Dysautonomia in a Bitch with Hypothyroidism

Background: Thyroid hormones have important effects on the cardiovascular system, of which the main ones are the increase in the heart response to the autonomic sympathetic nervous system. Heart rate variability is a non-invasive method of assessing autonomic heart modulation, thus being an important form of evaluation in patients with thyroid dysfunctions. This study aimed to report electrocardiographic and heart rate variability data of a dog with hypothyroidism that presented a parasympathetic dysfunction.Case: A 7-year-old female Dalmatian dog was admitted for clinical evaluation in Fortaleza, Brazil. According to the owner, she had been apathetic for a year, had gained weight, always had a sad expression, and her hair was generally brittle and opaque. On physical examination, skin lesions were observed at the end of the spine, extending to the tail region, with the latter showing total alopecia. Low T4 levels confirmed the diagnosis of primary hypothyroidism. Then, a 24-h Holter monitoring was performed, which showed that the animal had sinus arrhythmia associated with moments of second-degree sinoatrial block and rare moments of sinus tachycardia. In addition, moments of premature multifocal ventricular extrasystoles and 1st-degree atrioventricular block were observed. Based on the Holter results, heart rate variability (HRV) was calculated. Regarding the HRV in the frequency domain, 32.16 was obtained in the low frequency (LF) band, 67.84 in the high frequency (HF) band, and the LF / HF ratio was 0.46, with a total power of 5205. As for the HRV in the time domain, RMSSD was 117, pNN50 was 62.64 and SDNN was 384. This showed an increase in the parasympathetic activity of the heart and, due to this increased activity, a second-degree sinoatrial block occurred, which is a sinus function disturbance resulting from the exacerbated parasympathetic activity.Discussion: Beta-adrenergic receptors have their expression and activity altered by thyroid hormones. The sympathetic stimulation on the heart through the activation of these receptors originates a positive inotropic, lusitropic, dromotropic and chronotropic effect. Therefore, in the absence of thyroid hormones, there is a decrease in this stimulation, thus allowing a preponderant parasympathetic tone. In the present report, the increase in the parasympathetic tonus, observed in hypothyroidism, resulted in a reduction in the frequency of sinus firing, slowing of intranodal and sinoatrial conduction, and shortening of the effective refractory period, a combination of factors that led to decreased HR observed in the Holter monitoring. Previous studies have shown that thyroid hormones increase sympathetic activity, mainly in the heart, since they do not act by increasing the production or release of catecholamines, but rather increasing catecholamine response on the heart, due to a positive regulation of Ca2+-ATPase channels of the sarcoplasmic reticulum and beta1-adrenergic receptors. Thus, the observed result was already expected, because in hypothyroidism there is a decrease in these hormones that increase the sympathetic activity on the heart and so, the parasympathetic tone was very evident. The study of heart rate variability allows the simple assessment of the autonomic nervous system imbalance, and may be extremely important in the follow-up of diseases that affect this balance, such as hypothyroidism. Hence, more studies are required to verify the effect of such diseases on heart rate variability, aiming to define associations between the diseases and the alterations, as well as to define parameters of normality for such examinations

Heavy Metal Poisoning in a Cockatiel (Nymphicus hollandicus)

