Anti-Leishmania spp. antibody detection in domestic cats from a visceral leishmaniasis transmission area.

Feline leishmanial infection is reported worldwide, but the epidemiological role of domestic cats in the leishmaniasis cycle remains unclear, and cats might act as cryptic reservoir hosts in endemic areas with no feline leishmaniosis cases. Considering that, a serological screening for anti-Leishmania spp. antibodies was performed by indirect immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) in 389 necropsied cats' serum samples from a new visceral leishmaniasis transmission area with no feline leishmanial infection reported to unveil if the cats are being exposed to the parasite. The overall seroprevalence for Leishmania spp. was 11.05% (43/389). No association was found between sex, neutering status, age group, breed, coat length, feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) infection, and Leishmania spp. antibody detection. A positive association was found with coat color (cats within the orange spectrum with white [particolor]) (OR = 2.47, CI 95% 1 - 6.13, P = 0.044) and a negative association (OR = 0.38, CI 95% 0.18 - 0.79, P = 0.01) between feline leukemia virus (FeLV) infection and IFAT positivity for Leishmania spp. Therefore, it is concluded that the seroprevalence found was greater than 10%, indicating contact of the protozoan with cats in the region served.

Isolation and characterization of Buchananella hordeovulneris from feline pyothorax.

A 1-year-old female mixed-breed cat was admitted to a veterinary hospital in Southern Brazil with tachypnea, low thoracic amplitude, restrictive breathing pattern, and cyanotic mucous membranes 2 days after elective castration surgery. Radiography revealed pleural effusion, and approximately 100-200 mL of fluid was collected by thoracocentesis. The reddish purulent exudate contained large numbers of yellowish-white granules with branched filamentous structures on cytological examination. The fluid was plated on blood agar and incubated under aerobiosis at 37 °C. On the third day of incubation, circular, dry, and opaque colonies, measuring < 0.5 mm in diameter, were observed. Their phenotypic and molecular characteristics were compatible with Buchananella hordeovulneris (basonym: Actinomyces hordeovulneris), a pathogenic actinomycete rarely detected in cats. Our findings indicate that B. hordeovulneris should be included in the differential diagnosis of pyothorax in cats together with Actinomyces spp. and Nocardia spp. Taxonomic confirmation of disease-causing microorganisms in animals is important to understand the course of infection and its association with disease epidemiology.

Crise hemolítica em um cão com hepatite crônica associada ao cobre / Hemolytic crisis in a dog with copper-associated chronic hepatitis

Background: Copper is an essential micronutrient for the body to function properly. However, although it is a vital element,an excess of copper in the body is extremely toxic. Copper toxicity has been reported mainly in sheep. In dogs, clinicopathological signs of toxicity are characterized by chronic liver failure. This means that the hemolytic crisis so commonin sheep is a condition rarely associated with toxicity in dogs, so there are very few descriptions of this condition in theveterinary literature. The purpose of this report is to describe a case of hemolytic crisis in a dog with copper-associatedchronic hepatitis.Case: A medium-sized 6-year-old bitch was brought to the Veterinary Hospital of the Federal University of Santa Maria,with clinical presentation of apathy, anorexia and red urine. A physical examination revealed mildly jaundiced mucosaand dark brown urine. A urinalysis indicated the presence of protein, bilirubin and occult blood. The blood count revealedhypochromic macrocytic anemia, leukocytosis due to left shift neutrophilia and thrombocytopenia. Serum biochemistryshowed elevated levels of alanine aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase. The animal was given a blood transfusiondue to the severity of her anemia, but her clinical condition worsened and she died, whereupon her body was sent for necropsy. This necropsy revealed conspicuous signs of jaundice, splenomegaly and altered liver and kidney color. The liverwas brownish, with its natural surface firm and slightly irregular. The kidneys were diffusely blackened. The urine wasdark brown. Fragments of different organs were collected, fixed in 10% buffered formalin solution, routinely processedfor histopathology and stained with hematoxylin and eosin. A histological dissection of the liver showed the hepatic lobesdissected by fibrosis, forming islands of hepatocytes and numerous lymphocytes and...(AU)

