Glucocorticoids are drugs widely used in veterinary medicine; however, besides their clinical benefits, their use can trigger undesirable effects. A clinical trial was performed on eight healthy dogs with the intent of evaluating possible alterations in the bone mineral density after therapy with prednisone using a helical computed tomography. All animals received prednisone orally at a dose of 2 mg/kg of weight for 30 days. The bone mineral density was determined by obtaining the vertebral body radiodensity of the second lumbar vertebra values immediately before and after the administration of the medication. The experimental protocol allowed for the characterization of a significant (P < 0.01) reduction of the vertebral body radiodensity of the second lumbar vertebra. At the end of the experiment, it was characterized by a loss of bone mass of approximately 14%. None of the animals presented pathologic fracture at the end of the administration of the medication. This study verified that the alterations in the bone metabolism of the dogs submitted to the therapy with prednisone in a dosage of 2 mg/kg occur rapidly, which recommends a monitoring of the patients for the prevention of pathologic fractures.

No abstract

Martins B.B., Teixeira N.S., Teixeira S.A.M.V., Giannotti J.G., Nunes L.C., Freitas P.M.C., Machado-Neves M. & Luz M.R. 2020. Uterine secretory activity and histology of prepubertal female dogs in an animal model of partial ablation of endometrial glands development. Pesquisa Veterinária Brasileira 40(2):134-140.

A histochemical study with aniline blue staining revealed a positive correlation between the time of external symptom development and abnormal fluorescence in phloem tissue of Vinca rosea plants grafted with mycoplasma-infected Vinea scions. A range of abnormal fluorescence was observed in phloem tissue of Vinca stems after mycoplasmas of 15 different plant origins were respectively introduced by graft-inoculation. The degree of fluorescence intensity and distribution in phloem tissue was related to the severity of disease. Results from examination of mycoplasmas from culture did not suggest that these organisms themselves contribute to the abnormal fluorescence in phloem of infected Vinca.

La phyllodie du trèfle, le Stolbur C et le Stolbur SM ont été étudiés chez la cicadelle Euscelis plebejus, les plantes Trifolium repens, Cuscuta subinclusa, Datura stramonium et Solanum lycopersicum en microscopie électronique, sur coupes ultrafines et après purification des agents infectieux. Dans les différents hôtes infeetés, on distingue des éléments de grande taille, de forme ovoïde, amiboïde ou allongée, des corpuscules très contrastés, isolés ou en chaîneltes, de fins filaments et des élements dégénérescents. Chez les cicadclles, la dégénérescence de ces microorganismes est probablement due à une réaction immunologique qui expliquerait la perte régulière du pouvoir infectieux de ces vecteurs. Chez les plantes, cette dégénérescence peut en partie rendre compte des phénomènes de rétablissements définitifs ou temporaires que manifestent parfois certains végétaux atteints de ces maladies.