Background: In recent decades the demand for unconventional pets has been relatively increasing, a situation that increasingly causes veterinarians to encounter these animals in medical and surgical practice. Of these animals, the birds stand out. Animals of the order Psittaciform are known as very curious and active creatures that have the tendency to chew objectsin their environment. Among the several occurrences that lead this animal to attend the veterinary clinic, we highlight the poisoning by heavy metals, especially lead poisoning (Pb) and zinc (Zn). The objective of this work was to report a case of heavy metal intoxication in cockatiel (Nymphicus hollandicus).Case: A cockatiel was taken to the veterinarian with a history of apathy, motor incoordination, exacerbated water consumption and regurgitation. Complete anamnesis was instrumental in directing suspected heavy metal intoxication. Radiopaque particles were visualized through radiographic examination, suggesting heavy metal intoxication. The diagnosis wasconcluded through complementary examinations since the clinical symptoms are nonspecific. The treatment was intended to provide emergency intervention, avoid further absorption, use of antidotes, provide supportive measures and provide guidance to the owner. It can be concluded that the diagnosis and treatment were successful.Discussion: Metal poisoning can kill birds. The veterinarian should always seek the literature in order to perform the best support and treatment. For this, detailed history and detailed medical history must be taken into account, since the time of ingestion and the type of metal interfere with the therapeutic conduct. The use of imaging tests such as x-rays andultrasound are essential to assist the clinician, especially in cases where the tutor does not know whether or not the animal has ingested an object. In the radiographic examination, the heavy metal has the characteristic of having high radiopacity, which was evidenced in the case in question. Radiographic positions should be considered in order to avoid false negatives. In the literature, the treatment of chelation therapy is prioritized to remove the circulating heavy metal and thus act on the cause of the problem. In the case in question calcium EDTA was used intramuscularly, which showed clinical improvement in the animal after the second application. Calcium EDTA binds to metals and facilitates their transport and excretion. The use of fluid therapy is necessary as a supportive treatment to prevent kidney damage, since heavy metals are highlyharmful to nephrons. Especially in cases where the animal stops feeding and ingesting water. The use of antibiotics is essential because in many cases the animal, in addition to not feeding, becomes prone to infections due to metal toxicity, therefore, prophylactic use is essential for a better prognosis. In the case in question, the use of enrofloxacin was effective,as reported in the literature. It is recommended that the diagnosis of serum lead and zinc dosage should be made, however, due to the difficulties of obtaining the samples, and since other metals may also cause intoxication, in the case in question the treatment was started without these results. According to the results obtained in this work, the treatment described in the literature is effective and can be performed immediately to save animal life without subsequent sequelae.Keywords: bird, lead, zinc, calcium EDTA

Hermafroditismo verdadeiro na espécie canina

Background: Hermaphroditism or intersex is a general term that includes various congenital anomalies of the genital system which is used to define animals with ambiguous sexual characteristics. It occurs in domestic animals, more commonly in pigs and goats, and rarely in horses, dogs, sheep, and cattle. The prevalence of hermaphroditism varies a lot among breeds and species and is higher in groups with a high degree of consanguinity. Therefore, the objective of this report is to describe a case of canine hermaphroditism in a dog with male phenotype, as well as the anatomical and hormonal findings, and classification of the hermaphroditism exhibited by the animal studied.Case: A 1-year-old, mongrel, 5 kg dog was referred to the UHV-UECE due to the presence of a slit on the lower quadrant of the abdomen, caudal to the umbilical scar. At examination, the animal exhibited normal rectal temperature, no alterations of palpable lymph nodes, and a satisfactory body condition score. The pubic area had 2 testicles, each one in a different scrotum, 1 to the right and 1 to the left of the slit. A prepuce with no apparent function was present cranially to the slit, closer to the umbilical scar. At the other extremity of the slit, on the pubic region, there was a flaccid structure similar to a penis (micropenis) with no penile bone and no function. The slit was open until the area ventral to the anus, where the urethra was detected. The animal exhibited a behavior of territory demarcation with urine typically seen in male dogs. Orchiectomy and slit correction surgery were performed. Pre-surgical exams included: complete blood count and hormonal doses of estradiol, testosterone, and progesterone. Abdominal ultrasound was performed to assess presence of sexual glands and gonads. The hormonal exam revealed: estradiol 56.39 pg/mL; testosterone 127.9 ng/mL; progesterone 0.892 ng/mL. A uterus was not detected on ultrasound examination. Ovaries were seen on their typical anatomical position; they were symmetrical and had normal sizes. There was a normal size prostate in the pelvic area, exhibiting normal texture and echogenicity. No other abnormalities were seen and the owner opted for no further surgical intervention.Discussion: Testosterone predominance explains the male behavior and appearance, demonstrating that the testis were prevalent over the ovaries. The occurrence of XX males has been reported. The genetic cause is the absence of the SRY chromosome, which has a fundamental role on activation of the SOX gene, which is responsible for sex determination. Clinically, a true hermaphrodite can exhibit different degrees of genital ambiguity; they can be diagnosed during puberty with the emergence of heterosexual characteristics, or as an adult, with infertility or gonadal neoplasia. True hermaphrodites are individuals with testicular and ovarian tissues, either combined in one gonad (ovotestis) or present as two separate gonads. The presence of ovaries and testicles can be confirmed by histology, which was not performed in this study. However, ultrasound findings (prostate and ovaries), and the presence of normal testis and external genitalia without a defined penis or vulva are in accordance with the description of a true hermaphrodite