Renal intravascular lymphoma in a dog / Linfoma intravascular renal em um cão

A 10-year-old male large mixed breed dog was presented with skin ulcers and fracture on the right hind limb caused by vehicle collision. Given required limb amputation, and as being a shelter senior dog, euthanasia was requested by the owner and a complete post-mortem examination was conducted immediately after death. Gross changes were consistent with marked bilateral nephromegaly. Histopathological examination of the kidneys revealed round cells filling blood vessels. Immunohistochemically, the round cells were positive for CD3 antibody. Based on these findings, in absence of involvement of the bone marrow and peripheral blood, and inexistence of primary extravascular masses, the tumor was classified as T-cell intravascular lymphoma. To the authors knowledge, this is the first report describing intravascular lymphoma involving the kidneys alone in a dog.(AU)

Um canino, macho, de 10 anos, sem raça definida (SRD), e grande porte, chegou para atendimento apresentando fratura em membro pélvico direito devido a atropelamento por veículo automotivo. Adicionalmente, foram observadas úlceras cutâneas ao nível da fratura. Devido à necessidade de amputação do membro e, por ser um cão idoso, o proprietário optou pela eutanásia, realizando-se necropsia imediatamente após a morte do paciente. Os achados macroscópicos foram consistentes com acentuada nefromegalia bilateral. A avaliação histopatológica dos rins revelou células redondas neoplásicas obliterando vasos sanguíneos. Imunohistoquimicamente, essas células foram positivas para CD3. Baseando-se nos achados histopatológicos, na ausência de envolvimento da medula óssea e do sangue periférico e, na inexistência de massas primárias extravasculares, o tumor foi classificado como linfoma intravascular de células T. Possivelmente, este é o primeiro relato de linfoma intravascular envolvendo unicamente os rins de um cão.(AU)

Melanocitoma-acantoma em um cão / Melanocytoma-acanthoma in a dog

Background: Melanocytic neoplasms are skin tumors that often occur in dogs. However, melanocytoma-acanthoma, alsocalled melanoacanthoma, is a benign melanocytic neoplasm rarely reported in this species, which has been described onlythree times in the veterinary literature. Briefly, this tumor is characterized by a single, painless, darkly pigmented and firmcutaneous papule or nodule. Histologically, it is composed of mixed populations of well-differentiated melanocytes andkeratinocytes, unlike traditional melanocytic tumors (melanoma and melanocytoma). These cells are arranged in lobulessurrounded by collagenous stroma. Melanocytes are large epithelioid cells containing varying amounts of melanin. Keratinocytes form anastomosing trabeculae with peripheral palisading, and small cysts containing amorphous or laminatedkeratin. The definitive diagnosis of melanocytoma-acanthoma is based on histopathological findings. This report describesa case of melanocytoma-acanthoma in a dog in Brazil.Case: A 9-year-old female miniature Schnauzer dog was examined at the Veterinary Hospital of the Federal Universityof Santa Maria, where a single, firm, pigmented papule was found in the auricle. The lesion had started 15 days earlier.Hematological tests and serum biochemistry profile were normal. An excisional biopsy of the papule was surgically removed and subjected to histopathological examination. The tissue was fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin, processedroutinely and embedded in paraffin wax. Sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (HE). A histopathologicalexamination revealed a nonencapsulated, well-defined, extensive, densely cellular proliferation located in dermis. Thisproliferation was composed of lobules and nests of well-differentiated stratified squamous epithelium closely associatedwith neoplastic melanocytes, surrounded by thin bundles of fibrous stroma. A diagnosis of...(AU)

Renal intravascular lymphoma in a dog / Linfoma intravascular renal em um cão

ABSTRACT: A 10-year-old male large mixed breed dog was presented with skin ulcers and fracture on the right hind limb caused by vehicle collision. Given required limb amputation, and as being a shelter senior dog, euthanasia was requested by the owner and a complete post-mortem examination was conducted immediately after death. Gross changes were consistent with marked bilateral nephromegaly. Histopathological examination of the kidneys revealed round cells filling blood vessels. Immunohistochemically, the round cells were positive for CD3 antibody. Based on these findings, in absence of involvement of the bone marrow and peripheral blood, and inexistence of primary extravascular masses, the tumor was classified as T-cell intravascular lymphoma. To the author's knowledge, this is the first report describing intravascular lymphoma involving the kidneys alone in a dog.

