Background: The feline atopic syndrome (FAS) associated to environmental allergens is the third most common allergic dermatosis in domestic cats. In general, clinical signs are not pathognomonic and the exclusion of other pruritus causes is necessary to reach the diagnosis of FAS. The treatment is based on the use of drugs to control the pruritus, such as glucocorticoids, cyclosporine and, recently, oclacitinib, a Janus kinase inhibitor. This study aimed to report the efficacy of oclacitinib on the treatment of FAS associated to environmental allergens.Case: A 10-year-old female feline, crossbred, presented a history of pruritic dermatitis during ten months and diarrhea. The animal had been submitted to treatment for ectoparasites with pour-on selamectin and was fed with a commercial hypoallergenic diet in the last eight weeks or so. However, no improvement on the skin condition was observed. Physical examination revealed disseminated furfuraceous desquamation, excoriation and erythema on the right supraorbital region. Bilateral conjunctivitis was also observed. Complete blood cell count, biochemistry profile, urinalysis, immunochromathographic test for feline immunodeffiency virus (FIV) and feline leukemia virus (FeLV), fungic culture and abdominal ultrasonography were requested. The abnormalities observed were reduced urinary density and discrete loss of renal corticomedullary differentiation. Thus, based on physical examination and complementary exams, the animal was diagnosis with FAS, since the main other causes of pruritus (hypersensitivity to ectoparasites and alimentary allergens) were excluded. The animal was also diagnosed with stage 1 chronic kidney disease. Therapy based on oclacitinib was instituted with an induction dose of 1 mg/kg twice daily for 14 days, followed by a maintenance dose of 1 mg/kg once daily. After 30 days of treatment, a satisfactory therapeutic response was observed, with complete remission of pruritus. The animal was regularly evaluated, with clinical and laboratorial exams, to check the efficacy of treatment and to identify the possible adverse effects of the drug. After 300 days of treatment the animal presented a relapse of pruritic dermatitis, and the dose was changed to 1 mg/kg twice daily, with remission of clinical signs. No adverse reactions or changes in laboratorial exams were observed during the follow-up, and the chronic kidney disease remained on stage 1.Discussion: In spite of being the third most frequent allergic dermatopathy in cats, FAS is still considered as an uncommon disease. FAS is a diagnosis of exclusion, where hypersensivity to ectoparasites and alimentary allergens must be investigated before reaching the diagnosis of FAS. Clinical signs are not pathognomonic. Thus, pruritus, skin lesions on head and/or neck, miliaris dermatitis, symmetric alopecia and eosinophilic dermatitis can be observed. Other dermatologic and systemic manifestations, such as gastrointestinal, ophthalmic and respiratory signs, may be present. The reported animal presented dermatologic and systemic signs of FAS, since all the clinical alterations disappeared with the use of oclacitinib. Because some dogs demonstrated immunosuppression and developed diseases related to this, such as papilomatosis and demodicosis, while using this drug, we decided to rule out the presence of the infection by FIV and FeLV, before the beginning of the therapy. Other drugs can be used for treat cats with FAS, such as glucocorticoids and ciclosporin. However, these drugs are associated to side effects in a long-term therapy. In this case report, a cat treated with oclacitinib showed a long-term control of pruritus and clinical signs remission without adverse effects. Oclacitinib demonstrated to be a good therapeutic option on the treatment of FAS associated to environmental allergens.

Background: Ureteral ectopia (or ectopic ureter) is a congenital anomaly of the urinary system in which the ureter inserts anywhere other than the vesical trigone. This anatomical change may have unilateral or bilateral involvement. The most evident clinical sign, occurring mostly in females, is urinary incontinence, however in some cases the condition may progress to nephritis and dilation of the renal pelvis. The diagnosis is established through imaging, and definitive treatment requires surgical approach. The present study reports a case of ureteral ectopia in a dog which was diagnosed by ultrasound and contrast radiography (excretory urography) and successfully treated by neoureterostomy.Case: A 10-month-old female American Pit Bull Terrier was attended at the Veterinary Hospital of the Federal Rural University of the Semi-Arid (UFERSA), in Mossoró, RN. Her owner reported incontinence of dark, malodorous urine since birth as the chief complaint. After clinical examination, cystitis was suspected, and a complete blood count, urinalysis, and abdominal ultrasound was requested. The blood count and creatinine were within the reference values. The presence of struvite crystals were found on urinalysis. Ultrasound examination revealed a tortuous, dilated right ureter from the renal pelvis to the urinary bladder; no uroliths were identified as a cause of potential obstruction, but the ipsilateral kidney showed increased cortical echogenicity, loss of corticomedullary definition, and moderate pelvic dilation. These findings supported a presumptive diagnosis of ectopic ureter. For the purpose of confirming this suspicion, excretory urography was performed, revealing unilateral ureteral dilation and radiopaque contrast uptake following the path of the urethra. Once the diagnosis was confirmed, surgery was performed to correct the ureteral ectopia using the standard neoureterocistostomy technique. Considering the unilateral involvement, location of the insertion, and preserved renal function, the decision was made to perform a neoureterostomy. During the surgery it was possible to identify that the ectopic ureter was found to be intramural. At 2-month follow-up, urinary incontinence had resolved and control ultrasound showed significant improvement in the inflammatory appearance of the right renal parenchyma, with no signs of dilation of the renal pelvis or ureter.Discussion: Different from what happens in male dogs, females with an ectopic ureter will often present with urinary incontinence as the main (and, often, only) symptom, usually in the first months of life. As pollakiuria suggests a wide range of diseases of the urinary tract, ultrasound was considered the first-line imaging modality of choice, indispensable for ruling out other differential diagnoses such as a severe urinary tract infection, urolithiasis, or even malignancy. Despite the literature reporting that urinary incontinence persists in 44 to 67% of cases of ureteral ectopia, even after surgery in this case there was complete recovery of the patient after two months. Accessible techniques like ultrasonography and contrast radiography (excretory urography) supplemented one another in the elucidation of this case, with both demonstrating an excellent contribution to the diagnosis of ectopic ureter as well as served as support for surgical planning, enabling effective repair and consequent recovery of the patient.

