Ariel de Aguiar

Background: Differentiation of the genital system occurs through a chronological sequence of events involving the determination of chromosomal, gonadal, and phenotypic sex. Disorders of sexual development (DSDs) include chromosomal sex abnormalities, gonadal abnormalities, and phenotypic variations. The purpose of this case report was to demonstrate the clinical signs and diagnosis by histopathology, immunohistochemistry, and karyotyping of a DSD in a French Bulldog (XX, male).Case: A 7-month-old phenotypically female French Bulldog with a history of clitoral hypertrophy and no signs of puberty is reported. The animal presented with a 3 cm micropenis protruding from the vulvar labia, causing discomfort and constant licking. Pelvic radiography confirmed the presence of a penile bone, supporting the differential for a disorder of sexual development (DSD). There were no abnormalities of the vaginal canal or urethral orifice. The animal underwent exploratory celiotomy to remove 2 uterine horns and their respective gonads, followed by clitoridectomy via episiotomy. Sex reversal was confirmed by histology, as seminiferous tubules and bilateral hypoplastic epididymides were identified on ovarian topography. Immunohistochemistry of gonadal tissues was positive with antibodies to progesterone and estrogen receptors, but negative with polyclonal androgen receptors and prostate-specific antigen. Karyotyping revealed XX sex chromosomes.Discussion: This dog was diagnosed as an XX DSD male (DSD 78, testicular XX) due to the presence of abdominal testes, uterus, predominantly female external genitalia with vulva and micropenis, and female sex chromosomes. Six cases of DSD have recently been reported in phenotypically female French Bulldogs due to the presence of clitoral hypertrophy or a micropenis with an atypical location. The increase in cases in this breed may be due to its popularity and increased consanguinity. Animals with clinical suspicion of DSD show signs during puberty and most of these animals tend to have a history of externalized structure in the vulva without signs of urethral and vaginal canal obstruction. In animals with ambiguous genitalia and DSDs, the estrous cycle may be normal, absent, or irregular. Because of the discomfort in the clitoral region, clitoridectomy is the 1 st line of treatment to prevent self-mutilation and future cases of vaginitis, and gonadectomy is also performed to prevent future uterine disorders and gonadal and mammary carcinogenesis. It is not uncommon for XX male animals to be unilateral or bilateral cryptorchids, in this case, both testes were in the abdominal cavity, and the animal had a normal uterus. Several alternative procedures can be performed for a better understanding of DSDs, namely: histopathology; immunohistochemistry or hormone dosage; karyotyping; and molecular analyses. These tests are important to determine the genetic sex of an animal and to confirm its concordance with the phenotypic sex. There is no evidence of interference of specific genes in the phenotypic expression of XX males, suggesting that the factors involved in their occurrence are still unknown. The hereditary nature of this disorder has not been ruled out and there are currently no laboratory tests available to identify carriers. It is recommended that cases of DSD be thoroughly investigated using complementary examinations to ensure accurate categorization of each disorder. Keywords: clitoral hypertrophy, ambiguous genitalia, immunohistochemistry, cytogenetics, sexual dimorphism.

Tumor embolization is a well-described cause of unexpected death in human oncologic patients; however, it is poorly explored in veterinary medicine. We report a case of pulmonary tumor embolization in a dog with sudden death. During necropsy, a neoplastic mass was observed replacing the left adrenal gland and forming an intravascular thrombus within the central adrenal vein. A large embolus occluded the left pulmonary artery. The adrenal mass was histologically confirmed as a pheochromocytoma, and the embolus was constituted of neoplastic cells. Multiple smaller neoplastic emboli were observed within the pulmonary artery branches. Tumor embolization should be considered as a possible cause of sudden death in dogs, particularly in oncologic patients.

