RESUMO

Sperm morphology is considered the best indicator of male fertility. In Neotropical bats, important aspects of sperm morphology have been scantly studied. The aim of the present study was to characterize and compare the sperm morphology and morphometry of Artibeus planirostris and Sturnira erythromos. A total of 11 specimens were analyzed from the Colección de Mamíferos Lillo: five A. planirostris and six S. erythromos. The fixed epididymis were extracted and macerated in Farmer's solution, followed by the routine cytological procedure with different stains. To carry out the description and morphometric analysis, microphotographs were taken under an optical, epifluorescence and scanning electron microscope. A total of 50 sperm from each individual were measured for morphometric analysis. The percentage of normal/abnormal spermatozoa was estimated and the sperm abnormalities were classified. Both species showed morphologically simple spermatozoa with a spatulate head, a short neck, a helical midpiece and a tail that tapers at the final end, similar to other species of Phyllostomidae. The differences observed were: apex of the head was conical in A. planirostris and was oval in S. erythromos; longer head and midpiece in S. erythomos and longer sperm in A. planirostris. Both species showed a high percentage of sperm with normal appearance: 65% for A. planirostris and 72% for S. erythromos. The main sperm abnormalities were: scattered tails and heads, coiled tails, folded midpieces and presence of cytoplasmic droplets. The present work will improve the understanding of their reproductive biology. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Morphological descriptions and morphometric analyses of the sperm of Artibeus planirostris and Sturnira erythromos were carried out with optical, epifluorescence and scanning electron microscopy.

RESUMO

Linear infrastructures such as agricultural irrigation channels produce physical changes and negative impacts to habitats, wildlife populations, communities, and ecosystems. Open irrigation channels act as a pitfall for wildlife and can affect vertebrates of all sizes. Nonetheless, small channels have received relatively little attention by conservation biologists. The objective of this study was to analyze vertebrate species richness and mortality in relation to different sections of an irrigation channel system and the surrounding landscape characteristics. For two years, we conducted monthly surveys along an open-channel irrigation system to estimate its effect on vertebrates through records of dead and alive individuals. We examined the spatial relation of species richness and mortality with transects using a canonical correspondence analysis and chi-squared tests to determine possible variations in the different structures of the channel and seasonality. Further, a landscape diversity index was used to analyze the importance of surrounding habitat structure and composition on these parameters. Most vertebrates (61%) were found dead, small mammals and reptiles were the most affected. Our results indicate that mortality of small vertebrates varies depending on species, structures of the open-channel agricultural irrigation system (i.e., concrete channel and floodgates), seasonality (i.e., wet, and dry), and landscape heterogeneity (i.e., high, medium, and low landscape diversity). The open-channel irrigation system is a threat to populations of small vertebrates in anthropized landscapes, conservation efforts should be directed at protecting water bodies and restructuring the open-channel agricultural irrigation system to avoid mortality of species such as small rodents (M. mexicanus) and reptiles (C. triseriatus, B. imbricata, and Thamnophis spp.).

Assuntos

RESUMO

Small mammals have a short lifetime and are strictly associated with their environment. This work aimed to use histopathology to assess the health of Holochilus chacarius in a rice agroecosystem in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso do Sul. During necropsy, fragments of the lung, kidney, skin, liver, and reproductive system of 33 animals were collected and submitted to histological processing. Tissue damages were evaluated as mild, moderate, and severe and arranged in a matrix for further statistical analysis. Furthermore, we used generalized linear models to verify the influence of tissue changes on the body condition, obtained by a regression between body mass and length. In the lungs, we found an intense inflammatory infiltrate associated with anthracosis that had a negative influence on the body's condition. Also, we observed degenerative and inflammatory changes in the liver, kidneys, skin, and reproductive system that ranged from mild to moderate. The histopathological lesions observed in this study may be associated with environmental alterations of anthropic origin such as the exposure to soot from wildfires and heavy metals, evidenced by lesions in the lung, kidney, and liver. The present study provided a histopathological matrix as a new approach that allows to classify and quantify the tissue alterations. Tissue changes when associated with body condition demonstrated to be an effective tool to assess the health of small free-living mammals, showing that these animals can be used as bioindicators of environmental condition.

