RESUMO

Cats, as definitive host, play an important role in the transmission of Toxoplasma gondii. This study aimed to establish the seroprevalence of anti-T. gondii immunoglobulins G and M, and determine the frequency of oocysts in the feces of the domestic cat population in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. We also aimed to study the association between T. gondii infection and age, sex, breed, lifestyle, diet and retroviral infection. A total of 108 cats were included in the study and fecal samples of 54 of those cats were obtained. Only 5.6% of the cats were seropositive for anti-T. gondii immunoglobulins using the indirect hemagglutination test. None of the 54 cats presented oocysts in their fecal samples. Although not statistically significant, males, mixed-breed, free-roaming and cats aged two years and older were found to be more exposed. Age, lifestyle and the use of litter boxes were found to play an important role as risk factors. Anemia and retroviral infections were independent of T. gondii infection. No antibodies were detected in the majority of cats (94.4%), indicating that those cats had never been exposed to the parasite and, therefore, once infected, they could present the risk of shedding large numbers of oocysts into the environment.

Assuntos

RESUMO

Cats, as definitive host, play an important role in the transmission of Toxoplasma gondii. This study aimed to establish the seroprevalence of anti-T. gondii immunoglobulins G and M, and determine the frequency of oocysts in the feces of the domestic cat population in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. We also aimed to study the association between T. gondii infection and age, sex, breed, lifestyle, diet and retroviral infection. A total of 108 cats were included in the study and fecal samples of 54 of those cats were obtained. Only 5.6% of the cats were seropositive for anti-T. gondii immunoglobulins using the indirect hemagglutination test. None of the 54 cats presented oocysts in their fecal samples. Although not statistically significant, males, mixed-breed, free-roaming and cats aged two years and older were found to be more exposed. Age, lifestyle and the use of litter boxes were found to play an important role as risk factors. Anemia and retroviral infections were independent of T. gondii infection. No antibodies were detected in the majority of cats (94.4%), indicating that those cats had never been exposed to the parasite and, therefore, once infected, they could present the risk of shedding large numbers of oocysts into the environment.

Os gatos, como hospedeiros definitivos, apresentam um papel fundamental na transmissão do Toxoplasma gondii. Nosso estudo teve como objetivo determinar a presença de imunoglobulinas G e M anti-T. gondii, e a frequência de oocistos nas fezes de uma população de gatos domésticos do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. Objetivou-se ainda estudar a associação da infecção por T. gondii com a idade, sexo, raça, estilo de vida, dieta e infecção por retrovírus. Um total de 108 gatos foi incluído no estudo e 54 amostras de fezes foram obtidas desses animais. Somente 5,6% dos gatos foram sororreagentes para T. gondii, utilizando-se o teste de hemaglutinação indireta. Nenhum dos 54 gatos apresentou oocistos em suas amostras fecais. Embora sem comprovação estatística, machos, sem raça definida, com acesso livre às ruas e gatos com mais de dois anos de idade tenderam a ser mais expostos ao parasito. Idade, estilo de vida e uso de caixa de areia foram considerados importantes fatores de risco. Anemia e infecção por retrovírus não apresentaram relação com infecção por T. gondii. Não foram detectados anticorpos na maioria dos gatos (94,4%), indicando que esses gatos nunca foram expostos ao parasito e que, se infectados, poderão eliminar grande número de oocistos no ambiente.

Assuntos

RESUMO

The size of urban cat colonies is limited only by the availability of food and shelter; therefore, their population growth challenges all known population control programs. To test a new population control method, a free-roaming feral cat colony at the Zoological Park in the city of Rio de Janeiro was studied, beginning in 2001. The novel method consisted of performing a hysterectomy on all captured female cats over 6 months of age. To estimate the size of the colony and compare population from year to year, a method of capture-mark-release-recapture was used. The aim was to capture as many individuals as possible, including cats of all ages and gender to estimate numbers of cats in all population categories. Results indicated that the feral cat population remained constant from 2001 to 2004. From 2004 to 2008, the hysterectomy program and population estimates were performed every other year (2006 and 2008). The population was estimated to be 40 cats in 2004, 26 in 2006, and 17 cats in 2008. Although pathogens tend to infect more individuals as the population grows older and maintains natural behavior, these results show that free-roaming feral cat colonies could have their population controlled by a biannual program that focuses on hysterectomy of sexually active female cats.

