Recovery and cryopreservation of epididymal sperm from domestic cat using powdered coconut water (ACP-117c) and TRIS extenders.

Cryopreservation of cats epididymal spermatozoa allows the conservation of the genetic material and the study of the cryogenic effect applied to the gametes of other felines. However, this biotechnique still presents variable results, being necessary the investigation of alternative extenders. Powdered coconut water (ACP-117c) has been efficient in the sperm freezing of several species and in the cat sperm refrigeration. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the effect of the freezing stages and the quality of the cats' epididymal spermatozoa after thawing, using ACP-117c. Epididymides (n = 36) from 18 cats were processed using TRIS (n = 18) or ACP-117c (n = 18) for sperm recovery. The sperm were immediately evaluated. Then, this was cooled, glycerolized, frozen and thawed, and re-evaluated at each stage for sperm kinetics by Computer Assisted Semen Analysis, viability, functionality (HOST), mitochondrial activity (DAB) and morphology. There was a reduction in total motility and progressive motility after thawing in both groups, and TRIS was superior to ACP-117c. The curvilinear velocity reduced after thawing with ACP-117c. Viability decreased after glycerolization in TRIS. Although it also reduced after thawing in both groups, it was higher in TRIS. There was no change on HOST. Mitochondrial activity decreased during the cryopreservation steps for both extenders. Nevertheless, TRIS presented a higher percentage of spermatozoa from DAB class I and II after thawing. Morphology did not differ between extenders. Therefore, ACP-117c is an alternative for the recovery of cat epididymal spermatozoa; however, it is not efficient for freezing. Glycerolization and thawing are the most critical stages, regardless of the extender.

Vitrification of testicular tissue from prepubertal cats in cryotubes using different cryoprotectant associations.

Protocols for the cryopreservation of testicular tissue are not yet established. In cats, few studies have been conducted on testicular vitrification using different cryoprotectant associations (CPAs). Thus, the objective of this study was to compare the effect of different CPAs on the vitrification of testicular tissue from prepubertal cats in cryotubes. We used 10 pairs of testicles, with each pair divided into 8 fragments that were distributed into different experimental groups. Two of these fragments were allocated into the control group (CG) and the other six were distributed according to the CPAs to be tested (dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)/glycerol (GLY), ethylene glycol (EG)/GLY, or DMSO/EG). The cryoprotectants were used at a final concentration of 5.6 M. The fragments were subjected to vitrification in cryotubes and after 1 week, they were warmed and processed for histomorphologic assessment, quantification of nucleolar organizer regions (NORs), and determination of cell viability. The DMSO/EG and EG/GLY groups presented the greatest cell separation from the cell basement membrane and the highest degrees of retraction of the basal membrane. In these aspects, DMSO/GLY did not differ from the CG and both were significantly superior to the other groups. In terms of cell distinction, visibility of the nucleus, and nuclear condensation, all the vitrified groups had significantly lower values than the CG, while the DMSO/GLY and EG/GLY groups did not differ between themselves. Through the quantification of NORs, the potential for cell proliferation of the CG was found to have a mean of 3.80, while DMSO/GLY presented a mean of 3.60, and thus there was no significant difference between these two groups. The proliferation potentials of both groups were significantly superior to that of the DMSO/EG (mean: 2.07) and EG/GLY (mean: 1.98) groups. In the CG and DMSO/GLY group, 91.8% and 64.2% of cells, respectively, were found to be viable. The cell viabilities of both groups were significantly superior to those of DMSO/EG (52.5%) and EG/GLY (57.10%). Vitrification in cryotubes combined with the use of the DMSO/GLY association was effective in maintaining the histomorphology, cell proliferation potential, and cell viability of testicular tissue from prepubertal cats after cryopreservation.

Pseudomicetoma dermatofítico disseminado em um gato persa - Relato de caso / Dermatophytic pseudomycetoma disseminated in a persian cat - Case report / Pseudomicetoma dermatofitos diseminada en un gato persa - Relato de caso

O pseudomicetoma dermatofítico (PMD) é uma profunda infecção dérmica, causada por fungos, sendo o Microsporum canis o agente etiológico mais frequentemente envolvido. O objetivo do presente trabalho é relatar um caso de pseudomicetoma em um gato persa e alertar os médicos veterinários para incluir a doença como diagnóstico diferencial em dermatopatias em gatos, principalmente os da raça persa. Um felino macho, da raça Persa, de três anos, veio para atendimento apresentando 22 nódulos subcutâneos, distribuídos em todo corpo, com diâmetros que variavam de 2 a 8 centímetros, inclusive dentro do pavilhão auricular direito. Realizou-se raspado cutâneo e citologia aspirativa por agulha fina, obtendo resultados pouco conclusivos. Após a realização de exérese cirúrgica de grande parte dos nódulos e encaminhamento para exame histopatológico, obteve-se o diagnóstico de PMD. Após tratamento com itraconazol 10mg/kg SID por 5 meses houve completa remissão do quadro. A excisão cirúrgica foi essencial para a resolução do quadro, que juntamente com o itraconazol sistêmico tornou o tratamento efetivo para o PMD.(AU)

Dermatophytic pseudomycetoma (DPM) is a deep skin infection. Microsporum canis is the etiologic agent most frequently involved in DPM. The purpose of this study is to report a case of DPM in a Persian cat and suggest the veterinarians to include the disease as a differential diagnosis in skin diseases in Persian cats. A male Persian cat, 3 years old, came to be attended at the Veterinary Hospital. The patient was presenting 22 subcutaneous nodules measuring 2-8 cm in diameter, in different parts of the body, including inside the right ear. Skin scraping and fine needle aspiration cytology were performed, yielding inconclusive results. After performing the surgical removal of most of the nodules and a skin biopsy, the diagnosis of DPM was obtained. The cat had a complete remission of the disease after the treatment with itraconazole 10mg/kg SID for 5 months. It is important to emphasize that, as a therapeutic point of view, surgical excision is considered essential, but not enough to establish a permanent cure. Since there can be recurrence, the systemic use of itraconazole is indicated to efficiently cure animals presenting DPM.(AU)

El pseudomicetoma dermatofitos (PMD) es una infección profunda de la piel causada por hongos, siendo el Microsporum canis el agente etiológico implicado con mayor frecuencia. El objetivo de este trabajo es presentar un caso de pseudomicetoma en un gato persa y alertar los médicos veterinarios para incluir la enfermedad como un diagnóstico diferencial de enfermedades de la piel en gatos, especialmente la raza persa. Un gato macho, de la raza persa, de tres años, llegó a la asistencia presentando 22 nódulos subcutáneos, distribuidos por todo el cuerpo, con diámetros que variaban de 2 a 8 cm, inclusive dentro de la oreja derecha. Se afeitó la piel y con citología por aspiración, con aguja fina, se obtuvo resultados poco conclusivos. Después de realizar la extirpación quirúrgica de la mayor parte de los nódulos y enrutamiento para el examen histopatológico, se ha obtenido el diagnóstico de PMD. Tras el tratamiento con itraconazol l0mg/kg SID, por cinco meses, hubo remisión completa. La escisión quirúrgica fue esencial para la resolución del cuadro, que junto con itraconazol sistémico se convirtió en un tratamiento eficaz para el PMD.(AU)