Assuntos

RESUMO

Bergmann's and Allen's rules are two classic ecogeographic rules concerning the physiological mechanisms employed by endotherm vertebrates for heat conservation in cold environments, which correlate with adaptive morphological changes. Thus, larger body sizes (Bergmann's rule) and shorter appendages and limbs (Allen's rule) are expected in mammals inhabiting cold environments (higher latitudes). Both rules may also apply to elevational gradients, due to the decrease in external temperature as elevation increases. In this study, we evaluated whether these patterns were true in two coexisting sigmodontine rodents across an elevational gradient in central Chile. We analyzed whether the size of the skull, body, and appendages of Abrothrix olivacea (n = 70) and Phyllotis darwini (n = 58) correlated with elevation, as predicted by these rules in a range between 154 and 2560 m. Our data revealed weak support for the Bergmann and Allen predictions. Moreover, we observed opposite patterns when expectations of Bergmann's rules were evaluated, whereas Allen's rule just fitted for ear size in both rodent species. Our results suggest that morphological changes (cranial, body, and appendage sizes) may play a minor role in the thermoregulation of these two species at high elevations, although behavioral strategies could be more critical. Other ecological and environmental variables could explain the morphological trends observed in our study. These hypotheses should be assessed in future studies to consider the relative contribution of morphology, behavior, and physiological mechanisms to the thermal adaptation of these two rodent species at high elevations.

RESUMO

The sex-biased dispersal and kinship dynamics are important factors shaping the spatial distribution of individuals and are key parameters affecting a variety of ecological and evolutionary processes. Here, we studied the spatial distribution of related individuals within a population of corn mice Calomys musculinus in a seasonal cycle to infer dispersal patterns. The sampling was carried out from spring 2005 to winter 2006 in field borders of intensively managed agroecosystems. Genotyping data from 346 individuals with 9 microsatellites showed spatial genetic structure was weak for males, but not for females. The results indicate a complex spatial kinship dynamic of related females across all seasons. Which, contrary to our expectations, dispersal distances decrease with the increase of the population abundance. Meanwhile, male dispersal distances were greater when population abundance increased and thus the availability of active females. Males disperse greater distances to mate and sire offspring with distant females as a possible inbreeding avoidance mechanism. This study shows that C. musculinus is capable of much greater scattering distances than previously reported and that dispersal occurs fluidly and without barriers across the agroecosystem. The indirect benefit of dispersal on individual fitness could be related to relaxing the competition in the natal area and increasing the mating rate. Our study highlights the value of combining genetic relatedness, fieldwork observations, and behavioral data to estimate dispersal at a fine geographical scale.

RESUMO

Bartonella spp. was screened in 155 rodents from Chile, mainly the invasive rats Rattus norvegicus and Rattus rattus. A total of 155 spleen and 50 blood samples were analyzed through real-time PCR for Bartonella spp. (nuoG gene). Positive samples were subjected to amplification of fragment of loci gltA, rpoB and ITS by conventional PCR (cPCR). Overall, 43 spleen samples (27.7%) and 6 rodent blood samples (12%) were positive for nuoG-Bartonella spp. Positive samples were found in R. norvegicus, R. rattus, Abrothrix olivacea and Oligoryzomys longicaudatus. Bartonella spp. DNA was amplified by cPCR in 16 samples, resulting in 21 sequences (6 gltA, 5 ITS and 10 rpoB). Sequencing and phylogenic analyses identified genotypes from Rattus spp., potentially belonging to Bartonella coopersplainsensis, Bartonella henselae, Bartonella tribocorum, and an undescribed Bartonella sp. From native rodents, one sequence was identified, being related B. machadoae. In conclusion, this work describes diverse and potentially zoonotic Bartonella spp. genotypes in Rattus spp. Additionally, this is the first report of Bartonella in O. longicaudatus, including a potentially novel Bartonella genotype or species.

