RESUMO: A Osteoartrite (OA) é uma denominação clínica para uma combinação de condições patológicas que envolvem a degeneração progressiva da cartilagem articular e remodelação de osso subcondral. A curcumina, um potente agente anti-inflamatório, têm sido extensivamente estudada, no entanto não oferece boa biodisponibilidade sistêmica. Nanopartículas de ouro (AuNPs) apresentam aplicações potenciais na administração de substâncias terapêuticas aumentando a eficiência do transporte de fármacos. O objetivo deste estudo foi realizar a síntese e caracterização de um sistema conjugando as AuNPs à curcumina e avaliar seu potencial terapêutico em um modelo experimental de OA em camundongos por desestabilização do menisco medial (DMM). As AuNPs foram conjugadas com curcumina e os sistemas foram caracterizados por espectroscopia no UV-VIS, espalhamento de luz dinâmico (DLS) e determinação do potencial zeta. Formou-se 4 grupos de oito animais cada, denominados A, B, C, D que receberam injeção intra-articular de AuNPs, curcumina, AuNP-curcumina e solução fisiológica, respectivamente. Após 7 semanas, a cartilagem da articulação-femoro- tibio-patelar (AFTP) foi avaliada em uma variação de escore de 0 a 24. A conjugação de AuNP-curcumina mostrou boa estabilidade e aplicação terapêutica, mas não diferiu significativamente (P>0,05) dos grupos A e B, no entanto, mostrou menor valor de escore e significância (P<0,001) em relação ao grupo controle. Os resultados deste trabalho mostram a importância do desenvolvimento de novos nanofármacos. Neste caso a conjugação de AuNPs com a curcumina permitiu a obtenção de um nanofármaco com sugestivo potencial para aplicação no tratamento da OA.

Objectives: To investigate whether a commercially available amniotic membrane extract (AME) can accelerate corneal wound healing and suppress the early expression of MMP-9 in the tears of cats with experimentally induced superficial ulcerative keratitis.Procedures: A total number of 16 cats were included. At the end of keratectomy, cats in the treatment group (TG, n = 8) received 40 μl of AME (EyeQ® Amniotic Eye Drops, Vetrix®) four times daily, while cats in the control group (CG, n = 8) received 40 μl of saline at the same time points. Tears were collected 24 and 48 h after keratectomy, and the total MMP-9 was quantified by ELISA. Results:The corneal re-epithelialization rate did not differ between groups (p = .26), being 0.48 ± 0.05 mm 2 /h in the CG and 0.41 ± 0.03 mm 2 /h in the TG.Similarly, the average time to achieve corneal wound healing did not differ between groups (p = .25) and was 61.50 ± 3.54 h in the CG and 70.50 ± 6.71 h in the TG. The dimensions of the ulcerated areas also did not differ at any time point between the groups (p > .05). In both groups, corneas healed without scarring, pigmentation, or vascularization. The expression of MMP-9 in the tears was similar in both groups at 24 h post-keratectomy, with a slight decrease at 48 h (p > .05). Conclusions:The instillation of a commercial AME (EyeQ®) is safe, but it did not decrease the corneal re-epithelialization time or the early expression of MMP-9 in the tears of cats with experimentally induced superficial ulcerative keratitis in this study.