RESUMO: Um canino, macho, de 10 anos, sem raça definida (SRD), e grande porte, chegou para atendimento apresentando fratura em membro pélvico direito devido a atropelamento por veículo automotivo. Adicionalmente, foram observadas úlceras cutâneas ao nível da fratura. Devido à necessidade de amputação do membro e, por ser um cão idoso, o proprietário optou pela eutanásia, realizando-se necropsia imediatamente após a morte do paciente. Os achados macroscópicos foram consistentes com acentuada nefromegalia bilateral. A avaliação histopatológica dos rins revelou células redondas neoplásicas obliterando vasos sanguíneos. Imunohistoquimicamente, essas células foram positivas para CD3. Baseando-se nos achados histopatológicos, na ausência de envolvimento da medula óssea e do sangue periférico e, na inexistência de massas primárias extravasculares, o tumor foi classificado como linfoma intravascular de células T. Possivelmente, este é o primeiro relato de linfoma intravascular envolvendo unicamente os rins de um cão.

Melanocitoma-acantoma em um cão / Melanocytoma-acanthoma in a dog

Background: Melanocytic neoplasms are skin tumors that often occur in dogs. However, melanocytoma-acanthoma, alsocalled melanoacanthoma, is a benign melanocytic neoplasm rarely reported in this species, which has been described onlythree times in the veterinary literature. Briefly, this tumor is characterized by a single, painless, darkly pigmented and firmcutaneous papule or nodule. Histologically, it is composed of mixed populations of well-differentiated melanocytes andkeratinocytes, unlike traditional melanocytic tumors (melanoma and melanocytoma). These cells are arranged in lobulessurrounded by collagenous stroma. Melanocytes are large epithelioid cells containing varying amounts of melanin. Keratinocytes form anastomosing trabeculae with peripheral palisading, and small cysts containing amorphous or laminatedkeratin. The definitive diagnosis of melanocytoma-acanthoma is based on histopathological findings. This report describesa case of melanocytoma-acanthoma in a dog in Brazil.Case: A 9-year-old female miniature Schnauzer dog was examined at the Veterinary Hospital of the Federal Universityof Santa Maria, where a single, firm, pigmented papule was found in the auricle. The lesion had started 15 days earlier.Hematological tests and serum biochemistry profile were normal. An excisional biopsy of the papule was surgically removed and subjected to histopathological examination. The tissue was fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin, processedroutinely and embedded in paraffin wax. Sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (HE). A histopathologicalexamination revealed a nonencapsulated, well-defined, extensive, densely cellular proliferation located in dermis. Thisproliferation was composed of lobules and nests of well-differentiated stratified squamous epithelium closely associatedwith neoplastic melanocytes, surrounded by thin bundles of fibrous stroma. A diagnosis of...

Crise hemolítica em um cão com hepatite crônica associada ao cobre / Hemolytic crisis in a dog with copper-associated chronic hepatitis

Background: Copper is an essential micronutrient for the body to function properly. However, although it is a vital element,an excess of copper in the body is extremely toxic. Copper toxicity has been reported mainly in sheep. In dogs, clinicopathological signs of toxicity are characterized by chronic liver failure. This means that the hemolytic crisis so commonin sheep is a condition rarely associated with toxicity in dogs, so there are very few descriptions of this condition in theveterinary literature. The purpose of this report is to describe a case of hemolytic crisis in a dog with copper-associatedchronic hepatitis.Case: A medium-sized 6-year-old bitch was brought to the Veterinary Hospital of the Federal University of Santa Maria,with clinical presentation of apathy, anorexia and red urine. A physical examination revealed mildly jaundiced mucosaand dark brown urine. A urinalysis indicated the presence of protein, bilirubin and occult blood. The blood count revealedhypochromic macrocytic anemia, leukocytosis due to left shift neutrophilia and thrombocytopenia. Serum biochemistryshowed elevated levels of alanine aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase. The animal was given a blood transfusiondue to the severity of her anemia, but her clinical condition worsened and she died, whereupon her body was sent for necropsy. This necropsy revealed conspicuous signs of jaundice, splenomegaly and altered liver and kidney color. The liverwas brownish, with its natural surface firm and slightly irregular. The kidneys were diffusely blackened. The urine wasdark brown. Fragments of different organs were collected, fixed in 10% buffered formalin solution, routinely processedfor histopathology and stained with hematoxylin and eosin. A histological dissection of the liver showed the hepatic lobesdissected by fibrosis, forming islands of hepatocytes and numerous lymphocytes and...