Periodontal disease is the most common infectious disease that occurs in feline patients. Although it occurs in both sexes, different age groups, and any breeds, the prevalence and severity seem much higher in cats living in animal shelters. This paper aimed to describe the clinical, radiological, cytopathological, and virological aspects of periodontal disease and its complications in cats, based on these aspects and, consequently, on the importance it brings to cat feline medicine in shelter cats. For this, nine cats with periodontal disease from a single animal shelter were evaluated. These cats demonstrated a disease characterized by halitosis, excessive salivation, and oral discomfort. Lymphadenomegaly of the mandibular and retropharyngeal lymph nodes was observed in 44.4% of the cases. Oral lesions consisted of varying degrees of gingival hyperemia, complete loss of free gingival margins, and consequently gingival retraction, dental calculus deposition, dental mobility, complete exposure of the furcation of premolars and molars, and dental roots of canines and incisors, loss of bone radiopacity due to alveolar bone resorption and tooth loss. Complications included chronic ulcerative paradental stomatitis (22.2%), faucitis (22.2%), and chronic gingivostomatitis (11.1%). None of the cats affected by periodontal disease was positive for FIV or FeLV. In 33.3% of the cases, cats were carriers of feline calicivirus, but not feline herpesvirus.

Background: Melanocytic neoplasms are skin tumors that often occur in dogs. However, melanocytoma-acanthoma, also called melanoacanthoma, is a benign melanocytic neoplasm rarely reported in this species, which has been described only three times in the veterinary literature. Briefly, this tumor is characterized by a single, painless, darkly pigmented and firm cutaneous papule or nodule. Histologically, it is composed of mixed populations of well-differentiated melanocytes and keratinocytes, unlike traditional melanocytic tumors (melanoma and melanocytoma). These cells are arranged in lobules surrounded by collagenous stroma. Melanocytes are large epithelioid cells containing varying amounts of melanin. Keratinocytes form anastomosing trabeculae with peripheral palisading, and small cysts containing amorphous or laminated keratin. The definitive diagnosis of melanocytoma-acanthoma is based on histopathological findings. This report describes a case of melanocytoma-acanthoma in a dog in Brazil. Case: A 9-year-old female miniature Schnauzer dog was examined at the Veterinary Hospital of the Federal University of Santa Maria, where a single, firm, pigmented papule was found in the auricle. The lesion had started 15 days earlier.Hematological tests and serum biochemistry profile were normal. An excisional biopsy of the papule was surgically removed and subjected to histopathological examination. The tissue was fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin, processed routinely and embedded in paraffin wax. Sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (HE). A histopathological examination revealed a nonencapsulated, well-defined, extensive, densely cellular proliferation located in dermis. This proliferation was composed of lobules and nests of well-differentiated stratified squamous epithelium closely associated with neoplastic melanocytes, surrounded by thin bundles of fibrous stroma. A diagnosis of melanocytoma-acanthoma was established based on these histological features. Discussion: The first description of melanocytoma-acanthoma in humans was as melano-epithelioma, classified into subtypes I and II. Both subtypes are benign neoplasms composed of well-differentiated melanocytes and keratinocytes, which are distinguished from one another based on the amount and distribution of melanocytes. Type I melano-epithelioma is characterized by proliferative lobules of melanocytes and keratinocytes, including melanocytes scattered diffusely among keratinocytes. Type II melano-epithelioma involves only the proliferation of keratinocytes, while melanocytes are limited to the basal layer of keratinocyte lobules. To clarify this condition, some authors use the term "melanoacanthoma" to indicate the above-described type I melano-epithelioma, and seborrheic keratosis to indicate type II melano-epithelioma. However, other authors use the term melanoacanthoma to denote the two conditions (types I and II melano-epithelioma). On the other hand, veterinary medicine does not recognize subtypes, instead using the term melanocytoma-acanthoma...

