abnormalities. The most common findings in serum biochemistry were increased alkaline phosphatase activity (81.74%), increased ALT activity (62.6%), hypercholesterolemia (66%) and hypertriglyceridemia (54.7%). Urinalysis revealed hyposthenuria in 14.9% and isostenuria in 13.5%; besides proteinuria in 50% of the cases. Abdominal ultrasound showed bilateral adrenal hyperplasia (92.2%) with adrenal asymmetry in 20.8% of the cases, in addition to hepatomegaly (80.9%), biliary sludge (67.8%) and hepatic hyperechogenicity (47.8%). It was concluded that small size gonadectomized female dogs, mainly Poodles and Dachshunds, presented higher frequency in the population studied, and that the main changes observed in clinical and complementary tests were polyphagia, polyuria, polydipsia, abdominal enlargement, adrenal hyperplasia, increased phosphatase alkaline and hyperlipidemia. These results corroborated to a better disease characterization at Brazil. This work concluded that the population studied resembles the profile describe in European and North American epidemiologic studies, and that the HAC dog´s clinical picture looks similar worldwide.
Using portable blood glucose meters (PBGMs) to measure blood glucose (BG) concentration is a common procedure in veterinary practice. Our objective was to evaluate the analytical and clinical accuracy of a human PBGM (Accu-Chek Performa®), (AC) and a veterinary PBGM (GlucoCalea®), (GC) in feline patients. Central venous blood samples were collected from 48 cats at a Brazilian Veterinary teaching hospital. Two devices from each model were used and compared to a reference method (RM). Analytical accuracy was assessed according to ISO 15197:2013 requirements for human PBGMs. Data were compared using Wilcoxon’s nonparametric test and represented by Bland-Altman plots. Hematocrit’s effect on BG measurements was evaluated by the Spearman correlation coefficient. Clinical accuracy was determined using error grid analysis (EGA). Values of BG were significantly higher in all PBGMs compared to the RM. Although ISO’s analytical accuracy requirements could not be met by any of the devices, AC meters were more accurate than GC meters. All AC measurements - but not GC ones - were within zones A and B of the EGA, meeting ISO requirements for clinical accuracy. Significant hematocrit interference was observed in all devices. Therefore, AC showed greater accuracy compared to GC using feline whole blood samples.
The objective of the present study was to assess the treatment of dogs with ehrlichiosis (tropical canine pancytopenia (TCP)) with doxycycline hydrochloride associated or not with prednisolone on the hematological profile and serum proteins. Ten dogs with TCP were selected in the Small Animal Medical Clinic Veterinary Hospital, Federal University of Campina Grande-UFCG-PB, Brazil. The diagnosis was obtained by clinical examination, hemogram and immunochromatographic test (with anti Ehrlichia canis antibodies). Samples were distributed randomly in two experimental groups of five animals each (n = 5), named GD and GDP. The GD group was treated with doxycycline (5 mg/kg, VO, BID for 28 days) and the GDP group was treated with doxycycline at the same dose and duration and prednisolone (2 mg/kg, VO, BID, for five days). Four blood collections were made during the treatment period: a base collection (M0), one at 10 days (M10), a second at 21 days (M21) and another at the end of the treatment (M28). These samples were used for the tests erythrogram, leucogram, plateletgram and proteinogram (dose of total proteins, pre-albumin, albumin, albumin, α-1 globulin, α-2 globulin, ß-globulin, ɣ-globulin and C- reactive protein) in the Clinical Pathology Laboratory, Veterinary Hospital-UFCG-PB. Results, that presented normal distribution, was submitted to the Tukey test (P<0.05). Comparison of treatments GD and GDP showed that both promoted discreet and similar response in the hematological parameters at different times. Results obtained allowed the conclusion that both therapeutic protocols resulted in clinical, hematological parameter and proteinogram improvement, but the use of prednisolone at the dose administered during the first five days of treatment did not show more beneficial effects than isolated administration of doxycycline.
