Cerebral thromboembolism secondary to infective endocarditis in a pet rabbit

Altres ajuts: Acord transformatiu CRUE-CSICCentral vestibular disease is one of the most common problems in pet rabbits. Encephalitozoon cuniculi infection appears to be the most frequent etiology, but other causes have been described. It is known that infective endocarditis can cause thromboembolic disease affecting multiple organ systems in dogs. Secondary embolism from bacterial endocarditis commonly occurs, mainly in the spleen and kidneys; but cerebral thromboembolism disease secondary to infective endocarditis has rarely been reported in dogs. In this case, an 8-year-old, neutered male rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) presented with mild hyperthermia, left head tilt and rolling. Radiographic examination, complete blood count, serum biochemistry and abdominal ultrasound were unremarkable. Magnetic resonance imaging did not show any abnormalities in the central nervous system. An Encephalitozoon cuniculi serology was performed with elevated IgM and IgG titers (1:320; 1:1280 respectively), the patient was hospitalized and treated for encephalitozoonis but the rabbit died 8 days after presentation and the body was submitted for necropsy. Histopathological examination revealed multifocal necrotizing and suppurative myocarditis, with multiple emboli in kidneys, lungs and central nervous system. Polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochemistry, and Ziehl-Neelsen staining of samples from the central nervous system and kidneys yielded negative results for Encephalitozoon cuniculi. Due to the positive predictive value of 92% of indirect fluorescent antibody technique Encephalitozoon cuniculi serology, in this case a false positive was suspected. Based on the results, final diagnosis of cerebral thromboembolism secondary to infective endocarditis was emitted. This is the first report of this process naturally occurring in rabbits, and it should be included in the differential diagnosis of central vestibular syndrome in this species

Gravel deposit produced by a flash paleoflood in a succession of Quaternary terraces in the Plain of Vic (NE Iberian Peninsula)

In contrast with the abundance of studies of fluvial terraces, caused by river dynamics, there are very few descriptions of alluvial deposits produced by flash floods and mass movements. This study describes a late Pleistocene sedimentary deposit produced by a flash paleoflood and attempts to explain its genesis and its source areas. The Plain of Vic, drained by the river Ter and its tributaries, is one of the eastern erosive basins bordering the sedimentary Ebre basin (NE Iberian Peninsula). This plain has a length of 35 km and an average width of 8 km with a N-S direction and lies mainly on the Marls of Vic Fm. These materials are the less resistant lithologic members of the monocline Paleogene stratigraphic succession that dips to the west. The basal resistant bed that forms the eastern cuesta is the Sandstones of Folgueroles Fm. On the top, the resistant lithologic beds that form the scarp face are the sandstones of La Noguera in the Vidrà Fm. On the scarp face, various coalescent alluvial bays have been developed, which have accumulated up to eight levels of alluvial terraces. In one of them, formed by the river Mèder and the Muntanyola stream, a gravel deposit up to 5 m thick formed in a single episode outcrops, in a position T4,. A dating of the river Ter T5 has obtained an age of 117.9 9.5 Ky. The accumulation of gravel erodes another level of metric thickness of the same lithological characteristics and texture. The deposit does not have any internal structure or organization of pebbles. At its base, there are several metric blocks coming directly from the slopes. The accumulation of gravel is block-supported with a sandy matrix. The pebbles size is centimetric to decimetric (90%). Its texture is subrounded. Lithologically, the deposit consists mostly of sandstone and limestone from the top of the series. On the ground, the accumulation of gravel is elongated, with a maximum length and width of 550 m by 160 m and a slope surface of 2.54%. With an area of 56,500 m2, this totals to a volume of 282,500 m3. It is separated 400 m from the inner slope formed by two tributaries, and 100 m from the slope on the right side. The width of the right floodplain is 60 m, and the left one is 20 m wide. The deposit is eroded laterally by several meanders of later episodes which uncovered the accumulation of gravel. This accumulation can be considered as a proximal deposition of a flash paleoflood event in the bay formed by two alluvial tributaries. It cannot be ruled out that higher and older gravel deposits, belonging to T8, have the same genesis. Distally, at a distance of 2,600 m, in the same stratigraphic position (T4) and with an average gradient of 1.26%, a lutitic layer of metric thickness that corresponds to a distal flashflood accumulation outcrops. Understanding the processes that formed this deposit can help gain insight on flash floods and their role in the evolution of geomorphic features and landscapes.Postprint (published version

Drainage basins evolution during the Neogene-Quaternary. Ebro Basin eastern margin

The monocline layout of the sedimentary pile of the Ebro Basin in its Eastern margin determines the generation and emptying of the adjacent erosive basins. It controls the drainage changes in the original sedimentary basin. A model of emptying erosive basins corresponding to a drainage architecture and sediment production is proposed. The emptying of erosive basins is achieved by two vectors: A) A drainage basin area growth due to anaclinal streams eroding into the resistant layers of the monocline stratigraphic succession. These streams empty and link small depressions generated at the expense of the lateral extension on the less resistant lithologic member. B) The drainage basin outlet point base level controls the drainage network entrenchment facilitated by the gradients created by Neogene extensional faults from the Valencia Trough. A model of the growth and entrenchment of erosive basins as well as the generated landforms and sediment production is described and analyze

The Use of Prefemoral Endoscope-Assisted Surgery and Transplastron Coeliotomy in Chelonian Reproductive Disorders

Throughout the last decades, the increased popularity of the keeping of reptiles has led to a better understanding of the captive needs of a wide variety of species. Although this is reflected by the successful captive reproduction in many of those species, reproductive disorders such as preovulatory follicular stasis, postovulatory dystocia, secondary yolk coelomitis, and prolapse of the oviduct and male copulatory organ are commonly encountered in veterinary practice. In comparison to squamates, chelonians with postovulatory dystocia seem to be more responsive to oxytocin treatment, even in cases of chronic dystocia. There are various conditions, however, that necessitate the use of surgical procedures for the treatment of dystocia and other reproductive disorders in chelonians. Although restrictions may be encountered, the endoscope-assisted prefemoral approach is the least invasive and thus preferred technique instead of the ventral transplastron coeliotomy. The present report describes the diagnostic and surgical approach applied in seven cases of female chelonians with reproductive disorders. The therapeutic efficacy largely relied on the choice of minimally invasive endoscope-assisted surgery versus transplastron coeliotomy that was primarily dictated by the involved species, etiology, and associated pathology.</jats:p

Anatomy, Physiology, and Disorders of the Spectacle, Subspectacular Space, and Its Lacrimal Drainage System in Squamates

Various squamate species have completely fused eyelids that make up a transparent spectacle. The spectacle is a continuation of the integument that is renewed with each shedding cycle and creates a narrow subspectacular or corneospectacular space that is filled with lacrimal fluid. The latter is considered as the analogue of the conjunctival sac in other vertebrates. Almost all reptiles that have a spectacle lack a nictitating membrane, bursalis muscle, and lacrimal glands. The lacrimal fluid in the subspectacular space is secreted by the Harderian gland. The features of the spectacle and its lacrimal drainage system are an illustration of the enormous variation of the morphological adaptations that are seen in reptiles and one of the most distinguishable traits of snakes and most gecko species. Whereas ocular disease in squamates with a spectacle is infrequently seen in practice, disorders of the spectacle and the subspectacular space are commonly encountered. In order to apply an adequate diagnostic and therapeutic approach for these conditions, a sound knowledge and understanding of the anatomical and physiological peculiarities of the spectacle, subspectacular space, and lacrimal drainage system are fundamental.</jats:p