Background: Skin tumors are the most common neoplasia in veterinary medicine and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the most frequent. In cattle, it is the main tumor besides linfosarcoma and normally affects taurine cattle, but is rare in Nelore cattle. SCC mainly affects mucocutaneous junctions such as the eyelids, sclera, vulva, and perineum, and has already been described in vagina, eye, and periocular tissues, in addition to the superior digestive tract. The purpose of this paper is to describe a vaginal squamous cell carcinoma in a Nelore cow. Case: A 10-year-old Nelore cow, used as an embryo donor, was submitted to a necropsy procedure. Clinically, the animal had prolonged recumbency, anorexia, weight loss, and vaginal discharge. There was a history of recurrent vaginal prolapses and an intraluminal vaginal mass that had grown over two years. At necropsy, there was diffuse fibrinous peritonitis with marked intestinal adhesions; the vagina was markedly expanded and measured 40 × 20 cm due to the presence of an intraluminal mass occupying the vestibulum and extending up to the cervix. In the vaginal lumen, there was large amount of fibrinonecrotizing malodorous material; the vaginal wall was thickened by an unencapsulated and poorly delimited, firm and white mass composed of sheets and nests of epithelial cells from the squamous layer surrounded by abundant fibrovascular stroma. The neoplastic cells were polygonal with marked pleomorphism, anisokaryosis, and anisocytosis; abundant eosinophilic and well-defined cytoplasmic borders. Sometimes it was possible to see desmosomes. The nuclei were rounded to oval with sparse chromatin and one or more nucleoli were seen. Mitotic figures were frequent (at least 3 per higher power field) and there were also a few multinucleated cells. Frequently, there was the formation of distinct keratin "pearls". Discussion: SCC frequently occurs in the skin, eyes, and vulva in cattle, since these are sites that lack pigment within the epidermis and have prolonged exposed to ultraviolet light. Vaginal SCC has already been described in one cow with recurrent vaginal prolapses that was submitted to follicular aspiration. In a survey of cattle tumors, most genital tract neoplasias affected the uterus, and vaginal tumors normally originated from connective tissue -fibromas, fibropapillomas, and fibrosarcoma -or muscular tissue -leiomyoma and leiomyosarcoma. Irreversible changes in cellular DNA can occur due to physical or chemical carcinogens, and also chronic inflammation. The cow in this paper was frequently submitted to follicular aspiration and this can cause chronic inflammation in the vaginal mucosa after the puncture and, when it's chronic, can represent one of the main initiating factors for tumor development. This cow's death was caused by diffuse and marked peritonitis. The same cause was previously described in cows submitted to follicular aspiration and, in one of these animals, there was a rectal perforation caused by mistakes during the procedure. In this animal, we did not...

A 10-year-old male large mixed breed dog was presented with skin ulcers and fracture on the right hind limb caused by vehicle collision. Given required limb amputation, and as being a shelter senior dog, euthanasia was requested by the owner and a complete post-mortem examination was conducted immediately after death. Gross changes were consistent with marked bilateral nephromegaly. Histopathological examination of the kidneys revealed round cells filling blood vessels. Immunohistochemically, the round cells were positive for CD3 antibody. Based on these findings, in absence of involvement of the bone marrow and peripheral blood, and inexistence of primary extravascular masses, the tumor was classified as T-cell intravascular lymphoma. To the author’s knowledge, this is the first report describing intravascular lymphoma involving the kidneys alone in a dog.

Feline leishmanial infection is reported worldwide, but the epidemiological role of domestic cats in the leishmaniasis cycle remains unclear, and cats might act as cryptic reservoir hosts in endemic areas with no feline leishmaniosis cases. Considering that, a serological screening for anti-Leishmania spp. antibodies was performed by indirect immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) in 389 necropsied cats’ serum samples from a new visceral leishmaniasis transmission area with no feline leishmanial infection reported to unveil if the cats are being exposed to the parasite. The overall seroprevalence for Leishmania spp. was 11,05% (43/389). Statistical significance was not found between sex, neutering status, age group, breed, coat length, feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) infection, and Leishmania spp. antibody detection. A positive association was found with coat color (cats within the orange spectrum with white [particolor]) with p = 0.044 and OR = 2.47 (1–6.13) and a negative association, with p = 0.01 and OR = 0.38 (0.18–0.79), between feline leukemia virus (FeLV) infection and IFAT positivity for Leishmania spp. Henceforth, parasite DNA detection by molecular studies is required to determine if it's exposition or infection.