Assuntos

RESUMO

Small wild mammals have been used to measure the damage caused by exposure to oil-contaminated soil, including deer mice. However, the study of toxic effects of crude oil using oxidative damage biomarkers in the wild rodent Calomys laucha (Vesper mouse) is absent. This investigation aimed to evaluate the effects of acute exposure to contaminated soil with different concentrations of crude oil (0, 1, 2, 4 and 8% w/w), simulating an accidental spill, using oxidative stress biomarkers in the liver, kidneys, lungs, testes, paw muscle, and lymphocytes of C. laucha. Animals exposed to the contaminated soil showed increases in lipid peroxidation and protein carbonylation at the highest exposure concentrations in most organ homogenates analyzed and also in blood cells, but responses to total antioxidant capacity were tissue-dependent. These results showed that acute exposure to oil-contaminated soil caused oxidative damage in C. laucha and indicate these small mammals may be susceptible to suffer the impacts of such contamination in its occurrence region, threatening the species' survival.

Assuntos

RESUMO

Gastrointestinal parasites are well-documented in small mammals from north-central Chile, but little is known about endoparasites of rodents in southern Chile. A survey was conducted between January and February 2018 to evaluate gastrointestinal parasites and risk factors of wild rodents that live in rural areas in Northern Chiloé Island, Chile. A total of 174 fecal samples from rodents of six native and one introduced species were collected and examined using the Mini-FLOTAC method. Also, 41 individuals of four native wild rodent species were examined furtherly to determinate adult parasites from gastrointestinal tracts. The overall prevalence of endoparasites was 89.65% (156). Helminth egg types included: Rodentolepis spp., Capillariidae, Trichuris sp., Syphacia sp., oxyurid-type eggs, Strongyloides sp., Spirurid-type eggs, Strongilid-type eggs, Moniliformis sp., and an unidentified nematode egg and larvae. Protozoa comprised coccidia, amoeba, and unidentified cysts. From necropsies, adult parasites involved Syphacia sp. Trichuris sp., Protospirura sp. and Physaloptera sp. In Abrothrix olivacea, individuals with low-body-mass index exhibited reduced infection probability for Spirurid-type and Strongilid-type eggs. Some parasites in this study may affect human health. In rural settings where environmental conditions are changing, more research should be undertaken to understand parasitic infections in wildlife and implications for public health and conservation.(AU)

Parasitos gastrointestinais são bem documentados em pequenos mamíferos do centro-norte do Chile, mas pouco conhecido sobre endoparasitos de roedores no sul do Chile. Uma pesquisa foi realizada entre janeiro e fevereiro de 2018, avaliando parasitas gastrointestinais e fatores de risco de roedores selvagens vivendo em áreas rurais no norte da Ilha de Chiloé, Chile. Um total de 174 amostras fecais de roedores de seis espécies nativas e uma introduzida foi coletado e examinado pelo método Mini-FLOTAC. Ademais, 41 indivíduos de quatro espécies nativas de roedores selvagens foram examinados para determinar parasitas adultos do trato gastrointestinal. A prevalência geral de endoparasitos foi de 89,65% (156). Os tipos de ovos de helmintos incluíram: Rodentolepis spp., Capillariidae, Trichuris sp., Syphacia sp.; dos tipos Oxyurideos, Strongyloides sp., dos tipos Spirurideos e Estrongilideos, Moniliformis sp.; e um ovo e larvas de nematoides não identificados. Os protozoários compreendiam coccídios, amebas e cistos não identificados. Nas necropsias, os parasitos adultos envolveram Syphacia sp. Trichuris sp., Protospirura sp. e Physaloptera sp. Em Abrothrix olivacea, indivíduos com baixo índice de massa corporal apresentaram probabilidade de infecção reduzida para ovos Spirurideos e Estrongilideos. Alguns parasitos, neste estudo, podem afetar a saúde humana. Em ambientes rurais, onde as condições ambientais mudam, mais pesquisas são necessárias para entender as infecções parasitárias na vida selvagem e as implicações para a saúde pública e conservação.(AU)