Assuntos

RESUMO

The prevalence of Bartonella species DNA and antibodies for Bartonella henselae were studied in 40 clinically healthy cats (Felis catus, Linnaeus 1758) submitted to a spay/neuter program in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Additionally, the prevalence of Bartonella species DNA was investigated in the fleas found parasitizing the subject cats. For this purpose, blood samples were obtained from all cats, and DNA extraction was performed on the blood, and blood clotted samples, as well as on pools of fleas obtained from them. Antibodies for B henselae were detected on serum samples. Bartonella species DNA was detected in 17 cats, whereas serum reactivity for B henselae was found in 19. A total of 20 cats were flea-infested and nine of these 20 had Bartonella species DNA in their blood. In four of the 20 flea-infested cats, Bartonella species DNA was detected in the fleas obtained from those cats, but only one of these four cats had Bartonella species DNA in its blood.

Assuntos

RESUMO

Ectoparasites are capable of transmitting infectious diseases and, therefore, are of zoonotic concern. Cats submitted to a spay/neuter program in the city of Rio de Janeiro were examined to determine the distribution of ectoparasites in cats from a city with a tropical climate. Independent of gender, breed, or age, 292 cats were combed and subjected to otoscopic examination. Ectoparasites were collected, and blood samples were taken to determine packed cell volume. The majority of the 292 cats were female (71%), and most of them were categorized as domestic short hair cats (92%). Different species of ectoparasites that produced both single agent and multi-agent infestations were detected in these cats. Most cats were infested by Ctenocephalides felis (60%); however, other ectoparasites were found to a lesser degree in the sampled population (Felicola subrostratus (5.4%), Rhipicephalus sanguineus (1.4%), Lynxacarus radovskyi (1%), and Otodectes cynotis (6.2%)). Within the infested cats, 16.3% were also anemic, and there was a significant association between the occurrence of anemia and flea infestation. Of all sampled cats, 65% were infested by at least one species of ectoparasites, which suggests both a heavy infestation of the environment and owner negligence. Ectoparasites are not only nuisances to both cats and owners, but they are also significant carriers of disease. Therefore, the implementation of rigorous, safe preventive measures is of great importance.

Assuntos

RESUMO

A caquexia tem sido relacionada à maior mortalidade de pacientes com doença renal crônica, tanto em humanos, como em animais. O escore de condição corporal (ECC) pode ser utilizado em conjunto com o peso para melhor avaliação da composição corporal desses animais. O objetivo deste trabalho foi de correlacionar o escore de condição corporal com o prognóstico de felinos com doença renal crônica. Avaliaram-se 110 felinos idosos, dos quais 70 apresentavam-se hígidos (Grupo I) e 40 apresentavam doença renal crônica (Grupo II). No grupo I, apenas 5,7 por cento dos gatos apresentaram ECC abaixo do ideal e destes nenhum foi classificado como caquético. No grupo II, 70 por cento dos gatos apresentaram ECC abaixo do ideal, dos quais 32,5 por cento eram caquéticos. A taxa de mortalidade no grupo II foi significantemente maior naqueles caquéticos. O ECC abaixo do considerado ideal indica um prognóstico desfavorável nos pacientes com doença renal crônica.

Cachexia has been associated with higher mortality in patients with chronic renal disease both in human and veterinary medicine. Body condition score (BCS) can be used along with body weight for a better evaluation of a patient's body composition. The objective of this study was to associate body condition score with prognosis of cats with chronic renal disease. One hundred and ten elderly cats were evaluated; of which 70 were healthy (Group I) and 40 had been diagnosed with chronic renal disease (Group II). In Group I, only 5.7 percent of the cats presented a BCS below ideal, though none were found to be cachectic. In Group II, 70 percent of the cats presented a BCS below ideal, where 32.5 percent were cachectic. Mortality was significantly higher within the cachectic patients of Group II. BCS below ideal indicates a poor prognosis for patients with chronic renal disease.

