Regina Kiomi Takahira

Platelets contribute to cancer progression, and thrombocytosis is a recognized poor prognostic factor in human oncology; however, its significance in veterinary medicine remains underexplored. We retrospectively analyzed 166 dogs diagnosed with neoplasia and thrombocytosis (platelet count ≥ 430,000/μL) to assess the relationship between thrombocytosis intensity and survival. Survival analyses revealed that compared with dogs with mild thrombocytosis, those with moderate‐to‐severe thrombocytosis had significantly shorter survival times. With respect to specific diagnoses, dogs with mammary carcinoma and moderate‐to‐severe thrombocytosis had a significantly higher risk of death (HR = 3.4; p = 0.02). A similar trend was observed in patients with mast cell tumors, where the risk of death was 7.39 times higher, although this finding reached only borderline statistical significance ( p = 0.05). Further prospective studies with larger cohorts are warranted to validate thrombocytosis as a prognostic biomarker and to elucidate its role in tumor biology and clinical outcomes in veterinary oncology.

Immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA) is the leading cause of hemolytic anemia in dogs. Although renal injury has been reported in IMHA patients, laboratory findings defining the type and extent of renal damage remain inconsistent. The aim of this study was to evaluate key laboratory findings in the assessment of renal function in dogs with a suspected diagnosis of IMHA and to correlate these findings with disease prognosis. A prospective study was conducted on 21 dogs treated at a veterinary hospital with a suspected diagnosis of IMHA. Blood samples were collected for complete blood count and biochemical analyses, and urinalysis was performed. Significant alterations in renal function were observed in IMHA patients. The urinary protein-to-creatinine ratio (UPC) was elevated compared to controls (P < 0.0002) and correlated with the degree of anemia (R = -0.638) and the inflammatory status, assessed by white blood cell count (R = 0.550). In addition, urinary bilirubin levels were increased in IMHA patients (P < 0.0001), suggesting that bilirubin is an important prognostic marker of the disease. Renal function is impaired in IMHA patients, and urinary bilirubin levels serve as a valuable prognostic indicator.

Background: Perinatal hypoxia is a leading cause of early mortality in canine neonates and accounts for over 90% of early deaths in canine neonates. Respiratory depression may result from dystocia, prolonged labor, or anesthetic protocols used during cesarean delivery, requiring rapid pharmacological support. This study evaluated the effects of aminophylline, caffeine, and doxapram on clinical and biochemical viability parameters in hypoxic neonatal dogs. Methods: Forty-five puppies born via elective or emergency cesarean section were included, of which 35 exhibiting cardiorespiratory depression (heart rate ≤ 180 bpm, respiratory rate < 15 movements per minute, Apgar score < 7, and reflex score < 3) were randomly allocated into aminophylline group (AG; n = 12), caffeine group (CafG; n = 11), or doxapram group (DG; n = 12). Ten clinically healthy neonates constituted the physiological control group (CG). Apgar score, neonatal reflexes, lactate, blood glucose, oxygen saturation, blood gas parameters, and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) were evaluated immediately after birth (M1) and 10 min following treatment (M10). Results: No significant differences were observed in laboratory parameters among groups (p > 0.05). Although all evaluated drugs improved clinical status by increasing heart rate, respiratory rate, and reflex scores, caffeine produced the greatest enhancement in vitality. The Δ Apgar score showed a significant difference between CafG and DG (p = 0.0095), while no statistical differences were detected between AG and CafG (p = 0.08) or between AG and GD (p = 0.60). Conclusions: Aminophylline, caffeine, and doxapram supported postnatal resuscitation in hypoxic neonatal puppies; however, caffeine demonstrated superior improvement in Apgar recovery, suggesting its potential as a preferred pharmacological adjunct in neonatal canine resuscitation protocols.

Trypanosoma vivax, a haemoprotozoan of African origin, has spread throughout Latin America, mainly affecting cattle through mechanical transmission by flies. This study reports an outbreak of T. vivax on a dairy farm in the midwestern region of São Paulo State, Brazil. Clinical signs included progressive weight loss, lethargy, hyporexia, reduced milk production, abortions, neurological signs, and deaths. The herd comprised 238 crossbred Holstein-Gir cattle (200 cows, 38 calves). Blood samples were collected from 104 randomly selected cows and all 38 calves to assess hematocrit (HCT) and total plasma protein (TPP), and detect trypomastigote forms using blood and buffy coat smears. PCR was performed on EDTA blood from 30 smear-negative cows. Trypanosoma sp. was identified in 51.9% (54/104) of the smear samples, with morphometric confirmation of T. vivax infection. About 66.6% (20/30) of the smear-negative cows tested positive by PCR, showing the higher sensitivity of molecular tests. Anemia was observed in 56.8% of infected cows, with significantly lower HCT and TPP values than in uninfected animals. The absence of quarantine for new animals, high fly density, and shared needles for oxytocin injections were likely contributing factors. This study underscores the crucial role of molecular diagnostics in accurately investigating outbreaks.

