CUTANEOUS STREPTOCOCCAL ABSCESS TREATED BY PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY

Background: Photodynamic therapy has been investigated in different areas of health through experimental conditions. Its action can alter fundamental structures for the survival of microorganisms without any development of microbial resistance. Materials and Methods: Young sheep presenting with abscess in the left forelimb caused by Streptococcus spp. was previously treated with antibiotics. There was no clinical improvement with the treatments, and the bacteria presented sensitivity in vitro. Therefore, Photodynamic therapy associating methylene blue and red laser (660 nm) was used to treat the abscess. Results: After a day of treatment, complete healing was witnessed with no recurrence was observed during the 3-month follow-up period. Conclusion: The scientific results of the antimicrobial effect of PDT proved to be a therapeutic option with great potential for clinical application

Effect of light therapy in burn wound healing in calves

De acordo com o manejo tradicionalmente empregado na pecuária leiteira, a descorna de bezerros é um procedimento rotineiro e de destaque na atividade. Tal procedimento é normalmente realizado por meio da cauterização térmica e apresenta-se, portanto, como um dos principais fatores da ocorrência de queimaduras em bezerros. O tratamento das lesões baseia-se na aplicação tópica de substâncias cicatrizantes, antimicrobianas e repelentes, sendo que, na Medicina Veterinária, o elemento mais utilizado e presente em produtos tópicos comerciais com finalidade de melhorar o tempo de cicatrização é o óxido de zinco. Como alternativa ao uso de antibióticos e melhora da cicatrização de feridas, a fototerapia de baixa intensidade bem como a terapia fotodinâmica se apresentam como opções terapêuticas no tratamento para reparação tecidual e contra infecções locais em feridas por queimaduras. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar os resultados do emprego da fototerapia no tratamento de lesões de queimaduras induzidas por meio da descorna cauterizante em bezerros, caracterizando a evolução macroscópica e histológica da cicatrização das lesões e a recuperação clínica do animal quando comparada com o tratamento tradicional preconizado com pomada à base de óxido de zinco. Desta forma, foram utilizados 30 bezerros, divididos em cinco grupos avaliados: G1 - grupo controle; G2- grupo laser vermelho (LV), λ=660nm/20s de irradiação (70J/cm2); G3 - laser infravermelho (IV), λ=810nm/20s de irradiação (70J/cm2); G3 - LED vermelho (LED), λ=660nm/40s de irradiação (10,8J/cm2) e G4 grupo terapia fotodinâmica (PDT), azul de metileno a 0,01% associado ao LED vermelho, λ=660nm/40s de irradiação (10,8J/cm2). Os resultados demonstraram que não houve diferença estatística entre os grupos quanto ao tempo de regressão das lesões bem como quanto à deposição de colágeno tipo III. Pode-se concluir que as fototerapias, nos parâmetros de irradiação propostos, mostraram-se tão eficazes quanto à aplicação de unguento com óxido de zinco na cicatrização de queimaduras em bezerrosAccording to the traditionally management used in dairy cattle, disbudding calves is a highly important routine procedure. Disbudding is usually performed by heat cauterization and presents itself as the main factor that leads to burns injuries in calves. The treatment of the lesions is based on the topical application of antimicrobial and repellents healing products, and in Veterinary Medicine, the most frequent used and present in commercial products, in order to improve the healing time, is zinc oxide. As an alternative to antibiotics and to improve wound healing, low level phototherapy and photodynamic therapy are presented as therapeutic options for tissue repair and against local infections in burn wounds. The aim of this study was to evaluate the results of phototherapy in the treatment of burn injuries induced by disbudding in calves, by macroscopic and histological features of the lesions, and the clinical recovery of the animals, and to compare with the traditional treatment with zinc oxide ointment. Thus, 30 calves were divided into five study groups: G1 control; G2 - red laser (RL), λ = 660 nm / 20 seconds of irradiation (70J / cm2), G3 - infrared laser (IR), λ = 810nm / 20 seconds of irradiation (70J / cm2); G4 - red LED (LED), λ = 660 nm / 40 seconds of irradiation (10,8J / cm2) and G5 - photodynamic therapy (PDT), methylene blue 0.01% associated with the red LED λ = 660 nm / 40 seconds of irradiation ( 10,8J / cm2). The results showed no statistical differences among the groups according to wound healing time, and to the type III collagen deposition. It was possible to conclude that phototherapies, in the proposed irradiation parameters, were efficient as zinc oxide ointment in the burn wound healing in calve

Clinical recovery and pain response in hot iron dehorning calves: influence of prenatal stress