RESUMO

Cachexia has been associated with higher mortality in patients with chronic renal disease both in human and veterinary medicine. Body condition score (BCS) can be used along with body weight for a better evaluation of a patient's body composition. The objective of this study was to associate body condition score with prognosis of cats with chronic renal disease. One hundred and ten elderly cats were evaluated; of which 70 were healthy (Group I) and 40 had been diagnosed with chronic renal disease (Group II). In Group I, only 5.7% of the cats presented a BCS below ideal, though none were found to be cachectic. In Group II, 70% of the cats presented a BCS below ideal, where 32.5% were cachectic. Mortality was significantly higher within the cachectic patients of Group II. BCS below ideal indicates a poor prognosis for patients with chronic renal disease.

A caquexia tem sido relacionada à maior mortalidade de pacientes com doença renal crônica, tanto em humanos, como em animais. O escore de condição corporal (ECC) pode ser utilizado em conjunto com o peso para melhor avaliação da composição corporal desses animais. O objetivo deste trabalho foi de correlacionar o escore de condição corporal com o prognóstico de felinos com doença renal crônica. Avaliaram-se 110 felinos idosos, dos quais 70 apresentavam-se hígidos (Grupo I) e 40 apresentavam doença renal crônica (Grupo II). No grupo I, apenas 5,7% dos gatos apresentaram ECC abaixo do ideal e destes nenhum foi classificado como caquético. No grupo II, 70% dos gatos apresentaram ECC abaixo do ideal, dos quais 32,5% eram caquéticos. A taxa de mortalidade no grupo II foi significantemente maior naqueles caquéticos. O ECC abaixo do considerado ideal indica um prognóstico desfavorável nos pacientes com doença renal crônica.

RESUMO

Cachexia has been associated with higher mortality in patients with chronic renal disease both in human and veterinary medicine. Body condition score (BCS) can be used along with body weight for a better evaluation of a patient's body composition. The objective of this study was to associate body condition score with prognosis of cats with chronic renal disease. One hundred and ten elderly cats were evaluated; of which 70 were healthy (Group I) and 40 had been diagnosed with chronic renal disease (Group II). In Group I, only 5.7% of the cats presented a BCS below ideal, though none were found to be cachectic. In Group II, 70% of the cats presented a BCS below ideal, where 32.5% were cachectic. Mortality was significantly higher within the cachectic patients of Group II. BCS below ideal indicates a poor prognosis for patients with chronic renal disease.

A caquexia tem sido relacionada à maior mortalidade de pacientes com doença renal crônica, tanto em humanos, como em animais. O escore de condição corporal (ECC) pode ser utilizado em conjunto com o peso para melhor avaliação da composição corporal desses animais. O objetivo deste trabalho foi de correlacionar o escore de condição corporal com o prognóstico de felinos com doença renal crônica. Avaliaram-se 110 felinos idosos, dos quais 70 apresentavam-se hígidos (Grupo I) e 40 apresentavam doença renal crônica (Grupo II). No grupo I, apenas 5,7% dos gatos apresentaram ECC abaixo do ideal e destes nenhum foi classificado como caquético. No grupo II, 70% dos gatos apresentaram ECC abaixo do ideal, dos quais 32,5% eram caquéticos. A taxa de mortalidade no grupo II foi significantemente maior naqueles caquéticos. O ECC abaixo do considerado ideal indica um prognóstico desfavorável nos pacientes com doença renal crônica.