Brain abscesses in ruminants often arise from primary infection foci, leading to an unfavorable prognosis for affected animals. This highlights the need for comprehensive studies on brain abscesses across different ruminant species. We retrospectively investigated medical records of epidemiological, clinical, neuroimaging, anatomopathological, and bacteriological findings in six ruminants (three goats, two cows, and one sheep) diagnosed with brain abscesses. All animals studied were female. Apathy (50%), compulsive walking (33%), decreased facial sensitivity (33%), head pressing (33%), seizures (33%), semicomatous mental status (33%), strabismus (33%), unilateral blindness (33%), and circling (33%) represented the most common neurologic signs. Leukocytosis and neutrophilia were the main findings in the hematological evaluation. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis revealed predominant hyperproteinorrachia and pleocytosis. In three cases, computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging were used, enabling the identification of typical abscess lesions, which were subsequently confirmed during postmortem examination. Microbiological culture of the abscess samples and/or CSF revealed bacterial coinfections in most cases. Advanced imaging examinations, combined with CSF analysis, can aid in diagnosis, although confirmation typically relies on postmortem evaluation and isolation of the causative agent. This study contributes to clinicopathological aspects, neuroimages, and bacteriological diagnosis of brain abscesses in domestic ruminants.

This study aimed to evaluate the infrared thermography, arterial Doppler ultrasound, and Doppler echocardiography in healthy adult dogs exposed to a single Whole-body vibration (WBV) at different frequencies. Sixteen (16) healthy crossbreed dogs males of ages 1 to 5 years, weighing 16.3 to 24.5 kg were enrolled in the study. The dogs were exposed to a single WBV session at frequencies of 30 Hz (5 min), 40 Hz (5 min), and 50 Hz (5 min) with intervals between each frequency exposure of 10 min. The cutaneous temperature, arterial Doppler ultrasound, and Doppler echocardiography were evaluated 10 min before the WBV session, between each frequency, and 1 min after the last frequency. The cutaneous temperature of the regions of the superficial gluteal muscle and biceps femoris muscle of both hind limbs was obtained with an infrared camera. Resistive indexes of carotid and femoral arteries were determined using Doppler ultrasound, and Doppler echocardiography was used to assess the end-systolic volume and end-diastolic volume, heart rate, aortic blood flow velocity, and pulmonary artery flow velocity. Clinical parameters, complete blood count, and serum biochemical (alanine aminotransferase, creatinine, and creatine phosphokinase) were evaluated 10 min before and 60 min after the end of the WBV session. Statistically significant differences were not found in any of the variables among the time points. In conclusion, the protocol of increasing vibration frequencies (30, 40, and 50 Hz) at short-period WBV can be considered appropriate since no change occurred in the parameters evaluated.

