Lumbar Myelopathy Caused by Multiple Cartilaginous Exostoses in a Dog.

A 6-months-old male mixed-breed dog was admitted to the veterinary hospital with lameness in the right pelvic limb, proprioceptive ataxia, and suspected spinal cord injury in the lumbosacral segment. Upon palpation, firm nodules were noted on the bony surface of the thoracic and pelvic limbs, ribs, vertebrae, and tail. The radiographic study showed nodules of low radiopacity with well-defined limits and smooth contours, one of which was overlapping the fifth lumbar vertebra. Given the clinical presentation indicative of spinal cord injury, the animal was subjected to hemilaminectomy for nodular resection. Histopathological examination of the biopsy enabled the diagnosis of osteochondroma. The clinical follow up after surgery showed improvement in walking, despite persistent monoparesis in the right pelvic limb. The radiographic study in association with clinical and histopathological exams allowed the diagnosis and monitoring of the lesions.

Ultrassonografia gestacional no diagnóstico de anormalidades fetais em pequenos animais / Gestational ultrasonography in the diagnosis of fetal abnormalities in small animals

A ultrassonografia gestacional em pequenos animais permite, além da confirmação e do monitoramento da prenhez, a detecção precoce de malformações e anormalidades fetais, representando uma importante ferramenta de acompanhamento pré-natal. Médicos veterinários, tutores e criadores podem beneficiar-se deste diagnóstico, uma vez que o conhecimento prévio de anormalidades fetais que exigem cirurgia ou intervenções neonatais permite o planejamento adequado por parte destes indivíduos. Na medicina humana, a detecção precoce de anormalidades fetais já é amplamente empregada no planejamento da conduta em relação à gestante e ao feto antes e após o nascimento. Em medicina veterinária, apesar de escassos, há relatos de malformações fetais diagnosticadas ao exame ultrassonográfico gestacional em pequenos animais. Entretanto, limitações inerentes ao aparelho, ao operador e à anatomia animal podem limitar o diagnóstico na totalidade dos exames, levando à ocorrência de diagnósticos falso-positivos e falso-negativos.(AU)

Gestational ultrasonography in small animals allows, in addition to the confirmation and monitoring of pregnancy, the early detection of malformations and fetal abnormalities, representing an important prenatal monitoring tool. Veterinarians, owners and breeders may benefit from this diagnosis, since prior knowledge of fetal abnormalities that require surgery or neonatal interventions allows adequate planning for these individuals. In human medicine, the early detection of fetal abnormalities is already widely used in planning the conduct in relation to the pregnant woman and the fetus before and after birth. In veterinary medicine, although there are few, there are reports of fetal malformations diagnosed at the ultrasound gestational examination in small animals. However, limitations inherent in the device, the operator and the animal anatomy may limit the diagnosis in all the exams, leading to the occurrence of false positive and false-negative diagnoses.(AU)

Ultrassonografia gestacional no diagnóstico de anormalidades fetais em pequenos animais / Gestational ultrasonography in the diagnosis of fetal abnormalities in small animals

A ultrassonografia gestacional em pequenos animais permite, além da confirmação e do monitoramento da prenhez, a detecção precoce de malformações e anormalidades fetais, representando uma importante ferramenta de acompanhamento pré-natal. Médicos veterinários, tutores e criadores podem beneficiar-se deste diagnóstico, uma vez que o conhecimento prévio de anormalidades fetais que exigem cirurgia ou intervenções neonatais permite o planejamento adequado por parte destes indivíduos. Na medicina humana, a detecção precoce de anormalidades fetais já é amplamente empregada no planejamento da conduta em relação à gestante e ao feto antes e após o nascimento. Em medicina veterinária, apesar de escassos, há relatos de malformações fetais diagnosticadas ao exame ultrassonográfico gestacional em pequenos animais. Entretanto, limitações inerentes ao aparelho, ao operador e à anatomia animal podem limitar o diagnóstico na totalidade dos exames, levando à ocorrência de diagnósticos falso-positivos e falso-negativos.

Gestational ultrasonography in small animals allows, in addition to the confirmation and monitoring of pregnancy, the early detection of malformations and fetal abnormalities, representing an important prenatal monitoring tool. Veterinarians, owners and breeders may benefit from this diagnosis, since prior knowledge of fetal abnormalities that require surgery or neonatal interventions allows adequate planning for these individuals. In human medicine, the early detection of fetal abnormalities is already widely used in planning the conduct in relation to the pregnant woman and the fetus before and after birth. In veterinary medicine, although there are few, there are reports of fetal malformations diagnosed at the ultrasound gestational examination in small animals. However, limitations inherent in the device, the operator and the animal anatomy may limit the diagnosis in all the exams, leading to the occurrence of false positive and false-negative diagnoses.

Lactic acid microbiota identification in water, raw milk, endogenous starter culture, and fresh Minas artisanal cheese from the Campo das Vertentes region of Brazil during the dry and rainy seasons.

Minas artisanal cheese, produced in the Campo das Vertentes region of Brazil, is made from raw milk and endogenous starter cultures. Although this cheese is of great historical and socioeconomic importance, little information is available about its microbiological and physical-chemical qualities, or about its beneficial microbiota. This work was aimed at evaluating the qualities of the cheese and the components used for its production, comparing samples collected during the dry and rainy seasons. We also conducted molecular identification and isolated 50 samples of lactic acid bacteria from cheese (n=21), water (n=3), raw milk (n=9), and endogenous starter culture (n=17). The microbiological quality of the cheese, water, raw milk, and endogenous starter culture was lower during the rainy period, given the higher counts of coagulase-positive Staphylococcus and total and thermotolerant coliforms. Enterococcus faecalis was the lactic acid bacteria isolated most frequently (42.86%) in cheese samples, followed by Lactococcus lactis (28.57%) and Lactobacillus plantarum (14.29%). Lactobacillus brevis (5.88%), Enterococcus pseudoavium (5.88%), Enterococcus durans (5.88%), and Aerococcus viridans (5.88%) were isolated from endogenous starter cultures and are described for the first time in the literature. The lactic acid bacteria identified in the analyzed cheeses may inhibit undesirable microbiota and contribute to the safety and flavor of the cheese, but this needs to be evaluated in future research.