Amebiasis in a Backyard Red-Foot Tortoise (Chelonoidis carbonaria)

Background: Amebiasis is a parasitic infection caused by obligate or facultative amoeboid protozoans, as well as free-living forms. The genus Entamoeba includes both pathogenic and commensal species that can affect humans and animals. Entamoeba histolytica is the most important species associated with intestinal and extraintestinal infections in humans, while Entamoeba invadens is considered the most common and serious pathogen to many reptile species, including lizards, snakes and crocodilians. The aim of this manuscript is to report a case of amebiasis in a backyard red-foot tortoise in northeastern Brazil.Case: A 10-month-old male red-foot tortoise (Chelonoidis carbonaria) was presented at the Animal Pathology Laboratory of the Veterinary Hospital of Federal University of Campina Grande for necropsy with a 1-week history of anorexia, apathy, and reluctance to move. According to the owner, the animal suffered from heat stress in the backyard, where it was housed with another male red-foot tortoise. At post-mortem examination, there were approximately 1 mL of yellowish viscous transudate in the coelomic cavity. The liver was large, with rounded edges and multifocal to coalescing yellowish areas in the subcapsular surface. When cut, the parenchyma was more friable and yellowish. At the opening of the small intestine, the mucosa was thickened, reddened, and contained many variably sized, dark red ulcers with depressed and hemorrhagic centers. Histopathology of the liver reveals diffuse macro and microvacuolar degeneration of the hepatocyte cytoplasm, often displacing the nucleus peripherally (fatty degeneration). There were extensive and multifocal areas of necrosis characterized by shrunken, hypereosinophilic and pyknotic hepatocytes. Amebic trophozoites were seen through the areas of necrosis and degeneration and the morphological features were suggestive of the genus Entamoeba. In the portal triads and slightly extending to the sinusoidal spaces, there is a moderate inflammatory infiltrate of macrophages, lymphocytes, plasma cells and rare heterophils. There were amebic trophozoites and thrombi in hepatic vessels, and mild intracanalicular cholestasis. The small intestine contained areas of transmural necrosis and ulceration associated with inflammatory infiltrate of macrophages, lymphocytes and plasma cells. The ulcers were covered by a thick fibrinonecrotic exudate mixed with a varying number of heterophils and macrophages. The submucosa contained hemorrhage and edema. Similar amebic trophozoites were found within the mucosa and submucosa, and also detected in the lumens of blood vessels at the submucosa. The amebic trophozoites, seen in the liver and intestine, were intensely Periodic acid–Schiff positive.Discussion: The diagnosis of amebiasis was based on the epidemiological, clinical and anatomopathological findings. Amebiasis is a well-recognized disease that usually is diagnosed post-mortem in numerous species of reptiles. Unfortunately, there are no scientific articles describing these cases in Brazil. In reptiles, the major pathogenic specie is Entamoeba invadens, while several other species are considered non-pathogenic, such as E. barreti, E. insolita, E. terrapinae, E. ctenosaurae, and E. knowlesi, among others. Although cultivation of E. invadens was not undertaken, the anatomopathological findings and the morphological appearance of the agent is highly suggestive of infection with this organism. In conclusion, amebiasis is a severe infectious disease that can affect young red-footed tortoises under adverse environmental conditions. Clinical signs are nonspecific and may be difficult to identify. The diagnosis is usually made post-mortem by anatomopathological findings and the morphological appearance of the agent

Megaesophagus in sheep and goats

ABSTRACT: Megaesophagus is a rare disease in ruminants characterized by regurgitation of rumen contents. In this paper it was described cases of megaesophagus in two sheep and two goats on a farm in the state of Paraíba, Northeastern Brazil. All animals showed regurgitation of rumen contents and weight loss, with a clinical course of several months. At necropsy all animals presented megaesophagus. Histological examination showed segmental muscle necrosis in the esophagus and skeletal muscles. Serum samples from one sheep and one goat were negative for the presence of blue tongue antibodies by ELISA, and whole blood and muscle samples from one goat were negative for this virus by RT PCR. Epidemiological data and pathology suggested that the disease could have been caused by some toxic plant, but known plants causing segmental muscle necrosis were not observed in the areas where the disease occurred

Environment influence in first milking upon production, composition, somatic cell count and hormones on cows in system created biodynamic

ABSTRACT. Rodrigues A.L., de Souza B.B., Pereira Filho J.M., de Mendonça M.F.F., Marques B.A.A., Silva L. de B., Viturino P.V. & Campos E.M. [Environment influence in first milking upon production, composition, somatic cell count and hormones on cows in system created biodynamic.] Influência do ambiente de pré-ordenha sobre produção, composição, contagem de células somáticas do leite e hormônios de vacas criadas em sistema biodinâmico. Revista Brasileira de Medicina Veterinária, 36(2):174-182, 2014. Programa de Pós- -Graduação em Medicina Veterinária, Centro de Saúde e Tecnologia Rural, Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, Caixa postal 64, Patos, PB 58708- 110, Brasil. E-mail: [email protected] The objective of the present study were apprise in two environments in first milking upon production, composition, SCC of milk and the concentration hormonal plasmatic in cows Brown Swiss cattle in two-production level and system created biodynamic. We used 32 cows; we had 16 in low and 16 in up production. The cow waits 1.5 hour for the first milking on the sun and in without sun. All the cows had the loggers to register the environment variations. The design experimental was completely randomized with 2 x 2 arrangement factorial (two environments first milking and two levels of production), consisted of 4 groups of 8 repetitions each. The acidity (P≤0.01) and the total solids (P>0.05) were less in the milk from the cows put in without sun. The cows about the production less level showed acidity (P≤0.01), density (P>0.05), lactose (P≤0.01) and solids without lipids (P≤0.01) in the milk in cows form milk had low production therefore we did not observation some difference in total solids (P>0.05) between two level production. The SCC milk did not showed variations between the environments and the production level (P>0.05), therefore in the number, were up in the cows with of sun and when had low production. The values form T3, T4 and cortisol, not had variations in the four groups in the study (P>0.05) and was in accord with the literature. When we put the cows Brown Swiss cattle for 1,5 hours in the first milking in system created biodynamic of production showed low influence weather in the cows did not showed good up production and good milk composition

HAMARTOMA COLAGENOSO EM CÃO

Hamartoma são lesões tumorais oriundas de um crescimento excessivo de estruturas normais aolocal em que naturalmente se encontram, a qual pode ocorrerem qualquer tecido ou órgão. Um canino, macho, 10 anos da raça Pitbull foi atendido com queixa principal de aparecimento de nódulos na região abdominal. Ao exame físico o animal apresentava três lesões nodulares de tamanhos variados na região abdominal. O animal foi encaminhado para realização de biopsia excisional. No exame histopatológico foi observada massa tumoral não encapsulada composta por denso feixe de fibras colágenas bem arranjadas na derme. Com base nos dados anatopatológicos e histopatológico, o diagnóstico foi de hamartoma colagenoso e o procedimento cirúrgico foi curativo