Uterine intussusception in immediate postpartum in bitches: case report

Uterine intussusception is a rare condition in bitches. This study aimed to report an unusual case of prolapsed uterine intussusception in a female dog. A 2-year-old American Bully bitch was received with labor history of large fetus requiring manual traction. The animal presented mucosal prolapse through the vulva, unproductive contractions and abdominal discomfort. After partial correction of mucosal prolapse, the dog was referred to ovary-hysterectomy surgery to correct prolapsed mucosa. During the surgical procedure, surgeons observed that the uterine horns were invaginated into the uterine body, rotated, and the tissue was slightly devitalized and congested. As previously described, this condition occurred during the immediate postpartum period. Thus, we suggest that this period can be a facilitator for the establishment of uterine intussusception.  A intussuscepção uterina é uma condição rara em cadelas. Portanto, este estudo tem por objetivo relatar um caso incomum de intussuscepção uterina prolapsada em fêmea canina. Uma cadela American Bully de dois anos de idade com histórico de parto de feto absoluto grande no qual necessitou de auxílio por tração manual foi apresentada. O animal exibiu um prolapso de mucosa através da vulva, contrações improdutivas e dores abdominais. Após a retração parcial do prolapso de mucosa, a cadela foi encaminhada para a ovário-histerectomia que teve por objetivo, também, corrigir a mucosa prolapsada. Durante o procedimento cirúrgico, foram verificados os cornos uterinos invaginados no corpo uterino, rotacionados, com o tecido levemente desvitalizado e congesto. Assim, como poucos casos encontrados na literatura, esta condição ocorreu durante o puerpério imediato. Dessa forma, sugere-se que este período, embora não seja um fator determinante para o estabelecimento da intussuscepção uterina, pode ser um facilitador no estabelecimento dessa condição

Intense Exercise and Aerobic Conditioning Associated with Chromium or L-Carnitine Supplementation Modified the Fecal Microbiota of Fillies

<div><p>Recent studies performed in humans and rats have reported that exercise can alter the intestinal microbiota. Athletic horses perform intense exercise regularly, but studies characterizing horse microbiome during aerobic conditioning programs are still limited. Evidence has indicated that this microbial community is involved in the metabolic homeostasis of the host. Research on ergogenic substances using new sequencing technologies have been limited to the intestinal microbiota and there is a considerable demand for scientific studies that verify the effectiveness of these supplements in horses. L-carnitine and chromium are potentially ergogenic substances for athletic humans and horses since they are possibly able to modify the metabolism of carbohydrates and lipids. This study aimed to assess the impact of acute exercise and aerobic conditioning, associated either with L-carnitine or chromium supplementation, on the intestinal microbiota of fillies. Twelve “Mangalarga Marchador” fillies in the incipient fitness stage were distributed into four groups: control (no exercise), exercise, L-carnitine (10g/day) and chelated chromium (10mg/day). In order to investigate the impact of acute exercise or aerobic conditioning on fecal microbiota all fillies undergoing the conditioning program were analyzed as a separate treatment. The fillies underwent two incremental exercise tests before and after training on a treadmill for 42 days at 70–80% of the lactate threshold intensity. Fecal samples were obtained before and 48 h after acute exercise (incremental exercise test). Bacterial populations were characterized by sequencing the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene using the MiSeq Illumina platform, and 5,224,389 sequences were obtained from 48 samples. The results showed that, overall, the two most abundant phyla were Firmicutes (50.22%) followed by Verrucomicrobia (15.13%). The taxa with the highest relative abundances were unclassified Clostridiales (17.06%) and "5 genus <i>incertae sedis</i>" from the phylum Verrucomicrobia (12.98%). There was a decrease in the phylum Chlamydiae and in the genus <i>Mycobacterium</i> after the second incremental exercise test. Intense exercise changed the community’s structure and aerobic conditioning was associated with changes in the composition and structure of the intestinal bacterial population of fillies. The intra-group comparison showed that chromium or L-carnitine induced moderate changes in the fecal microbiota of fillies, but the microbiota did not differ from the control group, which was exercised with no supplementation. Fecal pH correlated positively with Simpson’s index, while plasma pH correlated negatively. Our results show that exercise and aerobic conditioning can change in the microbiota and provide a basis for further studies enrolling a larger number of horses at different fitness levels to better understand the effects of exercise and training on the intestinal microbiota of horses.</p></div

Serum activities of the creatine kinase (CK) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) enzymes of fillies subjected to incremental exercise tests (IET-1 and -2) and a 42-days aerobic fitness program associated with L-carnitine (Car) or chromium (Chr) oral supplementation.

