Dermatophytosis Caused by Microsporum canis in a Free-Living Maned Wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus).

Background: Chrysocyon brachyurus is a South American wild canid considered a species near threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and is classified as vulnerable in the National List of Endangered Species. With the increase of the contact between domestic animals, human population and wild animals, there was a greater exposure of the maned wolf to pathogens. Due to the importance of its conservation, the knowledge of emerging infectious diseases that affect this species becomes essential. This report aims to describe the first diagnosed case of dermatophytosis caused by Microsporum canis in a maned wolf.Case: A free-living female maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus), approximately 60 days old, was rescued with presence of alopecia, non-pruritic lesions, one of circular shape located in the nasal plane and the other with signs of scaling and crusts in the region of the left pina. The animal was active, in good general condition and without other significantchanges to clinical examination. Skin scraping was performed for mycological culture of both lesions. Fungal growth on Sabouraud’s agar identified Microsporum canis. Topical therapy with ketoconazole ointment and cleaning of lesions with 0.2% chlorhexidine was instituted. After 20 days of treatment, remission of clinical signs and repilation of affected areas were observed. New mycological cultures of both areas were carried out, which were negative for Microsporum canis.Discussion: Although Microsporum canis is described as causing dermatophytosis in several animal species, it has apparently not yet been reported in maned wolves. Microsporum canis is one of the most isolated zoophilic dermatophytes in domestic cats and is also cited in reports of symptomatic wild felids, such as tigers, in which it has been identified as either the only agent of infection or in association with Trichophyton mentagrophytes. The occurrence is also high in domestic dogs. In the wild canids, Microsporum gypseum has been described in the gray wolf, Trichophyton mentagrophytes in wild foxes, and Microsporum canis in red fox, among others. The finding of zoophilic and geophilic dermatophyte fungi in healthy, free-living and captive wild animals confirms their role as carriers, probable reservoirs and disseminators of these organisms in the environment, and the potential risk they represent as causes of zoonoses. Zoophilic dermatophytes are usually transmitted by contact between individuals and contaminated fomites. In the case of M. canis in the red fox the contact was an asymptomatic domestic cat. In the present case the transmission was not determined, since the animal was rescued from the wild. Regarding the age group, young animals are more susceptible to dermatophytes than adults, probably related to the greater immunity of adults due to previous contacts or even the immaturity of the immune system of the young. The dermatophytosis diagnosis is generally based on anamnesis, physical examination of the lesion, Wood’s lamp examination, microscopic skin scraping, fungal culture, or even histology and PCR tests. In the present case, the final diagnosis was based upon by fungal culture in Sabouraud agar, which allowed to identify the dermatophyte species and,thus, the possible source of infection. Dermatophyte infections can be treated with systemic or topical antifungal medications. Because it was a young animal, it was chosen in the present case only for topical use, which proved to be adequate, probably due to the action of the drug in the areas of alopecia skin and the improvement of the systemic condition of theanimal. Knowing that the maned wolf is considered as a vulnerable species, it is important to know the diseases that affect this species, in order to carry out, when necessary, disease monitoring programs, preventive and therapies, which is essential for its preservation.Keywords: wild animal, disease, skin, dermatophyte

Biometric Measures, Body Score and Body Mass Index Evaluation in Wild Coatis (Nasua Nasua) Living in the South-Central Region of São Paulo State, Brazil

Background: Coatis (Nasua nasua) have easy interaction with man, besides being sociable and curious animals. The proximity to urbanized areas encourages them to intake food from anthropogenic sources, and it can change their eating habits and make them prone to obesity. The body condition evaluates the animals’ energetic status and measures variations in their body fat reserves. There are direct-invasive methods and indirect methods that rely on size and body mass to evaluate the body condition, like body condition score and body mass index. Thus, the aim of the present study was to assess different methods to determine the body condition of wild coatis (Nasua nasua) living in urban areas.Materials, Methods & Results: Sixteen (16) wild coatis (Nasua nasua), nine females and seven males, were captured at Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science (FMVZ) of São Paulo State University, Botucatu, in pitfalls. The animals were anesthetized with ketamine and midazolam and subjected to biometric evaluation after physical exams proved normal. The following variables were analyzed: body weight, body condition score (BCS) based on the five-point scale for dogs, thoracic and abdominal circumference, height at the withers, spine length and distance from the patella to the calcaneus. Two body mass index (BMI) were calculated from these data, one was based on dogs (BMI1) and another one on cats (BMI2), as well as the body fat percentage (%BF). Results showed that 25% of the assessed coatis were overweight. Body weight, thoracic and abdominal circumference, height at the withers, spine length and distance from the patella to the calcaneus were significantly higher in males than in females and the other assessed parameters did not present differences between sexes. The correlation between fat percentage and body weight was significant, and that between fat percentage and BCS was not. There was closer correlation between BMI2 and body weight, and BCS, than between BMI1 and these two parameters.Discussion: Anthropogenic interactions could change the body condition of these animals and make them prone to obesity, since their body condition scores were altered. With regard to the nutritional body condition, although males were bigger than females, the measures did not show significant differences between them. Results of this parameter varied in different studies with coatis, some studies have shown that males have body mass 1/3 higher than that of females and others have not recorded any difference between sexes. Fat percentage estimated through the metrics used in cats is not a good method when it is applied alone in body condition evaluations. A study that has correlated body mass, body condition score, body fat estimates, body mass index and abdominal circumference recorded positive results between these two evaluation methods. Such finding corroborated with the present study, but it was differed from it in abdominal circumference, which did not correlate to the two body mass indices and to body fat percentage. Therefore, it is possible saying that there is biometric difference between male and female coatis. The body condition score adopted for dogs was efficient for coatis (Nasua nasua), as well as the body mass index used for dogs and cats – the one used for cats was even more efficient. The proximity wild coatis (Nasua nasua) have to humans could change the body condition of these animals and make them prone to obesity