Background: Clinical care of cats with urethral obstruction is a common routine in feline clinical medicine and the re-establishment of urinary flow is essential for long-lasting correction of the pathophysiological alterations presented. For this chemical restraint is usually employed, that together with the alteration, increases the anesthetic risk of these patients. Improvement in anesthetic techniques, especially the loco-regional, may contribute to reducing the anesthetic risk of these patients and facilitate maneuvers to clear the obstruction. Thus the objective of the present study was to describe and assess the bilateral block technique of the pudendal nerve in 16 cats with urethral obstruction.Materials, Methods & Results: Sixteen male crossbred cats were used, with partial or total urethral obstruction, attended at the Veterinary Hospital of the Federal University of Campina Grande, PB, Brazil. The anesthetic block of the pudendal nerve trunk was carried out by placing the local anesthetic close to the ventral foramen of the second sacral vertebra, using a 13 x 0.45 mm needle attached to a 1 mL syringe. To assess the effectiveness of the bilateral block, the analgesia promoted was assessed using the substitute (“Reaction to Palpating the Surgical Wound” of subscale 1 (pain expression) of the “Compound Multi-dimensional Scale to Assess Post Operational Pain in Cats”. This assessment was made before the bilateral block (M0) and 10 min afterwards (M1) and the scores ranged from 0 to 3. In addition, a segmental assessment of the urethra was made, where, by passing a probe the sensitivity was assessed of the urethral ostium, penile and pelvic urethra and the relaxing of the external urethral sphincter. This assessment was made at M1 and classified as present or absent. In the cases where the bilateral block was inefficient, the technique was repeated, in the same locations and at the same dose as initially administered, and a new assessment (M2) was made 10 minutes after the second administration. In 12 of the 16 patients assessed the bilateral block was made once. The following were observed in these patients at M1: reduction in the reaction to penile manipulation (P = 0.003), total relaxation of the external urethral sphincter and absence of sensitivity to passing the probe through the penile urethra (P = 0.000) and insensitivity of the ostium urethrae (P = 0.006). In the animals in which the anesthetic bilateral block was repeated (4/16) the value of p adjusted for penile manipulation was 0.05. There was no reaction to the probe passage through the ostium urethrae and the penile urethra or contraction of the external urethral sphincter in 3 of the 4 animals (P = 0.625). Considering the total number of animals assessed, the urethral obstruction of the pudendal nerve trunk, carried out one or twice, caused statistically significant (P = 0.004) insensitivity to penile manipulation, probing of the ostium urethrae and the penile urethra and total relaxation of the external urethral sphincter in 14 of the 16 animals. In three patients concomitant anesthetic bilateral block was observed of the sciatic nerve, bilateral (two animals) or unilateral (one animal).Discussion: studies on the feline pudendal nerve have demonstrated that the sensitive and motor bilateral block of this nerve is possible, as corroborated by the present study. Although an atomic study had shown the possibility of concomitant bilateral block of the sciatic nerve, and therefore, according to the authors, the technique should not be recommended, this finding did not demonstrate great clinical relevance, because in most cases the patients remained under fluid therapy throughout the anesthetic recovery period (about two hours) and therefore with restricted movement. Nevertheless, studies should be carried out to improve this technique.
Background: Babesiosis is a hemolytic disease caused by protozoa of the genus Babesia spp. responsible for causing anemia, fever and splenomegaly in several animal species. The Cerebral involvement of Babesiosis in dogs manifests itself in a hyperacute manner with neurological disorders such as motor incoordination, nystagmus, anisocoria and convulsions. In Brazil there still are no studies which describe the pathological aspects of cerebral Babesiosis in dogs together with information relating to its clinical aspects and epidemiology. Therefore, this work had as an objective to describe seven cases of canine Cerebral Babesiosis, emphasizing its epidemiological, clinical and pathological aspects.Materials, Methods & Results: Were identified all the records of the necropsies performed in dogs at Animal Pathology Laboratory of the Federal University of Campina Grande (LPA/HV/UFCG), Patos Campus, Paraíba, Northeast of Brazil. In The period from January 2003 to December 2017. Later, were sellected all the cases of cerebral Babesiosis. Were included in the study the cases in which was possible to detect structures that were morphologically compatible with Babesia spp. trophozoites, intra-erythrocyte in vessels, associated to the presence of lesions in the CNS. For the microscopical description all the histological slides of the cases were revised, in addition to new slides were made with the fragments stored in parafin blocks or with the material fixed in a 10% formalin solution. The clinical course of the animals studied was hyperacute. In 4 cases, there was sudden death within 24 hours, from the appearance of the first symptoms and case 7 presented an evolution of approximately 12 hours. The main clinical symptoms described were vocalization, anorexia/hyporexia, jaundice and decubitus. Additionally, the most consistente macroscopical findings observed during the necropsy were a diffuse orange-coloured liver and splenomegaly. The most consistent alterations in the canine cerebral Babesiosis were hypertrophy of the endothelial cells, monocytic leukostasis, non-supurative meningitis, in addition to congestion, thrombosis, hemorrhage, vasculitis and perivascular cuffs.Discussion: In all the dogs of the present study, it was possible the detection of structures morphologically compatible with Babesia spp. trophozoites, as well as structural alterations and layout of the parasited erythrocytes, and the reduction of the eosinophilia, sweeling and formation of clusters in contact with the endothelium. The high parasite load in the sections of the brain was not a very precise criterium to explain the death of the animals, since only 1 case presented high concentrations of parasited erythrocytes. The other cases with discreet and moderate parasitic infestation were fatal probably due to the antigens liberated by the agent which culminate in systemic responses, suggesting a high pathogenicity of the hemoparasite. It’s necessary to include hyperacute diseases in the differential diagnosis, mainly in puppies, as infectious canine hepatitis, however jaundice in these cases is rarely observed, additionally, at necropsy, there is a predominance of petechiae and ecchymosis in the mucous membranes of the intestine and stomach. More extensive hemorrhage is observed in the subcutaneous tissue, kidneys, lungs, heart, and histopathological visualization of liver necrosis with intranuclear basophilic or amphophilic body inclusions in hepatocytes, Kupffer cells or endothelial cells.
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