O tumor venéreo transmissível é uma neoplasia distribuída mundialmente que acomete cães principalmente pelo contato sexual, os animais acometidos geralmente desenvolvem nódulos no trato reprodutivo inferior. As metástases são incomuns, normalmente são observadas em animais imunocomprometidos. O objetivo deste é relatar um caso de tumor venéreo transmissível em cadela disseminado pelo abdômen. A paciente apresentava uma massa única em região cranial da vagina e massas de diversos tamanhos aderidas à parede abdominal, ao mesentério e à serosa de órgãos como intestino, baço, vesícula urinária e útero, visibilizadas ao exame ultrassonográfico. Os exames complementares como a vaginoscopia e as análises citomorfológicas das massas da cavidade abdominal e em fundo de vagina foram de grande importância para o diagnóstico definitivo. O tratamento semanal com 0,5 mg/m2 de Sulfato de Vincristina durante sete semanas foi efetivo. A importância deste relato é a forma incomum de metástase de TVT, visto que acometia somente a serosa dos órgãos abdominais, sem comprometer a função destes.

Background: Calf diarrhea remains one of the main diseases affecting the cattle industry. Persistence of this significant problem is associated with the complexity of factors that may be involved (infectious, environmental). An accurate diagnosis is essential for confirming the cause and helping clinicians and cattle producers to apply appropriate strategies in a timely manner. This report describes the histological changes according to the degree of salmonellosis severity, which is a contagious infectious disease caused by Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica, a Gram-negative bacterium, in two beef calves in northern Paraná State, southern Brazil. Cases: Two 90-day-old crossbred Angus and Nellore calves from a beef farm in northern Paraná State were referred to a Veterinary Hospital. Animal 1- developed acute clinical signs (enteritis, ataxia, and muscle rigidity) and died the day after the signs began. Gross findings included heavy and non-collapsed lungs, pulmonary oedema, hepatomegaly, enteritis, and severe diffuse typhlitis. Microscopic analysis revealed severe diffuse necrotic enteritis, typhlitis, severe diffuse interstitial pneumonia, moderate centrilobular hepatic necrosis, mild multifocal nephritis, and severe spleen and lymph node necrosis. Paratyphoid nodules were evidenced on the liver, spleen, and mesenteric lymph nodes. Animal 2- presented apathy, green fibrinous diarrhea, and died three days after the onset of clinical signs. The macroscopic examination showed moderate diffuse enteritis and hepatosplenomegaly. At the microscopic examination, many paratyphoid nodules were observed on the liver, spleen, kidneys, and Peyer's patches, which were associated with intralesional and intravascular bacilli. Additional findings included severe diffuse fibrinous necrotic enteritis with intralesional bacilli, diffuse interstitial pneumonia, multifocal splenic necrosis, lymphoid depletion, and moderate multifocal to coalescent lymphocytic nephritis. Histological Gram staining was performed on selected samples, revealing intralesional Gram-negative bacilli in the liver and intestine. Thus, liver and intestine fragments were used for the microbiological examination. Microbiological culture, isolation and biochemical tests identified the genus Salmonella spp. Then, the colonies were subjected to serological tests for serovar identification, according to ISO/TR 6579-3, which determined the serovar Dublin. After identifying the disease etiological agent, the outbreak was controlled by appropriate antibiotic therapy combined with the correction of sanitary measures. Discussion: Enteritis is a frequent disease in calves, posing a diagnostic challenge in identifying the etiological agent. In the present case, the histological, microbiological, and serological results confirmed a disseminated Salmonella spp. infection. The microscopic findings, such as interstitial pneumonia, fibrinous necrotic enteritis markedly in ileum and paratyphoid nodules in various organs, are the most common aspects of the disease. However, fibrinous cholecystitis, which is considered pathognomonic for salmonellosis, was not observed in this study. Therefore, the absence of such a lesion should not exclude the disease in sick animals. A microscopic injury score was used to determine lesion severity by assigning values from 1 to 4, wherein: 1 = no apparent lesions, 2 = mild lesions, 3 = moderate lesions, and 4 = severe lesions. Both calves were scored as 4. Multiple predisposing factors for the condition were identified in this farm such as different age animals in the same paddock and no specific paddock for sick animals, given that the infectious agent remains in feces, saliva, and nasal discharge. The serovar Dublin induces several clinical signs such as septicemic, respiratory, and enteric manifestations, making a clinical diagnosis a challenge. Keywords: dysbiosis, calf diarrhea, infection, paratyphoid nodules, septicemia. Descritores: disbiose, diarreia neonatal, infecção, nódulos paratifoides, septicemia. Título:  Salmonelose em bezerros pelo sorovar Dublin no estado do Paraná, Brasil - aspectos clínico-patológicos