Background: Transmissible venereal tumors (TVT) are naturally occurring neoplasms that can be transmitted through copulation or cell transplantation. It is a disease that affects canines, has no preference for sex or breed, and generally noticed in the external genital apparatus. Extragenital occurrence may eventually be seen; however, nasal involvement has been described in only a few reports of studies conducted in Brazil. Therefore, the objective of this study is to report 3 cases of nasal TVT in dogs who were treated in 2 municipalities in the mountainous region of Santa Catarina, Brazil.Cases: This case report includes 3 male mixed-breed canines of age 3-13. Only 1 of the animals was castrated. As per the medical history, some points, such as an enlarged nasal region, sneezing, nasal discharge, and hoarseness, reported by the dogs’ respective owners were similar among all the dogs. Likewise, nosebleed was observed on physical examination in all the cases. The result of cytological examination was inconclusive only in 1 case. Rhinoscopy, incisional biopsy, and histopathological examination were then performed for achieving a definitive diagnosis. In the 2 cases wherein cytology gave conclusive results, the cytological smears showed changes suggestive of TVT, such as cells with eccentric nuclei and little cytoplasm, which had vacuoles inside them. In 2 cases, radiographic examinations of the skull were also performed. The images showed changes in bone radiopacity, conformation of trabeculae with areas of bone lysis and cell proliferation, and irregularity in the contour of the nasal bone. After TVT diagnosis was confirmed, chemotherapy was initiated using vincristine at a dose of 0.75 mg/m2 for 2 cases and 0.025 mg/kg for the remaining case. The number of chemotherapy sessions and duration of treatment until the resolution of lesions and clinical signs varied as per the differences in the patients’ blood counts performed prior to each session.Discussion: TVT occurs between 1 and 7 years of life. It occurs more frequently in sexually active animals and has no preference for breed. Of the 3 cases reported herein, only one of the patients was elderly. All the patients were male mixed-breed dogs, and only 1 of them was castrated. The implantation of neoplastic cells through natural mounts, licks, scratches, or bites of affected areas are the most widely accepted reasons for the transmission of this neoplasm. With regard to the nasal presentation described in the present report, it is hypothesized that the smelling or licking of the neoplastic areas by the animal may favor cell implantation, leading to the subsequent development of a tumor. Nasal TVT should be considered as a differential diagnosis for dogs with chronic symptoms of the upper respiratory tract, such as increased local volume, nasal discharge, nosebleed, and sneezing. These signs are consistent with those described in this report. Radiographic evaluation was performed in 2 cases and both showed changes in bone radiopacity and trabeculae conformation, in addition to areas of bone lysis and cell proliferation, which are common in neoplastic processes. A presumptive diagnosis can be achieved from the medical history, clinical signs, and physical examination. Cytological and histopathological examination are the confirmatory methods; however, it is used less frequently and especially when cytological evaluation does not provide a definitive diagnosis. Antineoplastic chemotherapy with vincristine is the first-choice treatment protocol, which also proved to be effective for the patients in this report. Although TVT commonly affects the external genitalia of dogs, in the cases reported herein, it was located exclusively in the nasal region. Keywords: TVT, dog, nasal, vincristine.Título: Tumor venéreo transmissível (TVT) nasal em cãesDescritores: TVT, cão, nasal, vincristine.

No abstract

Feline Plasmacytic Pododermatitis is an uncommon dermatological disorder that affects one or multiple paw pads and leads to swelling, ulceration, hemorrhage, scaling, erythema, and striation. Its etiopathogenesis is poorly understood, however, an immune-mediated basis is strongly suggested. A two-year-old neutered, mixed breed, male cat was referred to the Veterinary Clinic of the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), Curitibanos Campus, with a brief clinical history of progressive lesions on palmar and plantar pads for one month. On physical examination, the patient had enlarged popliteal and inguinal lymph nodes, and paw pads with thin, swollen, hyperemic, erythematous, and purple color skin with multiple white striations. Histopathological diagnosis confirmed plasmacytic pododermatitis, and glucocorticoid therapy with prednisolone was prescribed. In the present report, the patient's clinical follow-up was compromised, as the tutor did not perform the prescribed treatment and did not return with the animal for further evaluations.

