Proliferative tenosynovitis in Brazilian Mangalarga Marchador horses.

Proliferative tenosynovitis (PT) is an inflammatory and proliferative disorder of the synovial membrane of the tendon sheath that is rare in animals. The histological alterations are characterized by multinodular neovascularization, with infiltration of histiocytic and multinucleated giant cells and haemosiderin deposition. We reviewed necropsy and biopsy records of horses submitted to the Setor de Anatomia Patológica of the Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro from January 2017 to December 2020 to select cases of PT. We identified PT in three adult Brazilian Mangalarga Marchador horses with nodular lesions on the metacarpophalangeal, metatarsophalangeal or carpal joints. The three horses were under 6 years of age and presented with lameness and pain on palpation. There were recurrences in two horses after surgical removal. Radiographic and ultrasound examinations detected masses in the flexor or extensor tendons and subtendinous bursa. Histological study of synovial membrane and tendon sheath revealed an increased number of vessels, fibroplasia, osseous metaplasia and infiltration of lymphocytes, plasma cells and siderophages. This is the first description of PT in horses, which should be included as an orthopaedic differential diagnosis, especially in Mangalarga Marchador horses with lameness.

Verminotic pneumonia in South American fur seal (Arctocephalus australis) in Southern Brazil.

Verminotic pneumonia caused by Parafilaroides spp. nematodes is an underreported disease in beached South American fur seals, with scant literature available on the characteristics of parafilaroidiasis, the nematode itself, as well as its occurrence in pinnipeds in Brazil. The present work aims to identify, describe and detail the histological features of the infection and molecular characteristics of verminotic pneumonia in the South American fur seal. Twenty-six specimens of Arctocephalus australis, found dead on the northern coast of Rio Grande do Sul in 2021, were analysed. These animals were identified and submitted to necropsy and histology. For the molecular identification of metastrongylids, lung fragments were subjected to DNA extraction, polymerase chain reaction targeting the Internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS-2) gene and subsequent sequencing. In total, 12 animals presented with parasites in the lung parenchyma on histological evaluation, and only 1 showed a granulomatous lung lesion at necropsy. Microscopically, the nematodes were found mainly in the alveoli, associated with little or no inflammatory response, and they had morphological characteristics compatible with metastrongylids. Six ITS-2 gene quality sequences were obtained; after comparative analysis via BLAST, they showed similarity with sequences obtained from Parafilaroides sp. Therefore, verminotic pneumonia caused by Parafilaroides represents an important differential diagnosis of lung disease in South American fur seals found on the northern coast of Rio Grande do Sul.

Comparison of immunohistochemical profiles of ovarian germ cells in dysgerminomas of a captive maned wolf and domestic dogs.

We characterized the immunohistochemical expression profiles of dysgerminomas from a 16-y-old maned wolf and 13 domestic dogs using the following biomarkers: Sal-like protein 4 (SALL4), octamer-binding transcription factor 3/4 (OCT3/4), placental alkaline phosphatase (PLAP), c-kit, and vimentin. The maned wolf had nonspecific and long-standing clinical signs of lethargy, anorexia, and weight loss, and was euthanized because of poor prognosis. At autopsy, the left ovary was effaced by a 12 × 8 × 6 cm mass, comprised of anaplastic cells with a mitotic count of 20 mitoses in 10 high power fields. Dysgerminomas from 7 of 13 domestic dogs had nuclear expression of SALL4. Dysgerminomas from the maned wolf and 2 domestic dogs had both nuclear and cytoplasmic expression of SALL4. Cytoplasmic expression of PLAP and OCT3/4 was present in dysgerminomas from the maned wolf and 3 (PLAP) or 4 (OCT3/4) domestic dogs. All dysgerminomas expressed vimentin. Membranous c-kit expression was rare in the dysgerminoma from the maned wolf, and variable in dysgerminomas from 4 domestic dogs. A dysgerminoma from a domestic dog had cytoplasmic expression of c-kit. SALL4 is a useful marker to confirm germ cell origin of dysgerminoma in canids.