RESUMO

Cachexia has been associated with higher mortality in patients with chronic renal disease both in human and veterinary medicine. Body condition score (BCS) can be used along with body weight for a better evaluation of a patient's body composition. The objective of this study was to associate body condition score with prognosis of cats with chronic renal disease. One hundred and ten elderly cats were evaluated; of which 70 were healthy (Group I) and 40 had been diagnosed with chronic renal disease (Group II). In Group I, only 5.7% of the cats presented a BCS below ideal, though none were found to be cachectic. In Group II, 70% of the cats presented a BCS below ideal, where 32.5% were cachectic. Mortality was significantly higher within the cachectic patients of Group II. BCS below ideal indicates a poor prognosis for patients with chronic renal disease.

A caquexia tem sido relacionada à maior mortalidade de pacientes com doença renal crônica, tanto em humanos, como em animais. O escore de condição corporal (ECC) pode ser utilizado em conjunto com o peso para melhor avaliação da composição corporal desses animais. O objetivo deste trabalho foi de correlacionar o escore de condição corporal com o prognóstico de felinos com doença renal crônica. Avaliaram-se 110 felinos idosos, dos quais 70 apresentavam-se hígidos (Grupo I) e 40 apresentavam doença renal crônica (Grupo II). No grupo I, apenas 5,7% dos gatos apresentaram ECC abaixo do ideal e destes nenhum foi classificado como caquético. No grupo II, 70% dos gatos apresentaram ECC abaixo do ideal, dos quais 32,5% eram caquéticos. A taxa de mortalidade no grupo II foi significantemente maior naqueles caquéticos. O ECC abaixo do considerado ideal indica um prognóstico desfavorável nos pacientes com doença renal crônica.

RESUMO

Todos os anestésicos atravessam a barreira placentária e o conhecimento das particularidades fisiológicas e hemogasométricas normais de cadelas gestantes durante o procedimento anestésico/cirúrgico é de fundamental importância para a manutenção da saúde da mãe e seus conceptos. Nove cadelas gestantes foram submetidas a cesarianas eletivas com o uso de propofol e anestesia peridural com cloridrato de lodocaína. Durante todo o procedimento, as cadelas foram monitoradas e registrou-se as pressões arteriais sistólica (PAS) e diastólica (PAD), freqüência cardíaca (FC), freqüência respiratória (ƒ) e oximetria (SAt₀₂). Amostras de sangue materno, para análise hemogasométrica (pH, PvCO₂, PvO₂ e HCO₃) foram obtidas em cinco momentos: antes da indução com propofol (AM1), após a indução com propofol (AM2), após a realização da anestesia peridual (AM3), após a retirada do primeiro filhote (AM4) e após a retirada do quinto filhote (AM5). Observou-se variação significativa nas medidas de PvO₂ ao longo dos cinco momentos estudados o que não representou mudanças fisiologicamente detectáveis. Houve variação significativa nas medidas PAS e PAD ocorrendo uma redução dessas variáveis ao longo do tempo. A FC e a ƒ variaram ao longo dos cinco momentos avaliados aumentando nos momentos AM2 e AM3 e diminuindo a partir desse momento significativamente. A SAt₀₂ diminuiu progressivamente nos momentos AM2, AM3 e aumentou nos momentos AM4 e AM5. Concluímos que o protocolo anestésico acima escolhido, quando utilizado em cadelas gestantes sadias, submetidas a cesariana eletivas, não acarreta alterações hemogasométricas ou pressóricas capazes de causar danos à mãe ou aos conceptos(AU)

