A biopsia de linfonodo sentinela (LS) é cada vez mais utilizada para a determinação do estadiamento clínico tumoral. O acometimento de linfonodos em animais com doença oncológica possui forte valor prognóstico no tumor da glândula mamária. Em medicina veterinária faltam diretrizes bem estabelecidas para a avaliação do LS. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a eficácia do corante azul de metileno a 2% na identificação do linfonodo axilar em cadelas com lesões mamárias. Para tanto, foram utilizadas 101 cadelas, portadoras de lesões mamárias, submetidas à mastectomia radical unilateral ou bilateral. Antes do início da cirurgia, aplicou-se, por via intradérmica, na área ao redor da mama torácica cranial, solução de azul de metileno a 2% estéril. O corante foi eficaz na identificação do linfonodo axilar em 76,27% das cadeias mamárias. Obtiveram-se estruturas coradas em azul, semelhantes a linfonodos em 78,81% dos casos. Dessas estruturas, 96,77% foram confirmadas ao exame histopatológico como linfonodos. Dada a importância prognóstica do comprometimento de linfonodos em alguns tumores, a avaliação do LS deve ser incorporada à rotina clínica, de modo a permitir um estadiamento mais preciso das cadelas com neoplasia mamária.

O gambá (Didelphis spp.) é um marsupial onívoro nativo das Américas que apresenta comportamento sinantrópico em áreas urbanas. Apesar da sua proximidade com animais domésticos e o homem, o conhecimento da sua participação na epidemiologia de alguns agentes zoonóticos é fundamental. Este estudo objetivou determinar a presença de anticorpos contra Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora spp. e Leptospira spp. em amostras de sangue colhidas de gambás de 18 municípios do estado de São Paulo, Brasil, entre 2003 e 2008. Foram obtidas amostras sanguíneas de 343 gambás: Didelphis aurita (n = 256) e Didelphis albiventris (n = 87). As amostras foram testadas para detecção de anticorpos contra T. gondii, utilizando o teste de aglutinação modificado (TAM-Toxo; ponto de corte ≥ 25); Neospora spp., utilizando a reação de imunofluorescência indireta (RIFI; ponto de corte ≥ 25); e Leptospira spp., utilizando a soroaglutinação microscópica (SAM-Lepto; ponto de corte ≥ 100). As frequências de anticorpos contra T. gondii, Neospora spp. e Leptospira spp. foram 22,7%, 1,5% e 3,5%, respectivamente. Os sorogrupos-sorovares de Leptospira spp. que apresentaram soropositividade foram: Autumnalis-Butembo; Mini-Mini; Ballum-Castellonis; Icterohaemorrhagiae-Icterohaemorrhagiae; Icterohaemorrhagiae-Copenhageni e Grippotyphosa-Grippotyphosa ou Bananal. Esse estudo demonstrou que esses agentes estão circulando em populações de gambás no estado de São Paulo. Desta forma, investigações que visam determinar o papel dos marsupiais na epidemiologia de cada doença devem ser conduzidas, especialmente visando o entendimento do comportamento desses animais como hospedeiros dessas zoonoses.

This study investigates the exposure of free-living jaguars from two federal protected areas in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso, Brazil, to a variety viral agents. These viral agents, particularly causing zoonotic diseases, were analyzed using serological and molecular methods. None of the jaguars was positive by RT-PCR for the molecular detection of avian influenza and West Nile Fever (WNF). Only one animal was serologically positive for Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) by virus neutralization test in VERO cell cultures, representing the first reported case of jaguar exposure to EEE virus. However, all the animals were negative for Western Equine Encephalitis (WEE) virus and Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis (VEE) virus. Eleven jaguars were tested by two tests for the detection of antibodies against rabies virus (Simplified Fluorescent Inhibition Microtest – SFIMT and Rapid Fluorescent Focus Inhibition Test – RFFIT), resulting in five positive animals, two animals in each test and one in both serological tests. Furthermore, three out of 14 samples subjected to the neutralization test were positive for antibodies against canine distemper virus (CDV), and 15 out of 17 samples subjected to the hemagglutination-inhibition test (HI) were positive for antibodies against canine parvovirus (CPV). In view of the findings of this study, it is unlikely that the viruses examined here represent a threat to the jaguar populations in this region.

This study aimed to describe the occurrence of hepatic capillariasis in two non-human primates of the species Callithrix penicillata that were kept in captivity. Case 1 was in a young female, whose liver presented pale coloring, softening due to autolysis and several noticeably whitish areas. Case 2 was in a male of unknown age, whose liver was slightly pale and brownish. Histological analysis on the samples revealed extensive interstitial fibrosis with hemosiderotic areas. Adult nematodes of Capillaria hepatica and numerous eggs, morphologically characterized by their non-embryonic ellipsoid shape, with bipolar plugs that did not protrude from the shell, thick and birefringent, with a porous layer, thus giving a striated appearance to the eggs. Some cystic formations presented nematode eggs surrounded by numerous foreign-body giant cells. The literature consulted made little reference to reports of Capillaria hepatica in non-human primates. However, similar infections have been extensively studied in domestic rodents.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of time of ensiling on chemical composition and in situ degradability of starch of hydrated ground corn (HGC) with medium grain vitreousness. Corn grains harvested at 83% of dry matter (DM) and vitreosity content of 67% ± 3, were dried to 87% DM. Grains were milled into a device with 2 mm sieve, reconstituted to reach 67% DM, and ensiled (density of 880 Kg/m³) for up to 330 days. One HGC sample was collected monthly for in situ determination of composition, fermentation end products and for corn starch degradability. Ensiling time did not affect the DM and crude protein (CP) content of the HGC. However, starch concentration was reduced by 2.4 percentage points at 330 days compared to 3 days of ensiling. Increased concentrations of NH3-N (8.5 times), lactic acid (3.45 times), acetic acid (4.1 times), propionic acid (1.7 times), butyric acid (2.8 times) and alcohol (2.4 times) were observed during the ensiling period. The rapidly degradable fraction (fraction A) and the rate of degradation of the slowly degradable fraction (fraction C) of HGC starch were increased 3.51 and 2.21 times, respectively, during the ensiling period. Conversely, the slowly degradable fraction (fraction B) of the HGC starch was decreased 1.93 times during the ensiling period. The effective degradability of the starch of HGC increased for passage rates by 0.02/h (79.9% vs. 94.5%); 0.05/h (65.9% vs 90.01%) and 0.08/h (56.98 vs. 86.52%) when it was evaluated at 3 vs 330 days of ensiling, respectively. In conclusion, ensiling time affected the chemical composition and increases rumen starch degradability of HGC with medium vitreousness of the grain endosperm.