Assuntos

RESUMO

From June 2013 to January 2014, blood sera samples and ticks were collected from domestic dogs and wild small mammals, and ticks from the vegetation in a preservation area of the Atlantic Forest biome (Turvo State Park), and the rural area surrounding the Park in Derrubadas municipality, state of Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil. Dogs were infested by Amblyomma ovale and Amblyomma aureolatum adult ticks, whereas small mammals were infested by immature stages of A. ovale, Amblyomma yucumense, Amblyomma brasiliense, Ixodes loricatus, and adults of I. loricatus. Ticks collected on vegetation were A. brasiliense, A. ovale, A. yucumense, Amblyomma incisum, and Haemaphysalis juxtakochi. Three Rickettsia species were molecularly detected in ticks: Rickettsia bellii in I. loricatus (also isolated through cell culture inoculation), Rickettsia amblyommatis in A. brasiliense, and Rickettsia rhipicephali in A. yucumense. The latter two are tick-rickettsia associations reported for the first time. Seroreactivity to Rickettsia antigens were detected in 33.5% (55/164) small mammals and 8.3% (3/36) canine sera. The present study reveals a richness of ticks and associated-rickettsiae in the largest Atlantic Forest Reserve of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, which is characterized by a rich fauna of wild mammals, typical of more preserved areas of this biome. Noteworthy, none of the detected Rickettsia species have been associated to human or animal diseases. This result contrasts to other areas of this biome in Brazil, which are endemic for tick-borne spotted fever caused by Rickettsia rickettsii or Rickettsia parkeri.

Assuntos

RESUMO

Information from diversity inventories was used to study patterns of biodiversity and species distribution, to identify potential priority areas for conservation, and to guide future sampling efforts. In this context, we compiled information on non-volant small mammal communities from the high Andes (>2000 m). Here, we present an open source dataset containing information on diversity (species composition, number of individuals captured), inventory design (type of traps, sampling efforts), and environment (habitat) for both unpublished and published information. This study covers 630 mammalian communities, geographically distributed throughout the Andes in Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, and Chile. We compiled a total of 26,412 individual records belonging to 240 species; the order with greatest number of records was Rodentia (n = 25,319, 96.06%), followed by Didelphimorphia (n = 373, 1.42%), Eulipotyphla (n = 358, 1.36%) and Paucituberculata, (n = 307, 1.16%). Andean non-volant small mammal communities harbor a range from 1 to 17 species, with 93.06% of sites being composed of one to five species, 27.78% of sites with species richness varying from 6 to 10 species, and 4.17% sites composed of more than 10 species. Multiple sampling methods were used to survey non-volant small mammals; the most representative methods were snap-traps and Sherman traps, or a combination of both, in more than 81% of the studies. This data paper represents the first large dataset of faunal species inventories for the Andes. There are no copyright restrictions associated with the use of this dataset. Please cite this data paper when its data are used total or partially in research or teaching.

Assuntos

RESUMO

Parasitism is a dynamic ecological phenomenon that is constantly influenced by the environment and intrinsic factors of the host. We aimed to evaluate the influence of vegetation, environmental temperature, reproductive conditions, sex, and body condition (BC) on the detection of Trypanosoma spp. in the blood of Thrichomys fosteri in the Pantanal region, an enzootic area for trypanosomiasis. Whole blood was collected from the tip of the tail, and nPCR was performed for Trypanosoma spp. detection from the DNA extracted from the resultant blood clot. Statistical analyses were performed using generalized linear models. Our results showed that there is a greater probability of detection of Trypanosoma spp. in the bloodstream of animals with the highest BC values in periods with mild temperatures. Since T. fosteri is an abundant and common prey for carnivores, even in periods with low temperatures and consequent decrease in the reproduction and activities of the blood-sucking arthropod vectors, the maintenance of Trypanosoma spp. in the studied area would be guaranteed via predation (trophic network) of T. fosteri individuals with good BC and patent parasitemia. Furthermore, T. fosteri, which displays Trypanosoma spp. in the bloodstream, would be reproducing adequately because we found no influence between the reproductive condition and the detection of Trypanosoma spp. in T. fosteri. The caviomorph rodent T. fostei is an important species for the maintenance of Trypanosoma spp. in the Pantanal biome.