Background: Dioctophimosis is a parasitic disease caused by Dioctophyma renale, more commonly known as "giant Kidney worm," and can be found in other organs or free in the abdominal cavity, which is related to the patient's eating habits. Most of the animals affected are asymptomatic. The diagnosis is made through ultrasonography, finding eggs of the parasite in the urine, or necropsy. The treatment of choice is nephrectomy of the affected kidney. We aimed to report the accidental diagnosis of parasitism by D. renale in an 8-year-old dog, which was surgically treated by nephrectomy of the right kidney after evident destruction of the renal parenchyma on ultrasonography.Case: An 8-year-old Boxer female dog underwent a physical examination and showed a mass in the region of the left caudal thoracic breast, bilateral alopecia on flanks, and purulent ocular secretions. Laboratory tests of complete blood count (CBC) and serum biochemical profile, X-ray examination, and ultrasonography were requested. Anemia was observed on the erythrogram, and enzymes (creatinine, urea, alanine aminotransferase [ALT], and albumin) were within normal limits. There were no abnormalities on X-ray examination, and abdominal ultrasonography showed slight splenomegaly, enlarged left kidney, reduced corticomedullary region, measuring approximately 7.63 cm longitudinally. In the right kidney, loss of the renal parenchyma, measuring approximately 5.49 cm in diameter and the presence of a cylindrical and rounded structure, typical of D. renale infection. After this, a urinalysis was suggested, which revealed the presence of the helminthic eggs, confirming the diagnosis. The owner was informed about the need for nephrectomy of the affected kidney as treatment. The kidney showed destruction of the renal parenchyma. A single parasite was removed, measuring approximately 46 cm in length. The patient was successfully treated and was hospitalized for 4 days for observation and evaluation of function of the contralateral kidney.Discussion: The parasitic infection of the animal was due to the ingestion of fish contaminated by the aquatic anelid Lumbriculus variegatus, and the reported patient had access to home-cooked food and ingested water near the farm. D. renale is the largest nematode capable of parasitizing the kidney, reaching up to 100 cm in length, and was 46 cm long in the present case. Usually, when there is unilateral involvement, the vast majority of parasitized animals do not present clinical signs or show nonspecific signs such as hematuria and apathy, or as observed in the present case, the patient is asymptomatic. The diagnosis often occurs through ultrasonography and urine tests, which are considered essential to diagnose the parasite, but the diagnosis is often made on necropsy. Due to its proximity to the duodenum, the parasite is usually found in the right kidney, and it may be found in other organs as well. In the present case, the parasite was found in the right kidney of the patient. Usually, hypertrophy of the contralateral kidney (7.86 cm in this case) is observed on ultrasonography, which is a compensatory mechanism for the lack of normal function of the affected kidney of the affected kidney. The case occurred in the state of Mato Grosso, where there are no records of parasitism by D. renale in domestic dogs, compared with other states. Since the parasite usually affects the kidney, the treatment of choice is nephrectomy, especially if the other kidney can compensate for the absence of the other kidney, a technique that proved to be effective with excellent prognosis in the patient described.

PURPOSE:To evaluate the maximal intraluminal pressure (MIP) supported by canine cadaveric urinary bladders that underwent cystotomy followed by cystorraphy, with and without serosal patching-supplementation. METHODS:Two groups (n=8 each) were formed, and in one (conventional) the cystotomy was closed with cushing pattern. In the other group (serosal), the same procedure was performed, and a piece of jejunum was used for the construction of the serosal patching over the cystorraphy. MIP was measured by means of an invasive blood pressure transducer with closed stopcock attached to a multiparameter monitor. At the end of each measurement, the bladder body circumference was assessed. RESULTS:Mean±SD MIP sustained for the conventional and serosal groups were 28.88±5.08 and 65.38±10.99 mmHg, respectively (p<0.0001). Bladder circumference did not change significantly between groups (p=0.35) and did not correlate with MIP assessed in conventional (p=0.27; r=0.4379) and serosal groups (p=0.37; r=-0.3637). CONCLUSION:Serosal patch-supplemented cystorraphies were able to sustain intraluminal pressures 55.8% higher, than nonsupplemented cystorraphies in specimens from canine cadavers.

RESUMO Objetivou-se avaliar os efeitos cardiorrespiratórios da dexmedetomidina isolada e associada à morfina em pacientes submetidas à anestesia geral inalatória com isoflurano e submetidas à ovariohisterectomia eletiva. Vinte cadelas saudáveis foram selecionadas a partir de exames físico e laboratoriais. Os animais foram distribuídos aleatoriamente em dois grupos: dexmedetomidina (10 μg/Kg) (GD) e dexmedetomidina (10 μg/Kg) associado com morfina 0,3 mg/Kg (GDM), administrados pela via intramuscular (IM). Ato contínuo, o paciente foi induzido com propofol (à efeito) e mantido com isoflurano diluído em oxigênio 100% e administrado através de vaporizador calibrado. Foram aferidos os parâmetros fisiológicos: frequências cardíaca (FC) e respiratória (f), temperatura corporal (T°C), pressões arteriais sistólica (PAS), diastólica (PAD) e média (PAM), saturação de oxigênio na hemoglobina (SpO2), pressão parcial de gás carbônico no final da expiração (ETCO2) e isoflurano expirado (ETISO). A hemogasometria arterial foi utilizada para a análise do potencial hidrogeniônico (pH), bicarbonato (HCO3-) e pressão parcial de dióxido de carbono (PaCO2). O procedimento cirúrgico teve duração máxima de 45 minutos. Os parâmetros demonstraram diferença estatística entre os tempos e grupos avaliados, de acordo com os testes de Tukey e Bonferroni (p<0,05). Observou-se bradicardia 30 minutos após a aplicação da medicação pré-anestésica e acidemia no período trans-anestésico. Apesar disto, tanto a dexmedetomidina isolada quanto associada, conferiram estabilidade hemodinâmica e respiratória, apesar da bradicardia e acidemia observada.