Arthroscopic removal of a solitary osteochondroma interfering with the podotrochlear apparatus in a foal.

OBJECTIVE: To report the diagnostics, surgical treatment, and outcome of a juvenile foal with solitary osteochondroma (SO) interfering with the podotrochlear apparatus. STUDY DESIGN: Case report ANIMAL: One 36-day-old Arabian colt. METHODS: Clinical, radiographic, ultrasonographic, computed tomographic, and histopathologic examinations were required to characterize and treat an SO located at the palmar aspect of the diaphysis of the second phalanx of the left forelimb. This SO caused severe distal interphalangeal joint (DIPJ) inflammation, marked interference with the podotrochlear apparatus, and associated lameness. RESULTS: Despite the small size of the foal's foot, complete resection of the SO was possible via palmar DIPJ arthroscopy by using motorized equipment. Full resolution of the lameness was achieved within 3 months of surgery. CONCLUSION: Atypical SO located on the palmar aspect of the second phalanx can cause marked nonseptic inflammation of the DIPJ and interference with the podotrochlear apparatus and should be considered among the differential diagnoses for severe lameness in juvenile foals. Arthroscopic resection of the SO led to an excellent outcome.

Equine Infectious Anemia Virus (EIAV): Evidence of Circulation in Donkeys from the Brazilian Northeast Region.

Equine infectious anemia (EIA) is listed by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) as one of the equine diseases that must be notified. No effective treatment or vaccine is available. EIA control is based on segregation and euthanasia of positive equids. The disease is caused by the equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV), a member of the genus Lentivirus of the Retroviridae family. Despite the importance of this disease in equids, EIA has been poorly studied in donkeys (Equus asinus). We evaluate the sanitary conditions related to EIAV in donkeys from a shelter of abandoned animals captured on the roads of the Ceará. A total of 124 donkeys were randomly selected, and three horses lived at the same shelter. The animals were clinically evaluated, and a group of the 20 animals was submitted to hematological tests. Three diagnostic tests for EIA were used, agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using EIAV recombinant protein gp90 (rgp90) and recombinant protein p26 (rp26) ELISA, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for detection of the EIAV tat-gag gene. From the donkeys, only 1 animal was positive using AGID 0.81% (1/124), compared to 21.8% (27/124) in the rgp90 and 10.5% (13/124) in the rp26 ELISA. Proviral DNA was detected by PCR tat-gag in 8.8% (11/124), and phylogenetic analysis confirms that the EIAV sequences of donkeys from the Brazilian Northeast grouped with Pantanal Brazilian sequences. Thus, in light of the results, we conclude that donkeys are carriers of EIAV and could be sources of infection.

Avaliação de cinco casos de abortamento associado à leptospirose em éguas no Rio Grande do Norte / Five cases of miscarriage associated with leptospirosis assessment mares in Rio Grande do Norte

Este estudo teve como objetivo descrever casos de abortamento por leptospirose em éguas, ocorrido no município de Mossoró, Rio Grande do Norte. Cinco éguas com histórico de abortamento foram submetidas a exames clínicos, hematológico e pesquisa de aglutininas anti-Leptospira para 22 diferentes sorovares, pelo Teste de Soroaglutinação Microscópica (SAM). Foi realizado exame anatomopatológico da placenta e de um feto equino abortado com 9 meses de idade. A infecção por Leptospira sp. ocorreu em três éguas que abortaram, sendo uma positiva para o sorovar Pomona, título 800; uma para o sorovar Hardjo, título 400; uma para o sorovar Icterohaemorrhagiae, título 400. No exame anatomopatológico da placenta foram observados cotilédones edemaciados de coloração vermelho escuro, com áreas focais enegrecidas, friáveis e necróticos. No exame necroscópico do feto observou-se icterícia, presença de líquido sero-sanguinolento na cavidade abdominal, torácica e saco pericárdico, áreas multifocais de hemorragia no fígado, coração e pulmão, rins de consistência friável e áreas multifocais branco amareladas. Histologicamente, verificou-se necrose e inflamação do epitélio placentário coriônico; necrose difusa de hepatócitos e hepatite mononuclear; acentuada hemorragia no interstício do córtex renal, degeneração hidrópica e necrose das células do epitélio tubular e presença de cilindros hemáticos intratubular; além de nefrite intersticial mononuclear e pneumonia intersticial mononuclear difusa acentuada. Os resultados deste estudo demonstraram títulos elevados de aglutininas anti-Leptospira em éguas e a presença de lesões histológicas nos órgãos fetais e placenta, confirmando a importância da Leptospira como agente causador de abortamento

This study aimed to describe cases of leptospirosis abortions in horses, which occurred in the city of Mossoró, Rio Grande do Norte. Five mares with abortion history, were submitted to clinical, hematological and detection of specific anti-Leptospira agglutinins facing 22 different serotypes, by Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT). It was performed a pathological examination of the placenta and an equine aborted fetus with 9 months old. The Leptospira sp. infection occurred in three mares that aborted. One was positive for Pomona, title 800; one for the Hardjo serovar, title 400 and one for Icterohaemorrhagiae serovar, title 400. In examination of the placenta were observed swollen cotyledons, dark red color with blackened focal areas, friable and necrotic. In the fetus's autopsy was observed icterus, serous-sanguineous fluid in the abdominal cavity, chest and pericardium, multifocal areas of hemorrhage in the liver, heart, lungs, and friable multifocal yellowish white areas in the kidney. Histologically, it was found necrosis and inflammation of the placental chorionic epithelium; diffuse necrosis hepatocyte and mononuclear hepatitis; severe hemorrhage in the interstitium of the renal cortex, hydropic degeneration and necrosis of the tubular epithelial cells and the presence of haematic intratubular cylinders; mononuclear interstitial nephritis and a severe diffuse interstitial mononuclear pneumonia. The results showed high levels of anti-Leptospira agglutinins in mares and presence of histological lesions in the placenta and fetal organs, confirming the importance of Leptospira as abortion-causing agent.