<p>Serum activities of the creatine kinase (CK) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) enzymes of fillies subjected to incremental exercise tests (IET-1 and -2) and a 42-days aerobic fitness program associated with L-carnitine (Car) or chromium (Chr) oral supplementation.</p

Changes in the pH and plasma lactate concentration of fillies subjected to incremental exercise tests (IET-1 and IET-2) and a 42-days aerobic fitness program associated with exercise L-carnitine or chromium (Chr) oral supplementation.

<p>Changes in the pH and plasma lactate concentration of fillies subjected to incremental exercise tests (IET-1 and IET-2) and a 42-days aerobic fitness program associated with exercise L-carnitine or chromium (Chr) oral supplementation.</p

Differences in the structures of the fecal microbiota communities of Mangalarga Marchador fillies subjected to the incremental exercise test (IET) and a 42-days aerobic fitness program as evaluated by parsimony and AMOVA analyses.

<p>Differences in the structures of the fecal microbiota communities of Mangalarga Marchador fillies subjected to the incremental exercise test (IET) and a 42-days aerobic fitness program as evaluated by parsimony and AMOVA analyses.</p

Simpson’s index and fecal pH correlation (positively) (before IET-1, without any exercise or fitness); Simpson’s index and plasma pH correlation (negatively) (immediately before and during fatigue, in the IET-1).

<p>r, correlation coefficient.</p

Typical relationship between plasma lactate concentration and velocity (lactate-velocity curve) in incremental exercise test (IET) involving a series of stages.

<p>Note an abrupt and exponential increase of plasma lactate concentration (deflection point-lactate threshold (LT)). The velocity at lactate threshold (VLT) has been used to elaborate the physical conditioning protocol of fillies.</p

Mean values and standard deviations of rarefaction curves comparing the number of sequences and OTUs found in the DNA of fillies’ stool.

<p>Groups: IET-1-0: immediately before the first incremental test (blue); IET-1-48: 48 h after the first incremental test (red); IET-2-0: immediately before the second incremental test (green); IET-2-48: 48 h after the second incremental test (purple).</p

Workflow of the experimental protocol.

<p>C (control group, did not exercise); E = only conditioning; Car = conditioning plus L-carnitine supplementation; Chr = conditioning plus chromium supplementation; ET (exercise total: all fillies undergoing the conditioning were analyzed as a separate treatment). IET, incremental exercise test (IET-1 and IET-2, before and after aerobic conditioning, respectively); VLT (velocity related to lactate threshold) was used as a guide to determine the training intensity, 70–80% VLT; fs, fecal sample; mb, muscle biomarkers (plasma lactate and pH, CK and AST). Fatigue in the IETs was identified by the fillies’ inability to follow treadmill speed.</p

The results for the main phyla and genera found in the stool samples, with relative abundances equal to or greater than 1%.

<p>(A) Samples collected in each group: E: exercised, Car: exercised and supplemented with L-carnitine, Chr: exercised and supplemented with chromium. 1–0: Immediately before the first incremental test, 1–48: 48 h after the first incremental test, 2–0: immediately before the second incremental test, 2–48: 48 h after the second incremental test. (B) Samples collected in each group: E: exercised, Car: exercised and supplemented with L-carnitine, Chr: exercised and supplemented with chromium. 1–0: Immediately before the first incremental test, 1–48: 48 h after the first incremental test, 2–0: immediately before the second incremental test, 2–48: 48 h after the second incremental test.</p