Assuntos

RESUMO

Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (Bbsl) spirochetes thrive in sylvatic transmission cycles infecting vertebrates and their ticks. Rodents and ticks of the genus Ixodes are important hosts of these spirochetes globally. Although evidence suggests that Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto does not exist in South America, genospecies of the group (Bbsl) can be found in this region but have been poorly characterized from a genetic viewpoint, and data on their ecoepidemiology are still incipient. Aiming to detect the natural foci of Borrelia in Brazil, we targeted small mammals inhabiting seven forests fragments during a period of three years (2015-2018). Organs (lung) from two Oligoryzomys rodents over a total of 382 sampled mammals were positive, and we performed a molecular characterization of 10 borrelial genes to achieve a robust analysis. Phylogenetic trees inferred from 16S rRNA, flaB, ospC, and seven MLST loci (clpA, nifS, pepX, pyrG, recG, rlpB, and uvrA) support the characterization of a novel genospecies of Bbsl that we herein name "Candidatus Borrelia paulista" Rp42. Remarkably, "Ca. B. paulista" is phylogenetically related to Borrelia carolinensis, a genospecies that infects Ixodes ticks and cricetid rodents in North America. A previous study performed in the same area identified Ixodes schulzei feeding on Oligoryzomys rodents. Although this tick species could be considered a probable host for this novel Borrelia sp., further research is needed to confirm this hypothesis.

RESUMO

Small mammals play an essential role as disseminators of pathogens because they reach high population densities and have ubiquitous distributions. In the Northern Hemisphere rodents are well recognized as reservoirs for tick-borne bacteria of the Anaplasmataceae family and also apicomplexan protozoans. In contrast, South American rodents hosting these microorganisms have been rarely identified. In this study, we collected blood from rodents and marsupials in northern Chile and screened for Anaplasmataceae bacteria and apicomplexan protozoa. Overall, 14.7% of the samples were positive for Babesia, Hepatozoon, and Sarcocystidae using conventional PCR assays targeting the structural 18S rRNA locus (18S). Phylogenetic analyses performed with amplicons derived from 18S and cytochrome c oxidase (COI) gene provided evidence of a Babesia sp. belonging to the Babesia microti group in Phyllotis darwini, and a novel Babesia genotype in P. darwini and Abrothrix jelskii. Furthermore, four novel genotypes of Hepatozoon retrieved from Abrothrix olivacea, P. darwini, and Oligoryzomys longicaudatus, formed independent lineages within a clade that includes additional Hepatozoon spp. detected in South American rodents. Moreover, an incidental finding of a previously detected apicomplexan, herein designated as Sarcocystidae sp., was recorded in Thylamys opossums with a high prevalence, indicating a possible specific association with these mammals. Phylogenetic analysis of Sarcoystidae sp. clearly demonstrated its relatedness to apicomplexans detected in Australian marsupials. Our results expand the range of mammals hosting tick-borne apicomplexans in South America, highlight a novel clade consisting of South American babesias, and report for the first time the B. microti group infecting rodents in the region.

Assuntos

RESUMO

Yellow fever (YF), caused by the yellow fever virus (YFV), is an emerging viral zoonosis that affects humans and non-human primates (NHP). In South America, YF is naturally maintained through enzootic/sylvatic cycles involving NHPs and mosquitoes (Haemagogus and Sabethes). In this study, we retrospectively analyzed wildlife rodents to better understand their role in a potential alternative YF sylvatic cycle. The plaque reduction neutralization test was performed to detect anti-YFV antibodies, while qPCR targeting the NS5 region of flaviviruses and standard PCR targeting the CprM region were applied to detect YFV RNA in tissue and blood samples. YFV was not evidenced in any of the tested samples. These findings provide additional information regarding sylvatic YFV and emphasize the importance of YFV surveillance in wild animals as potential reservoirs/hosts given the well-established enzootic cycle in the studied areas, mainly in the Atlantic Forest.