Anesthetic Management of a Maned Wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) for Pelvic Limb Amputation

Background: The maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) is the largest south american canid and deemed a near threatened species according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Typically found in Brazilian Cerrado, it is often a victim of animal trappings and vehicular accidents, where it may get deeply injured or end up fractured, demanding orthopedic procedures. Even though maned wolves are similar to the domestic dog, little is described regarding general anesthesia and its complications for major procedures in ill patients in the scientific database. This case report describes a successful blood transfusion and anesthetic management of a critically ill C. brachyurus.Case: An adult female maned wolf was rescued after getting steel-jaw trapped. After chemical restraint with intramuscular (IM) ketamine (12 mg/kg), midazolam (0.3 mg/kg) and methadone (0.3 mg/kg), physical examination showed exposed bones to the distal end of the right hind limb, pronounced dehydration and moderate anemia and thrombocytopenia according to blood count. Radiographic images enlightened multiple right tarsus fractures. As the wound was highly infected, which made the osteosynthesis procedure impossible, it was decided to amputate the limb on the following day. Subcutaneous (SC) lactated Ringer’s solution (250 mL), IM meloxicam (0.2 mg/kg) and IM enrofloxacin (10 mg/kg) were also administered at first.  On the following day, after aforementioned chemical immobilization, anesthesia was induced with dose-effect intravenous (IV) propofol (2 mg/kg) until orotracheal intubation was possible, and general anesthesia was maintained with isoflurane diluted in oxygen. Lumbosacral epidural anesthesia was obtained with 0.5% bupivacaine (0.25 mL/kg) and morphine (0.1 mg/kg) to provide analgesia and to reduce inhalant agent requirement. During surgery, hypotension was unresponsive to IV fluid challenges (5 mL/kg of third generation hydroxyethyl starch solution [6% tetrastarch] twice and 10 mL/kg of lactated Ringer’s solution, both over 15 minutes) and enduring blood loss led to life-threatening hypovolemic anemia. Dopamine (7.5-12.5 µg/kg/min) and norepinephrine (0.1-0.6 µg/kg/min) IV infusions were not able to fully restore normotension, thus whole blood transfusion (300 mL) was carried out after blood collection from a healthy maned wolf. Several premature ventricular contractions (PVC) that promptly evolved to sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) were observed and treated with 2% lidocaine (bolus of 2 mg/kg followed by continuous rate infusion set at 50 µg/kg/min). By extubation, electrocardiogram displayed sparse PVC and normotension could be achieved. Discussion: Even though there was no cardiovascular instability by the time epidural anesthesia was carried out, it could have contributed to the hypotensive crisis (mean arterial pressure < 40 mmHg) observed during general anesthesia. The decreasing MAP was also probably influenced by intense blood loss and previous dehydration and hypovolemia, as packed cell volume (PCV) dropped to as low as 15% during transanesthetic period. As whole-blood transfusion might be accompanied by adverse effects, it is usually held back as long as oxygen delivery is not compromised. However, the declining MAP, fluid therapy-related hemodilution, and an actual PCV potentially lower owing to dehydration led to blood transfusion. The procedure was not ideally approached as no blood type and cross-match were previously performed, although no other feasible options were available. Besides, tachyarrhythmias are known to increase oxygen consumption, so that VT could have resulted in negative cardiovascular consequences (including cardiac arrest). Since it is a vulnerable animal, this report may aid recognize and treat clinical conditions for the purpose of preservation of the species