O período pré-natal pode modular como um indivíduo responderá ao ambiente e as diversas situações ao longo da vida. Este período, quando afetado por estímulos negativos como o estresse, pode determinar transtornos a longo prazo na vida do indivíduo. A claudicação em vacas leiteiras é considerada uma experiência desconfortável e dolorosa que afeta mais de 20% das vacas em produção, no Brasil e no mundo, e ocorre por longo período de tempo, sendo o principal indicador representativo de prejuízo no bem-estar animal em rebanhos leiteiros. A claudicação durante a gestação pode ser um importante causador de estresse pré-natal em bovinos, afetando negativamente a prole no desenvolvimento extrauterino. Dentre as possíveis alterações extrauterinas, destaca-se a resposta nociceptiva da bezerra frente à desafios dolorosos e estressantes, dos quais a descorna por ferro quente notabiliza-se por ser procedimento gerador de grave estresse e doloroso para os bezerros. Portanto, o principal objetivo deste trabalho foi de avaliar a influência da claudicação em vacas no terço final de gestação sobre as respostas nociceptivas e recuperação da lesão de queimadura da prole submetida à descorna com ferro quente aos 30 dias de vida. Foram utilizadas 34 vacas, multíparas e primíparas, Holstein- Frisia em terço final de gestação, separadas em dois grupos de acordo com o escore de locomoção (EL): G1 20 vacas com EL ≤ 2; G2 14 vacas com EL 3. Após o parto as bezerras foram separadas em dois grupos de acordo com os grupos das mães: GB1 20 bezerras de vacas com EL ≤ 2 e GB 2 14 bezerras nascidas de vacas com EL ≥ 3. Aos 30 dias as bezerras foram descornadas com ferro quente e foram realizadas de forma cega, avaliações nociceptivas, avaliação da área de regressão da lesão de queimadura e determinação da concentração de cortisol salivar. Os resultados mostraram que não houve diferença entre os grupos GB1 e GB2 para área de regressão das lesões e para a concentração de cortisol salivar. No entanto, as bezerras filhas de vacas com EL ≥ 3 apresentaram menor limiar nociceptivo, demonstrando a influência negativa que a claudicação em vacas prenhes pode exercer na modulação da sensibilidade dolorosa nas bezerras após o nascimento.The prenatal period is important in the modulation of biological systems to allow individuals to respond to their environment and to different situations throughout their life. However, this period, when affected by a negative stimulus such as stress, can cause long-term disturbances in the individual′s ability to cope with its environment. Lameness in dairy cows is considered an uncomfortable and painful experience that occurs in more than 20% of animals, across the globe, being the main indicator of poor welfare in dairy herds., Lameness during pregnancy, can cause prenatal stress in cattle, negatively affecting offspring in extrauterine development. Among the possible extrauterine alterations, the nociceptive response of calves to painful and stressful challenges are of interest, of which dehorning by hot iron is notable for being a procedure that generates severe stress and pain for calves. Therefore, the main objective of this work was to evaluate the influence of lameness in cows in the final third of pregnancy on the nociceptive responses and recovery from burn injury in offspring submitted to dehorning with hot iron at 30 days of life. We study 34 cows, multiparous and primiparous, Holstein-Frisia in the final third of gestation, separated into two groups according to the locomotion score (LS): G1 20 cows with LS ≤ 2; G2 14 cows with LS ≥ 3. After calving the calves were separated into two groups according to the mothers′ groups: GC1 20 heifers from cows with LS ≤ 2 and GC2 14 calves born from cows with LS ≥ 3. At 30 days of age the female calves were dehorned with a hot iron and nociceptive evaluations, evaluation of the area of regression of the burn injury and determination of salivary cortisol concentration were performed in a blinded manner. The results showed that there was no difference between groups GC1 and GC2 for the area of regression of the lesions and for the concentration of salivary cortisol. However, calves born from cows with LS 3 had a lower nociceptive threshold, demonstrating the negative influence that lameness in pregnant cows can exert on the modulation of pain sensitivity in calves after birth

Lameness in sows during pregnancy impacts welfare outcomes in their offspring

Lameness in sows is a painful and common condition, affecting between 30- 60% of sows, according to recent data. The stress and the pain experienced by lame sows causes unfavorable scenarios not only for pregnant animals, but also for their offspring, possibly due to glucocorticoid-mediated effects on fetal programming. The objectives of this study are to assess the behavioral, emotional and physiological effects of sow lameness in their offspring. This study was carried out in a Brazilian commercial pig farm, studying sows and piglets, with follow up experiments performed, with the same piglets, at the University of São Paulo, Brazil. The protocol was reviewed by the Ethics and Animal Use Committee (protocol number 9870211117). Gait score was assessed in 582 pregnant sows, every 15 days, over a period of 4 months, using a validated scoring system (0 to 5, being 0 a sow without lameness and 5 a sow with severe lameness). Out of the 582 sows, 30 animals, 15 sows without lameness (group A: score 0 or 1) and 15 sows with lameness (group B: score 3 to 5), were selected, for the follow up study monitoring their offspring. From each of these sows, three piglets were studied (90 piglets in total). Piglets were weaned at 28 days, transported to the University Campus, housed in pens with 9 individuals, divided in groups by sex, weight and lameness score of their mother (A or B). The following data were obtained from the piglets: body photographs to count skin lesions (three days); behavior in the open field and novel object tests were performed three days after weaning, and nociception measures were taken with an electronic von Frey aesthesiometer in four body parts: left and right plantar pad (LPP and RPP); and left and right leg (LL and RL). Data were analyzed using t-test or the Wilcoxon test at a significance level of 0.05 in the programming language R. 91.41% of the 582 sows had at least one event of lameness, 37.46% were classified as Group A, and 62.54% scored as group B. Sows with lameness had fewer days of pregnancy than sows without lameness (P<0.0005), 115 and 116 days respectively. Piglets from lame sows vocalized more than piglets from sows without lameness when they were subjected to the novel object test. Piglets from lame sows responded numerically to higher pressures in all body parts in the nociception test than piglets born from sows without lameness. This was confirmed by the means values: group A-LPP=893.44 g; group B-LPP=1,007.26 g; group A-RPP=916.28 g; group B-RPP=997.11 g; group A-LL=896.35 g; group B-LL=981.99 g; group A-RL=961.58 g; group B-RL=974.12 g; (P>0.05). Lameness appeared to modify the nociceptive threshold of the offspring, suggesting an increase in pain tolerance of piglets from lame sows. Additionally, lameness in sows decreased pregnancy length. The results confirm the impact of lameness in altering behavior and welfare outcomes in piglets