Assuntos

RESUMO

The global emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has become a serious threat to human and animal health. Recent studies have shown that synanthropic animals can act as reservoirs and disseminators of pathogens and resistant bacteria. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency, distribution, and antimicrobial susceptibility of staphylococcal species and Clostridioides difficile isolated from the feces of free-living rodents and marsupials from two urban parks in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. During a 12-month period, fecal samples from 159 free-living animals, including 136 rodents and 23 marsupials, were collected from two urban parks in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Staphylococcus spp. were more likely to be isolated from rodents than marsupials (p = 0.0164). Eight different staphylococcal species were isolated from 36 (26.5%) rodents and one marsupial (4.3%). S. saprophyticus (48.6%) was the most frequently isolated species, and almost a quarter of the isolates (24.3%) were resistant to at least one antimicrobial agent, four (10.8%) of which were multi-drug resistant (MDR). Two (5.4%) strains were resistant to cefoxitin and were then classified as methicillin-resistant staphylococci, and one also tested positive for the mecA gene. C. difficile was isolated from two rodents (1.5%), and one strain was toxigenic and classified as ribotype 064. One isolate was resistant to rifampicin, but both strains were susceptible to all other antimicrobials tested, including metronidazole and vancomycin. All C. difficile isolates and all staphylococcal strains resistant to antimicrobials were recovered from the same park. The present study suggests that free-living rodents in Belo Horizonte (Brazil) are mainly colonized by S. saprophyticus and may act as reservoirs of antimicrobial-resistant Staphylococcus spp. and C. difficile strains. This is the first study to evaluate the presence of staphylococci and C. difficile from free-living opossums and suggest a low fecal shedding of these organisms by these mammals.

Assuntos

RESUMO

Chiggers are ectoparasites of vertebrates and can cause trombiculiasis or transmit pathogens to their hosts. In the Neotropical region, the genus Quadraseta Brennan includes 16 valid species. Quadraseta antillarum (Brennan) and Quadraseta brennani (Goff & Whitaker), are morphologically identical and we propose the synonymy of Q. brennani with Q. antillarum, based on examination of both type series. The little big-eared bat, Micronycteris megalotis Gray from Venezuela is recorded as a new host.

RESUMO

The predominant landscape of the Atlantic Forest of the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro is made up of forest fragments surrounded by a matrix of modified habitat, which may influence the occurrence and distribution of host species and their parasites in comparison with the original continuous forest. The present study describes the structure, composition, and diversity of the helminth community found in rodents in two areas of an open matrix of different status of conservation. The abundance, intensity, and prevalence were calculated for each helminth species in rodent species. The influence of biotic and abiotic factors on the abundance and prevalence of the helminth species was also investigated. Community structure was analyzed based on the beta diversity and a bipartite network. Nine helminth species were recovered from Akodon cursor, Necromys lasiurus and Mus musculus, with the greatest helminth species richness being recorded in A. cursor (S = 8), followed by N. lasiurus (S = 6), and M. musculus (S = 3). Only three of the helminths recorded in A. cursor had been recorded previously in this rodent in the Atlantic Forest, where 12 different helminths have been recorded, so that the other five are new occurrences for this rodent. All the helminth species of N. lasiurus had been reported previously in this rodent in the Cerrado and Caatinga regions. Mus musculus was infected with the same helminths as the local fauna. Host species and locality were the most important factors influencing helminth abundance and prevalence. Beta-diversity was high for infracommunities indicating more substitutions of helminth species than losses among individuals. Three helminths species were shared by the three host species. The reduced beta-diversity observed in the component communities was consistent with the overlap observed in the helminth fauna of the host species.