Serum samples from 83 free living wild pigs (Sus scrofa) from the Nhecolândia region, Pantanal do Mato Grosso, Brazil, were examined for the presence of antibodies against Neospora caninum by means of the indirect fluorescence antibody test (IFAT) with a cut off of 50. Antibodies were present in 10.8%, with titers of: 1:200 in one animal, 1:400 in four and 1:800 in four. Analysis using the χ2 test showed an association between sex and presence of antibodies, with females showing occurrence of 20.5% and males 2.3% (p = 0.017). No association was found between age and occurrences of antibodies against this parasite. This was the first observation of N. caninum antibodies in Brazilian wild pigs from Pantanal.

The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the clinical response of dogs with cutaneous lymphoma treated with lomustine (CCNU) and to identify possible adverse effects and toxicity during treatment. Fifteen dogs, seven females and eight males aged between five and 17 years old, diagnosed with cutaneous lymphoma by histopathological analysis were selected and treated with lomustine at 90 mg/m² every three weeks. Monitoring was carried out and consisted of the assessment of laboratory hematology and serum chemistry before and during treatment. Partial response was observed in 53.3% of the animals. None of the animals achieved a complete response and seven dogs (46.6%) had progressive disease. The median survival time was 22 days. The major hematological and biochemical changes found after therapy were leukopenia (73.3%), thrombocytopenia (60%) and anemia (46.1%). Renal and liver toxicity was observed in 40% and 73.3% of dogs, respectively. Hematocrit, total protein, leukocyte count, neutrophil count, serum creatinine, ALT, GGT, alkaline phosphatase and urine specific gravity were affected during therapy. The use of lomustine as a monotherapy in the treatment of canine cutaneous lymphoma was effective; however, adverse effects occurred and compromised the quality of life of the majority of dogs in this study. Therefore, lower doses of lomustine should be considered in future studies.

Anualmente o tráfico de animais silvestres retira milhões de aves da natureza. Os cardeais (Paroaria coronata) e cardeais-do-nordeste (Paroaria dominicana) estão incluídos entre as espécies de aves mais traficadas. A microbiota cloacal de passeriformes de vida livre é composta principalmente por bacilos e cocos gram-positivos, já os bacilos gram-negativos predominam em aves de cativeiro. Em situações de estresse e baixa de imunidade as bactérias gram-negativas podem causar infecções oportunistas. O presente trabalho identificou bactérias da microbiota da cloaca de 49 espécimes de P. coronata e P. dominicana apreendidas do tráfico de animais silvestres em São Paulo (SP). Foram isoladas treze espécies de bactérias gram-negativas, incluindo Salmonella spp. e Pseudomonas aeruginosa. A maior frequência de ocorrência foi de Escherichia coli, identificada em 42/49 (85,7%) das amostras fecais. Dentre os isolados de E. coli, 21/42 pertenciam aos grupos filogenéticos B2 e D, relacionados a estirpes patogênicas que causam doença extraintestinal em humanos. Klebsiella pneumoniae foi isolada em 28/49 (57,1%) das amostras. Esses resultados reforçam que as condições estressantes a que esses animais são submetidos em situações de tráfico, incluindo o contato com humanos, podem favorecer a colonização da microbiota cloacal das aves por patógenos, o que representa um risco para a sua reintrodução na natureza considerando-se o possível contato com humanos e outros animais.

The use of animals in scientific research has contributed significantly to the development of science, promoting various advances in understanding the metabolic machinery and the discovery of treatments and preventive measures applied to human and veterinary medicine. The development and use of alternative methods is encouraged; however, in some situations, the use of animals in accordance with ethical policies is still required. Established hematological and clinical chemistry reference values in laboratory animals are essential to evaluate functional changes; however, there are few data in the literature on these values, being fundamentally a comparative basis. The aim of this investigation was the establishment of hematological and clinical chemistry reference values in common strains/stocks of mice used in animal experimentation. Blood profile (hemogram, reticulocytes and myelogram) and clinical chemistry serum determination of total protein, albumin, glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, calcium and phosphorus were evaluated using C57BL/6, BALB/c and Swiss Webster mice, male, 2-3 months old. The results standardize reference intervals in animals reared in Laboratory Animal Facility, reflecting the expected condition in rodents subjected to scientific research.

Mannheimia haemolytica (MH) é uma das principais causas da doença do complexo respiratório dos bovinos (DCRB) que causa grandes perdas econômicas. Até os dias atuais, não há relato de aves acometidas por tal bactéria. Relata-se um surto atípico de mannheimiose em emas em cativeiro (Rhea americana).