All anesthetic drugs cross the placental barrier and knowledge of the pregnat bitchs normal physiological and hemogasometric particularities throughout anesthetic/ surgical procedures is fundamental to maintain the health of the mother and her conceptuses. Nine pregnant bitches were submitted to elective cesarean throughout the whole procedure and the systolic arterial pressure (SAP), diastolic arterial pressure (DAP), heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR) and oxymetry (Sat₀₂) were recorded. Maternal blood samples were obtained in five moments, for a hemogasometric analysis (pH, PvCO₂, PvO₂ e HCO₃): before propofol induction (AM1), after propofol induction (AM2), after peridural anesthesia with lidocaine hydrochloride (AM3), after removal of the first puppy (AM4) and after removal of the fifth puppy (AM5). Significant variation was observed in PvO₂ measurements throughout the five studied moments, which did not cause any detectable physiological change. There was significant variation in SAP and DAP measurements, with reduction of these variables over time. HR and RR varied along the five evaluated moments, increasing in the moments AM2 and AM3 and decreasing significantly from this moment on. Sat₀₂ decreased progressively in moments AM2 and Am3 and increased in moments AM4 and Am5. It was concluded that the chosen anesthetic protocol, when used healthy pregnat bitches submitted to elective caesarean sections, did not determine hemogasometric or pressure alterations capable of causing damages to the female or her conceptuses(AU)

Assuntos

RESUMO

Todos os anestésicos atravessam a barreira placentária e o conhecimento das particularidades fisiológicas e hemogasométricas normais de cadelas gestantes durante o procedimento anestésico/cirúrgico é de fundamental importância para a manutenção da saúde da mãe e seus conceptos. Nove cadelas gestantes foram submetidas a cesarianas eletivas com o uso de propofol e anestesia peridural com cloridrato de lodocaína. Durante todo o procedimento, as cadelas foram monitoradas e registrou-se as pressões arteriais sistólica (PAS) e diastólica (PAD), freqüência cardíaca (FC), freqüência respiratória (ƒ) e oximetria (SAt₀₂). Amostras de sangue materno, para análise hemogasométrica (pH, PvCO₂, PvO₂ e HCO₃) foram obtidas em cinco momentos: antes da indução com propofol (AM1), após a indução com propofol (AM2), após a realização da anestesia peridual (AM3), após a retirada do primeiro filhote (AM4) e após a retirada do quinto filhote (AM5). Observou-se variação significativa nas medidas de PvO₂ ao longo dos cinco momentos estudados o que não representou mudanças fisiologicamente detectáveis. Houve variação significativa nas medidas PAS e PAD ocorrendo uma redução dessas variáveis ao longo do tempo. A FC e a ƒ variaram ao longo dos cinco momentos avaliados aumentando nos momentos AM2 e AM3 e diminuindo a partir desse momento significativamente. A SAt₀₂ diminuiu progressivamente nos momentos AM2, AM3 e aumentou nos momentos AM4 e AM5. Concluímos que o protocolo anestésico acima escolhido, quando utilizado em cadelas gestantes sadias, submetidas a cesariana eletivas, não acarreta alterações hemogasométricas ou pressóricas capazes de causar danos à mãe ou aos conceptos

All anesthetic drugs cross the placental barrier and knowledge of the pregnat bitch’s normal physiological and hemogasometric particularities throughout anesthetic/ surgical procedures is fundamental to maintain the health of the mother and her conceptuses. Nine pregnant bitches were submitted to elective cesarean throughout the whole procedure and the systolic arterial pressure (SAP), diastolic arterial pressure (DAP), heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR) and oxymetry (Sat₀₂) were recorded. Maternal blood samples were obtained in five moments, for a hemogasometric analysis (pH, PvCO₂, PvO₂ e HCO₃): before propofol induction (AM1), after propofol induction (AM2), after peridural anesthesia with lidocaine hydrochloride (AM3), after removal of the first puppy (AM4) and after removal of the fifth puppy (AM5). Significant variation was observed in PvO₂ measurements throughout the five studied moments, which did not cause any detectable physiological change. There was significant variation in SAP and DAP measurements, with reduction of these variables over time. HR and RR varied along the five evaluated moments, increasing in the moments AM2 and AM3 and decreasing significantly from this moment on. Sat₀₂ decreased progressively in moments AM2 and Am3 and increased in moments AM4 and Am5. It was concluded that the chosen anesthetic protocol, when used healthy pregnat bitches submitted to elective caesarean sections, did not determine hemogasometric or pressure alterations capable of causing damages to the female or her conceptuses

Assuntos