Hemometra/Piometra em cadela: Tratamento clínico-cirúrgico: Relato de Caso

A piometra é um processo inflamatório do útero, caracterizado pelo acúmulo de secreção purulenta na luz uterina resultante do acumulo de liquido devido a hiperplasia endometrial cística (HEC) somada a uma infecção bacteriana. Acomete várias especies, sendo mais comum em cadelas adultas de meia idade, o quadro do animal pode se agravar rapidamente, sendo uma das afecções que mais causam morte em cadelas, principalmente em decorrencia de endotoxemia e peritonite. O diagnóstico consiste em exame clinico, laboratorial e de imagem. O ultrassom é uma ótima ferramenta diagnóstica para se fechar diagnóstico, principalmente nos casos de piometra fechada. O objetivo deste trabalho é relatar o caso de uma cadela com piometra fechada. O animal apresentou piora no quadro em poucas horas, sendo submetido a cirurgia para tratar essa afecção, durante cirurgia foi constatado peritonite. O tratamento cirurgico se mostrou o mais indicado, apresentando uma boa recuperação pós cirúrgica. O animal voltou a se alimentar e já não se mostrava apático nos dias posteriores a cirurgia.   Palavras-chaves: piometra, hemometra, ovariosalpingohisterectomia

Hipertrofia concêntrica secundária a hipertensão arterial em cadela: Relato de Caso

Foi atendido na rotina do UHV-UECE, no dia 03 de Julho de 2015 um paciente canino fêmea, da raça Poodle de 9 anos de idade, peso de 7,0 kg. O animal foi trazido pela proprietária ao UHV com a intenção de marcar uma ovário-salpingo-histerectomia (OSH) eletiva. Foram solicitados os seguintes exames: ecodopllercardiograma, eletrocardiograma e aferição da pressão arterial. Através dos resulatdos obtidos nos exames constatou-se que a paciente era cardiopata. Por conseguinte, nos exames foi observada uma hipertrofia concêntrica, dilatação Atrial esquerda e direita discreta. Além de espessamento de valva mitral e fluxo regurgitante em mitral, tricúspide e pulmonar de baixa intensidade. O animal foi tratado com Cloridrato de benazepril e após um mês de tratamento a pressão arterial foi normalizada, tornando-se possível a realização da OSH eletiva

Óbito de cadela imunossuprimida por cinomose nervosa: Relato de caso

A Cinomose é uma doença viral, infecciosa, altamente contagiosa, que acomete principalmente os cães. .É uma doença imunossupressora multissistêmica grave mundialmente importante, de alto índice de morbidade e mortalidade e é a doença infecciosa do sistema nervoso mais comum na espécie canina. Acomete principalmente os sistemas gastrointestinal, respiratório e nervoso, sendo este último grande causa de óbito. Este trabalho teve como objetivo relatar um caso de uma cadela que veio a óbito por um quadro agudo de cinomose nervosa. Foi atendida ,na UHV ,uma cadela Pitbull de 4 anos que apresentava  edemas de patas e pálpebras, apatia e secreção ocular. O animal foi tratado com doxiclina, prednisona e hemolitan. Hemograma revelou anemia, trombocitopenia e leucocitose. O quadro do animal evoluiu em poucos dias , chegando a ficar com paralisia dos membros. Foi iniciado tratamento com furosemida, continuando os já administrados. Foi feito teste rápido para cinomose, que deu positivo. O animal foi internado, porém não resistiu e veio a óbito. A cinomose é uma doença que pode ter rápida progressão, com sintomatologia nervosa, levando animal a óbito em poucos dias, como no caso em questão

Catarata diabetogênica em cão jovem – Relato de Caso

A catarata é uma afecção que atinge seres humanos e animais, ocorrendo quando o cristalino apresenta algum grau de opacidade. Suas causas podem estar ligadas a fatores hereditários, inflamatórios, metabólicos, traumáticos, nutricionais e tóxicos. A indicação de cirurgia é cogitada quando a opacidade compromete significativamente a visão. No entanto, o procedimento cirúrgico só deve ser instituído após a avaliação da função da retina através do eletrorretinograma, que compreende o registro de correntes elétricas geradas em resposta a um estímulo luminoso previamente estabelecido. O presente trabalho tem o objetivo de relatar um caso de catarata em um cão. O paciente apresentava manchas oculares, sendo mais evidente a do olho esquerdo. Ao realizar-se o exame clínico oftalmológico, constatou-se catarata madura no olho esquerdo e catarata imatura no olho direito. O eletrorretinograma revelou que a retina estava íntegra em ambos os olhos. Foi realizada a Facoelmusificação no olho esquerdo, obtendo-se pleno êxito com o procedimento