Anomalias congênitas múltiplas em felinos domésticos neonatos / Multiple congenital abnormalities in newborn domestic kittens

Background: Congenital defects and diseases have hereditary or acquired etiology that affects domestic and wildlife animals, and humans. These anomalies are usually isolated and their location and intensity determine the survival of affected animals. Congenital malformations in domestic cats are less frequent than in dogs. Although some racial groups of cats seem to present greater predisposition to develop certain types of congenital defects and / or hereditary diseases, such information is controversial and has been discussed in several reports. Some malformations are rare in cats and poorly reported in Brazil and when they occur, mostly, are not identified or the etiology is unknown. Case: This report describes the clinicopathological features of three newborn Persian kittens of the same dam. They were examined soon after birth because had multiple congenital malformations that involved the oral and nasal cavities, limbs, eyes, abdominal cavity and the vertebrae. The abnormalities were characterized by hyperextension in limbs and palatosquisis (Kittens 1, 2, and 3), unilateral and bilateral clinical anophthalmia (Kittens 1 and 3, respectively), unilateral cheiloschisis (Kittens 2), kyphosis, and abdominosquisis (1). At necropsy the Kitten 1 showed in the right eye socket rudiments of the eye covered with skin, and failure in the lining of the hard palate with bilateral hypoplasia of the soft palate. Microscopically, the microphthalmia was confirmed, and were observed dysplastic structures similar to the lens, retina and the ciliary body, and periocular glandular structures, as well as confirmed aplasia cutis in the hard palate with abrupt failure in the ectodermal and mesodermal tissues. Based on epidemiological findings, as well as the types of macroscopic and microscopic changes observed in this study, suggests hereditary component to the pathogenesis of these malformations. Discussion: The epidemiological and clinicopathological findings presented by the three Persian cats malformed suggested hereditary congenital abnormalities associated with high degree of inbreeding. Inbreeding corresponds to the crossing between individuals of the same family tree, it is reported in many species and allows unwanted remaining genes being passed on and increase the chances of defects and hereditary diseases in the offspring. Although many of these abnormalities are infrequent and many of them are rare in cats. Several reports point to possible etiologies associated with genetic defects and hereditary diseases in cats. However, there are many congenital abnormalities similar to those observed in this study developed after exposure to stressors during pregnancy, not observed in this work. In this study the association of multiple hereditary anomalies with changes occurring in the offspring are enhanced not only by the account of inbreeding in the cattery, but also by the data concerning the handling of animals, which ruled out the possibility of changes caused by medications or stress caused by the cat during pregnancy. Comparing the human species the chances of the conditions described in this report are inherited are high and can be seen as a consensus among most authors, that animals with these defects should not be introduced into breeding schemes. There are no reports of malformations similar to those observed in this study, occurring simultaneously in the feline species in Brazil. Because of possible hereditary etiology is recommended castration of animals which survive to the abnormalities.

Intoxicação por monofluoroacetato em animais / Monofluoroacetate poisoning in animals

O monofluoroacetato (MF) ou ácido monofluoroacético é utilizado na Austrália e Nova Zelândia no controle populacional de mamíferos nativos ou exóticos. O uso desse composto é proibido no Brasil, devido ao risco de intoxicação de seres humanos e de animais, uma vez que a substância permanece estável por décadas. No Brasil casos recentes de intoxicação criminosa ou acidental têm sido registrados. MF foi identificado em diversas plantas tóxicas, cuja ingestão determina "morte súbita"; de bovinos na África do Sul, Austrália e no Brasil. O modo de ação dessa substância baseia-se na formação do fluorocitrato, seu metabólito ativo, que bloqueia competitivamente a aconitase e o ciclo de Krebs, o que reduz produção de ATP. As espécies animais têm sido classificadas nas quatro Categorias em função do efeito provocado por MF: (I) no coração, (II) no sistema nervoso central (III) sobre o coração e sistema nervoso central ou (IV) com sintomatologia atípica. Neste trabalho, apresenta-se uma revisão crítica atualizada sobre essa substância. O diagnóstico da intoxicação por MF é realizado pelo histórico de ingestão do tóxico, pelos achados clínicos e confirmado por exame toxicológico. Uma forma peculiar de degeneração hidrópico-vacuolar das células epiteliais dos túbulos uriníferos contorcidos distais tem sido considerada como característica dessa intoxicação em algumas espécies. O tratamento da intoxicação por MF é um desafio, pois ainda não se conhece um agente capaz de reverte-la de maneira eficaz; o desfecho geralmente é fatal.(AU)

Monofluoroacetate (MF) or monofluoroacetic acid is used in Australia and New Zealand for control of native or exotic mammals. The compounds are prohibited in Brazil, as they remain stable for decades and as risk for poisoning of animals and men exists. Cases of criminal and accidental poisonings have been reported in the country. MF was identified in several poisonous plants, the ingestion of which causes "sudden death"; in cattle in South Africa, Australia and Brazil. The poisoning leads in the Krebs cycle to the formation of fluorocitrate, its active metabolite, what competitively blocks aconitase in the cycle, with decrease in the production of ATP. Animal species have been classified into four categories regarding the effects caused by MF: (I) on heart, (II) heart and central nervous system, (III) central nertvous system or (IV) with atypical symptoms. In this paper, we present an updated critical review on MF poisoning. The diagnosis is made through the history of ingestion of the poison, by clinical findings and confirmation through toxicological examination. Vacuolarhydropic degeneration of the epithelial cells of the distal convoluted kidney tubules has been considered as characteristic of the poisoning in animal species. The treatment of MF poisoning is a challenge, since there is still not known any agent that effectively can reverse the poisoning, which generally is fatal.(AU)