RESUMO

Native forests have been replaced by forestry plantations worldwide, impacting biodiversity. However, the effect of this anthropogenic land-use change on parasitism is poorly understood. One of the most important land-use change in Chile is the replacement of native forests by Monterey pine (Pinus radiata) plantations. In this study, we analyzed the parasitism (presence and prevalence) of intestinal helminths from fecal samples of wild rodents in three habitat types: native forests and adult and young pine plantations in central Chile. Small mammals were sampled seasonally for two years, and a total of 1091 fecal samples from seven small mammal species were analyzed using coprological analysis. We found several helminth families and genera, some of them potentially zoonotic. In addition, new rodent-parasite associations were reported for the first time. The overall helminth prevalence was 16.95%, and an effect of habitat type on prevalence was not observed. Other factors were more relevant for prevalence such rodent species for Hymenolepis sp. and season for Physaloptera sp. Our findings indicate that pine plantations do not increase helminth prevalence in rodents compared to native forests.

RESUMO

Background: The term “rabbit gastrointestinal syndrome” (RGIS) refers to a decrease in peristaltic movements, which insome cases can progress to absolute inactivity of the digestive apparatus. This condition is mostly secondary to others thatpromote changes in gastrointestinal motility, such as dehydration, fiber deficiency, excess carbohydrates in diets, stress,and acute or chronic painful processes. Clinical manifestations are mostly nonspecific. Thus, a case of RGIS resultingfrom environmental change in a domestic rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is reported.Case: A 4-month-old male domestic rabbit weighing 0.962 kg was referred to a university veterinary hospital. The patient had a history of absence of defecation and anorexia for the past two days. The owner reported that the patient wasapathetic but became aggressive when manipulated. The changes started after a move of residence. On physical evaluation, an increase in abdominal volume and a painful response to touch on the abdomen were observed. Complementaryexaminations were performed, such as a blood count and an ultrasound study. The blood tests showed no alterations,but the ultrasound evaluation showed the presence of free abdominal fluid, dilated intestinal loops due to fluid content,reduced gastrointestinal motility, and a hyperechoic structure associated with acoustic shading in the small intestine, allfindings suggestive of obstruction. Given the failure of clinical management, the patient was referred for an exploratorylaparotomy procedure followed by enterotomy. The obstruction point was located near the ileocecal junction. After surgery,analgesics, antibiotics, fluid therapy, anti-inflammatory drugs, intestinal motility inducers, and probiotics were prescribed.One week after the surgical procedure, the patient showed improvement in the clinical condition, with normal appetite,defecation, and docility...(AU)

Assuntos

RESUMO

Background: The term “rabbit gastrointestinal syndrome” (RGIS) refers to a decrease in peristaltic movements, which insome cases can progress to absolute inactivity of the digestive apparatus. This condition is mostly secondary to others thatpromote changes in gastrointestinal motility, such as dehydration, fiber deficiency, excess carbohydrates in diets, stress,and acute or chronic painful processes. Clinical manifestations are mostly nonspecific. Thus, a case of RGIS resultingfrom environmental change in a domestic rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is reported.Case: A 4-month-old male domestic rabbit weighing 0.962 kg was referred to a university veterinary hospital. The patient had a history of absence of defecation and anorexia for the past two days. The owner reported that the patient wasapathetic but became aggressive when manipulated. The changes started after a move of residence. On physical evaluation, an increase in abdominal volume and a painful response to touch on the abdomen were observed. Complementaryexaminations were performed, such as a blood count and an ultrasound study. The blood tests showed no alterations,but the ultrasound evaluation showed the presence of free abdominal fluid, dilated intestinal loops due to fluid content,reduced gastrointestinal motility, and a hyperechoic structure associated with acoustic shading in the small intestine, allfindings suggestive of obstruction. Given the failure of clinical management, the patient was referred for an exploratorylaparotomy procedure followed by enterotomy. The obstruction point was located near the ileocecal junction. After surgery,analgesics, antibiotics, fluid therapy, anti-inflammatory drugs, intestinal motility inducers, and probiotics were prescribed.One week after the surgical procedure, the patient showed improvement in the clinical condition, with normal appetite,defecation, and docility...

Assuntos