Tarsal villonodular tenosynovitis (giant cell tumor of tendon sheath) in a dog / Tenossinovite vilonodular pigmentada (tumor de células gigantes da bainha tendínea) tarsal em um cão

ABSTRACT: A 12-year-old female mixed-breed dog presented with lameness, pain, and an enlarged, non-ulcerated, nodular mass in the region proximal to the tarsal joint of the right pelvic limb. Surgical excision was performed, revealing a 6.5 cm mass adherent to the deep flexor tendon and adjacent tissues. The cut section had cysts filled with blackened clotted material, which exuded reddish serous fluid. Microscopically, the cysts were filled with red blood cells and were either denuded or covered by synoviocytes. In addition, the mass was characterized by marked fibrovascular connective tissue associated with siderophages and multinucleated giant cells. These findings were consistent with those of pigmented villonodular tenosynovitis, a rare condition affecting several animal species and humans.

RESUMO: Uma cadela de 12 anos, sem raça definida, apresentou claudicação, algia e aumento de volume não ulcerado, de aspecto nodular, na região proximal à articulação do tarso do membro pélvico direito. A excisão cirúrgica foi optada e revelou uma massa de 6,5 cm de diâmetro, aderida ao tendão flexor profundo e aos tecidos adjacentes. Ao corte, exsudava líquido seroso avermelhado e cistos preenchidos por material coagulado enegrecido foram observados. Microscopicamente, a massa apresentava formações císticas frequentemente preenchidas por hemácias, que encontravam-se ora revestidas por sinoviócitos, ora desnudas. Havia ainda acentuada quantidade de tecido fibrovascular associado a siderófagos e células gigantes multinucleadas. Esses achados foram consistentes com tenossinovite vilonodular pigmentada, uma rara condição que afeta diversas espécies de animais e humanos.

Segmental hypoplasia of the spinal cord and syringomyelia in a calf / Hipoplasia segmentar de medula espinhal e siringomielia em um bezerro

ABSTRACT: Congenital malformations are functional and structural changes in organ systems, tissues, or organs that may develop during the embryonic or fetal phase. Spinal cord malformations, such as segmental hypoplasia of the spinal cord (SHSC) and syringomyelia, are rare in bovines. A Girolando calf from Valença, Rio de Janeiro, was admitted to the Veterinary Hospital of Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro because of motor incoordination. Clinical evaluation revealed a 5-cm depression area in the spine at the dorsal line of the thoracic region. Neurological examination revealed reduced proprioception, pelvic limb extension with increased nociceptive activity, and reduced anal reflex. In radiographic examination, the body of the T11 vertebra had a trapezoidal wedge shape with ventral hemivertebra, probable agenesis or hypoplasia of the T11-T12 spinous processes, and fusion of the T9-T10 spinous processes. Myelography revealed extradural spinal compression caused by vertebral malformations. Necropsy showed no spinous processes (T11-T12), cranial stenosis in the medullary canal (T11-T13), and 1-3-mm pores in the white matter of the thoracic spinal cord (T8-T11). Microscopy revealed cystic dilatations in the white matter (T9-T11), cystic areas of varying sizes (T8-T9), and moderate reduction in the gray matter around the central canal of the medulla (T11-T13). Here, we reported the clinical and pathological findings of SHSC and syringomyelia in a Girolando calf. The features should be differentiated from other spinal cord syndromes. Congenital malformations are of economic importance, and their etiology and diagnosis are fundamental to disease control and progenitor-selection programs.

RESUMO: Malformações congênitas são alterações funcionais e estruturais dos sistemas, tecidos ou órgãos que podem ocorrer na fase embrionária ou fetal. Malformações na medula espinhal, como hipoplasia segmentar da medula espinhal (HSME) e siringomielia, possuem raras descrições em bovinos. Uma bezerra Girolando, proveniente do Município de Valença, RJ, foi atendida no Hospital Veterinário da Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ), com quadro de incoordenação motora. À avaliação clínica, na coluna vertebral, à linha dorsal da região torácica havia uma área com depressão de 5 cm. Ao exame neurológico foi observado propriocepção reduzida, extensão de membros pélvicos com aumento da atividade nociceptiva e redução de reflexo anal. Ao exame radiográfico, o corpo vertebral T11 apresentou forma trapezoidal em cunha com hemivértebra ventral, provável agenesia ou hipoplasia dos processos espinhosos T11-T12 e fusão dos processos espinhosos T9-T10. À mielografia indicou compressão medular extradural provocada pelas malformações vertebrais. À necropsia não foram observados os processos espinhosos T11-T12, o canal medular apresentou estenose cranial (T11-T13) e, na medula espinhal torácica (T8-T11) foram observados poros de 1-3 mm na substância branca. À microscopia, os segmentos T9-T11 apresentaram dilatações císticas na substância branca e os segmentos T8-T9, formações de áreas císticas de tamanhos variados; nos segmentos T11-T13 denotou-se moderada redução da substância cinzenta ao redor do canal central da medula. O presente trabalho tem o objetivo de apresentar os achados clínicos e patológicos desta bezerra Girolando com HSME e siringomielia, que devem ser diferenciadas de outras síndromes da medula espinhal. As malformações congênitas possuem importância econômica e sua etiologia e diagnóstico são fundamentais para a condução de programas de controle de doenças e seleção de progenitores.