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Article historyThe idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome (IHES) is a rare disease, characterized by variable eosinophilia and its massive infiltration into various organs. This study aimed to report clinical-laboratory findings and therapy in a canine with IHES. A one-year, 10-month-old male Rottweiler dog had a history of emesis, weight loss, hyporexia, and persistent eosinophilia on prior hematological exams. Vaccinations and worming were up to date. A complete blood count, serum biochemistry, bone marrow cytology, serology for leishmaniasis, chromatographic immunoassay for the detection of Dirofilaria immitis antigen, and abdominal ultrasound were requested. The tests for infectious diseases were negative. Blood biochemistry revealed no significant changes. An intense eosinophilia was observed in the hematology. A large number of cell precursors of the eosinophilic lineage were detected in the bone marrow cytology. Abdominal ultrasound showed thickening of intestinal loops. Considering the clinical and laboratory findings, the diagnosis of IHES was defined. Prednisolone treatment was instituted. The recurrence of peripheral eosinophilia occurred on the 35th day after therapy initiation. At that time, we opted to suspend the use of prednisolone and indicate the administration of deflazacort. With follow-up, therapeutic success with deflazacort was demonstrated, promoting the complete regression of clinical and ultrasound signs. The last glucocorticoid was maintained, but with a gradual dose reduction. The recognition of clinical and laboratory manifestations related to canine IHES is essential to establish an adequate diagnosis and therapy. Deflazacort emerges as a promising drug for controlling this disease.

Background: In dogs, abdominal testes have higher risk of malignant transformation, and the Sertoli cell tumor is the most common type of testicular cancer in the species. This neoplasia can lead to an increase on estrogen production, causing a paraneoplastic feminization syndrome with dermatologic, behavioral and blood repercussions. When located inside theabdomen, the Sertoli cell tumor can compress adjacent organs, worsening the prognosis. Thus, this study aimed to report a case of an intra-abdominal Sertoli cell tumor in a dog associated to multiple organic complications.Case: A 4-year-old male Shih-tzu was admitted at the Veterinary Hospital of Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido (UFERSA), with a history of abdominal cryptorchidism and the development of dermatological signs, such as alopecia and hyperpigmentation, with an evolution of two months. At physical examination it was observed alopecia on lumbosacral regionand on hind limbs, hyperpigmentation, gynecomastia and pendulous prepuce, suggestive of feminization syndrome. A firm mass was palpated on caudal abdomen. The following exams were requested: complete blood cell count, serum biochemistry (alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, creatinine and urea), abdominal ultrasonography and fine needle aspiration cytology of the abdominal mass. Hematological and biochemistry profile were within the normal range for the species. Onthe ultrasonography, regular and rounded structures were observed, suggesting ectopic testes (left testis: 2.37 x 2.95 cm; right testis: 1.92 x 1.38 cm). The left testis presented characteristics of malignant transformation. The cytology of the abdominal mass suggested Sertoli cell tumor. The dog was submitted to an exploratory laparotomy. The right testis was atrophied and its orchiectomy was performed. The contralateral testis was completed adhered to great vessels, such as abdominal aorta and caudal vena cava, and also to adjacent viscera. Thus, the exeresis of the tumor was not possible and fragments of the mass were collected and referred to histopathology. The left testicle presented tumoral polyedric cells, alonged at the longitudinal axis, propagating disorderly, and with central rounded nucleus, and a clear and vacuolar cytoplasm. It was alsoobserved desmoplasia, anisocytosis, anisocariasis, nuclear atypia and evident nucleoli. The mitotic index was less than one mitotic figure/40x, with aberrant mitotic figures. The histopathological evaluation was compatible with Sertoli cell tumor, confirming the presumptive diagnosis. Chemotherapy was proposed, but the animal’s owner refused. After four months the dog was readmitted presenting a series of complications due to the tumor growth, including bone marrow hypoplasia, gallbladder compression and hydronephrosis. Because of the poor prognosis and severity of complications a decision to euthanize the animal was made.Discussion: Intra-abdominal Sertoli cell tumors have good prognosis when the diagnosis and surgical treatment are made early. Nevertheless, this neoplasia can be associated to critical and irreversible damages to various organs, such as bone marrow hypoplasia, and compression of abdominal organs when the tumor grows rapidly and invades adjacent structures,making the complete surgical exeresis impossible. Therefore, the orchiectomy of cryptorchidic dogs is recommended as soon as possible to prevent the development of testicular cancer in these animals.Keywords: cryptorchidism, testicular neoplasia, Canis lupus familiaris.