Background: The prevalence of neoplasms in domestic animals has been augmenting over the years. Hemangiosarcoma, which most frequently affects large breed dogs, is a neoplasm with high metastatic power and corresponds to 5% of malignant neoplasms. Chemodectoma, a neoplasm that can have malignant or benign behavior, is uncommon, corresponding to less than 8% of all cardiac tumors, and originates from cardiac chemoreceptor cells and involves mainly the aortic and carotid bodies. The aim of this study is to describe the case of an elderly Pit Bull dog with hepatic hemangiosarcoma and chemodectoma associated with four other different tumors: hemangioma, papilloma, mastocitoma and melanoma.Case: A 14-year-old female Pit Bull, castrated, was presented to Veterinary Clinic of the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), Curitibanos Campus, Brazil. The owner referred apathy, hyporexia, and increased abdominal volume for two weeks. Physical examination showed emaciation and abdominal effusion. Abdominocentesis was performed, three liters of serosanguineous fluid was drained and a sample was sent for analysis. Complementary tests were requested and showed mild hypoalbuminemia, normocytic normochromic anemia, and lymphopenia. The ultrasound examination revealed thickening of vessels and hepatomegaly, in addition to the presence of an oval structure containing hyperechogenic cavitations. Diagnostic exploratory laparotomy was indicated, but the owner refused. Drug therapy was prescribed in a palliative manner and, during the clinical follow-up period, two abdominocentesis procedures and one thoracentesis procedure were performed, both resulting in simple transudate. Finally, the patient developed severe apathy, edema in all limbs, and died at home. Necroscopic examination was done and revealed hemoperitoneum and hemothorax; several nodules with diverse characteristics in the integument were noted, which were classified by histopathological analysis as follicular cyst, papilloma, cavernous hemangioma, mastocytoma, and melanoma. The histological sections of the liver sample showed hemangiosarcoma and those of the urinary bladder showed hemangiosarcoma metastases. In the heart, a nodule was found at the base of the aorta, which was characterized as chemodectoma. Besides that, there was myxomatous mitral valve degeneration. The necropsy report indicated that the cause of death was hypovolemic shock associated with complications from multiple tumors, particularly hepatic hemangiosarcoma and chemodectoma.Discussion: Hemangiosarcoma is a malignant tumor with invasive behavior. The patient was an elderly Pit Bull dog, a breed not described as being predisposed to this type of tumor. Similarly to other reports in the literature, there was abdominal effusion with rapid and recurrent evolution, progressive weight loss, and metastases in the urinary bladder. It is believed that thoracic effusion, limb edema, and hepatic venous congestion were probably caused by chemodectoma owing to right-sided congestive heart failure. Although not related to the cause of death of this patient, the presence of tumors like papilloma, mastocytoma, melanoma, and hemangioma is noteworthy because the canine had a total of six different types of neoplasms, rarely reported in Pit Bull dogs. This work emphasizes the importance of necroscopic evaluation, which, in this case, was essential for the definitive diagnosis.

Background: Central diabetes insipidus (CDI) is an endocrine disorder caused by the failure to produce, transport, or release ADH. This disease may show a primary etiology (idiopathic or congenital) or a secondary one (trauma or neoplasms). It is characterized by signs such as polyuria and polydipsia. The definitive diagnosis is obtained by the two-step water deprivation test; the absence of adequate urinary concentration in the first stage confirms the diagnosis of diabetes insipidus and, in the second stage, the response to the application of synthetic desmopressin confirms a central origin. Because CDI is rare in felines, the aim of this study was to report the occurrence of a case of CDI, probably of congenital primary origin, in an 8-month-old kitten.Case: An 8-month-old male feline, castrated, 3.2 kg, was brought to consultation with a report of polydipsia, polyuria, smaller size and weight, and lower activity when compared to his brother, for several months. On physical examination, lethargy, body score 2/5, and mild dehydration were noted, as well as deciduous teeth that should have already been replaced. Abdominal ultrasound and laboratory tests were requested, which ruled out chronic kidney disease (CKD), diabetes mellitus (DM), hyperadrenocorticism (HAC), and hyperthyroidism. Due to the fact that urinalysis evidenced hyposthenuria (urinary density [UD] 1.004), CDI was suspected. The patient underwent a water  deprivation test and, after 7.5 h, lost 4.7% of his initial weight, while UD was 1.012, confirming the diagnosis of DI. The investigation then proceeded to the evaluation of the response to synthetic desmopressin by the application of 5 U IM. Two h later, UD was 1.019, confirming the diagnosis of CDI. The prescribed treatment was oral desmopressin at a dose of 100 μg BID. Upon return after 30 days, the feline had gained weight, was well hydrated, and the tutor reported higher activity. A new urinalysis showed a UD of 1.004 and inactive sediment. The tutor was asked to start administering the drug three times a day. However, noting that the patient’s quality of life had significantly improved, and wishing to spare the animal from the stress of taking medication once more a day, she chose not to modify the therapy and not to perform additional tests, due to financial limitation.Discussion: First, CKD, DM, HAC, and hyperthyroidism, more common conditions, were ruled out, and the investigation then proceeded to a water deprivation test. The feline lost 3% to 5% of the initial weight and UD was on the borderlinebetween hypo- and isosthenuria, as described in the literature for the diagnosis of DI. In the second stage of the test, slight urinary concentration was observed after the application of synthetic desmopressin, which confirmed the diagnosis of CDI. The dose of desmopressin prescribed for home treatment, 100 μg BID, was effective to relieve the clinical signs, but urine remained in hyposthenuria in the interval between administrations, suggesting that, for this patient, treatment would be more effective by administering the medication three times a day, in order to maintain an adequate serum concentration. Due to the diagnosis of CDI and the feline being young, the condition’s primary origin is believed to be congenital. It is also suspected that the patient may still have congenital hypothyroidism, due to the clinical signs of late tooth exchange and constant lethargy, in addition to laboratory results of thyroid hormones below reference levels. However, because thyroid tests were made by chemiluminescence, a repetition by radioimmunoassay is indicated. If hypothyroidism is confirmed,it would be possible to assume a common etiological factor between CDI and hypothyroidism, such as hypothalamicpituitary malformation.