An outbreak of malignant catarrhal fever in Sambar deer (Rusa unicolor) / Surto de febre catarral maligna em cervos Sambar (Rusa Unicolor)

Malignant catarrhal fever (MCF) is an infectious, pansystemic and highly fatal disease with wide geographic distribution. The species that are clinically prone to it include cattle, deer and bison. In Brazil, the disease in ruminants and deer is associated with the contact with sheep, especially during labor, when the fetal remains that are eliminated contain the ovine herpesvirus 2 (OvHV-2). The outbreak took place in a conservationist property in the city of Casimiro de Abreu/RJ, which hosted 23 Sambar deer, and, of these, 19 died, showing neurological signs. The deer lived in a location together with 15 male and female meat sheep. A female specimen of the Sambar deer (Rusa unicolor), aged approximately three years, which had presented with neurological clinical signs was referred to necropsy in the Setor de Anatomia Patológica at Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro (SAP/UFRRJ). During necropsy, cerebrospinal fluid was sampled for analysis; fragments of several organs were fixated in 10% buffered formalin and processed for histopathological analysis. Fragments of occipital lobe, cerebellum and bulb were collected to perform the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The diagnosis of this outbreak was based on epidemiological, clinical and pathological findings, and on the amplification of the OvHV-2 DNA through PCR. The histological changes were the base to confirm the MCF case and were characterized by degeneration of vascular endothelial cells, fibrinoid vasculitis, hyperplasia and necrosis of lymphoid organs. However, PCR was an important tool to confirm the diagnosis. MCF as an important disease with nervous symptomatology in deer.(AU)

A febre catarral maligna (FCM) é uma doença infecciosa, com distribuição geográfica ampla, pansistêmica e altamente fatal. As espécies clinicamente suscetíveis incluem bovino, cervo e bisão. No Brasil, a doença em ruminantes e cervídeos está associada ao contato com ovinos, principalmente durante o parto, no qual os envoltórios fetais eliminados contém, em suas secreções, o Herpesvírus ovino-2 (OvHV-2). O surto ocorreu em uma propriedade conservacionista no município de Casimiro de Abreu/RJ, que abrigava 23 cervos exóticos, onde foram registradas a morte de 19 destes, com sinais neurológicos. Os cervos habitavam em um piquete com 15 ovinos de corte, machos e fêmeas. Um exemplar de cervo sambar (Rusa unicolor), fêmea, com aproximadamente três anos de idade, que havia apresentado sinais clínicos neurológicos foi encaminhado para necropsia no Setor de Anatomia Patológica da Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro (SAP/UFRRJ). Durante a necropsia foi realizada a coleta de líquido cefalorraquidiano e de fragmentos de lobo occipital, cerebelo e bulbo, para a realização de reação em cadeia da polimerase (PCR). Fragmentos de diversos órgãos foram fixados em formalina 10% tamponada e processados para a análise histopatológica. O diagnóstico do presente surto foi estabelecido com base nos achados epidemiológicos, clínicos, patológicos e na amplificação do DNA do OvHV-2 através da PCR. As alterações histológicas foram a base para confirmar o caso de FCM e caracterizaram-se por degeneração de células endoteliais vasculares, vasculite fibrinoide, hiperplasia dos órgãos linfoides. Contudo, a PCR foi uma ferramenta importante para a confirmação do diagnóstico. Ressalta-se a importância da FCM na lista dos diagnósticos diferenciais de doenças que cursam com sintomatologia nervosa em cervídeos.(AU)