Intestinal parasites of the genus Ancylostoma are the most prevalent in coproparasitological examinations and necropsies of dogs in Brazil. Although adult dogs often remain asymptomatic when infected, there is limited published information concerning the laboratory and clinical findings and severity of infection in symptomatic adult dogs. Therefore, this study aimed to characterize the clinical and laboratory findings of adult Ancylostoma-infected dogs. Data were obtained by surveying the medical records of dogs treated at a University Veterinary Hospital from June 2009 to June 2019. Of 243 cases, 30 met the selection criteria. The most frequent clinical signs were diarrhea and hematochezia (13/30 each - 43.3%), and the most common laboratory findings were eosinophilia (13/30 - 43.3%), increased RDW (6/29 - 20.7%), and hypoalbuminemia (5/21 - 23.8%). Dogs with Ancylostoma spp. presented an increased proportion of high RDW (P= 0.010) compared with non-parasitized dogs. Dogs with higher fecal egg scores (n= 18) showed significantly lower RBC (6.26 ± 0.64 vs 7.24 ± 0.74 106/µL, P< 0.001) and albumin levels (2.8 ± 0.5 vs 3.2 ± 0.4 g/dL, P= 0.021), and an increased eosinophil count (1.42 ± 0.95 vs 0.58 ± 0.47 103/µL, P= 0.003) compared with the control group. Fecal egg scores exhibited a weak correlation with eosinophils (r = 0.42, P= 0.002) and a moderate correlation with RBC (r = -0.52, P< 0.001). In conclusion, despite relevant clinical signs, the laboratory findings were indicative of mild alterations in adult dogs, especially in those with lower scores of eggs in coproparasitological tests. Parasitas intestinais do gênero Ancylostoma são os mais prevalentes em exames coproparasitológicos e necrópsias de cães no Brasil. Os cães adultos frequentemente permanecem assintomáticos quando infectados. Entretanto, há pouca literatura sobre achados clinico-laboratoriais e gravidade da infecção em cães adultos sintomáticos. O objetivo do estudo foi caracterizar os achados clínicos e laboratoriais de cães adultos com Ancylostoma spp. Os dados foram obtidos de prontuários médicos de cães atendidos em um Hospital Veterinário Universitário de junho de 2009 a junho de 2019. Dos 243 casos, 30 atenderam aos critérios de seleção. Os sinais clínicos mais frequentes foram diarreia e hematoquezia (13/30 cada - 43,3%), além de eosinofilia (13/30 - 43,3%), aumento de RDW (6/29 - 20,7%) e hipoalbuminemia (5/21 - 23,8%). Os cães com Ancylostoma spp. apresentaram maior proporção de RDW elevado (P= 0,010) em comparação com cães hígidos; e aqueles com alto escore de ovos nas fezes (n= 18) apresentaram valores significativamente mais baixos de hemácias (6,26 ± 0,64 vs 7,24 ± 0,74 106/µL, P< 0,001) e albumina (2,8 ± 0,5 vs 3,2 ± 0,4 g/dL, P= 0,021), bem como aumento da contagem de eosinófilos (1,42 ± 0,95 vs 0,58 ± 0,47 103/µL, P= 0,003) em comparação com o grupo controle. Os escores de ovos nas fezes exibiram correlação fraca com eosinófilos (r= 0,42, P= 0,002) e moderada com hemácias (r= -0,52, P< 0,001). Concluiu-se que, apesar dos sinais clínicos relevantes, os achados laboratoriais indicaram alterações leves em cães adultos, especialmente naqueles com menores escores de ovos nos exames coproparasitológicos.

The skin is essential to the integrity of the organism. The disruption of this organ promotes a wound, and the organism starts the healing to reconstruct the skin. Copaifera langsdorffii is a tree used in folk medicine to treat skin affections, with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In our study, the oleoresin of the plant was associated with nanostructured lipid carriers, aiming to evaluate the healing potential of this formulation and compare the treatment with reference drugs used in wound healing. Male Wistar rats were used to perform the excision wound model, with the macroscopic analysis of wound retraction. Skin samples were used in histological, immunohistochemical, and biochemical analyses. The results showed the wound retraction in the oleoresin-treated group, mediated by α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA). Biochemical assays revealed the anti-inflammatory mechanism of the oleoresin-treated group, increasing interleukin-10 (IL-10) concentration and decreasing pro-inflammatory cytokines. Histopathological and immunohistochemical results showed the improvement of re-epithelialization and tissue remodeling in the Copaifera langsdorffii group, with an increase in laminin-γ2, a decrease in desmoglein-3 and an increase in collagen remodeling. These findings indicate the wound healing potential of nanostructured lipid carriers associated with Copaifera langsdorffii oleoresin in skin wounds, which can be helpful as a future alternative treatment for skin wounds.

The coinfections by some microorganisms have been related to severe diseases in humans and animals, where immunosuppressive agents favor opportunistic behavior of other pathogens. A 4-month-old, female mixed-breed dog with a two-week history of inappetence, prostration, emaciation, and respiratory distress was admitted at a veterinary hospital in Brazil. Tachycardia, pale mucous membranes, severe respiratory distress, and a large number of ticks (Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l.) in different body regions were observed at clinical examination. Hematological examination of dog showed leukocytosis, neutrophilia, mild anemia, and thrombocytopenia, whereas unremarkable values in biochemical tests. Thoracic radiography revealed a pleural effusion image. Blood and the pleural fluid (purulent aspect) samples were subjected to qPCR (16S rRNA and dsb genes) and sequencing, which identified Ehrlichia canis and Anaplasma platys coinfection. An aggregate of coccoid-to-branching or long filamentous microorganisms, surrounded by pyogranulomatous inflammatory reaction was seen at the cytology of the pleural fluid. Bacteriological culture of pleural effusion showed colonies compatible with the genus Nocardia, which revealed gram-positive filamentous organisms with a tendency of fragmentation and were identified as Nocardia otitidiscaviarum in mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Therapy of N. otitidiscaviarum isolate using levofloxacin (supported by a previous in vitro susceptibility testing) and doxycycline for E. canis and A. platys resulted in complete resolution of the clinical picture. Here, we report for the first time a triple coinfection by Nocardia otitidiscaviarum, A. platys, and E. canis in a dog with pleural effusion, where debilitating or immunosuppressive conditions induced by A. platys and E. canis coinfection probably contributed to the opportunistic behavior of N. otitidiscaviarum.