BackgroundParalytic form of rabies is frequent in cattle in Latin America, but it is uncommon in goats. There are few clinical reports on furious rabies affecting goats, and the sporadic cases of rabid goats from surveillance programs worldwide lack clinical data. Furthermore, few studies reported the cerebrospinal fluid findings in rabid livestock.Case presentationOn a farm in Midwestern Brazil, six of 47 Saanen goats died within one week. No vaccination protocols were implemented on the farm and the owner stated bat bites history on the livestock. Although rabies is endemic in Brazil, livestock vaccination is not mandatory. One 1-year-old buck was evaluated and showed non-specific clinical signs evolving within 12-h to nervous signs. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis revealed mononuclear pleocytosis, hyperproteinemia and high glucose levels. At necropsy, no gross lesions were present. Microscopically, discrete to moderate perivascular lymphoplasmacytic cuffing in gray and white matter, neuronal necrosis, neuronophagia, and mononuclear ganglioneuritis was observed in the brainstem and cervical spinal cord. Immunohistochemistry revealed strong anti-rabies virus immunostaining. Fresh central nervous system samples were positive for rabies in direct fluorescent antibody test (dFAT) and mouse intracerebral inoculation test (MIT). Exposed livestock recommendations included immediate vaccination, a strict isolation period of 90 days, and booster vaccinations during the third and eighth weeks.ConclusionIHC revealed the widespread distribution of rabies virus antigen in the goat’s CNS, contrasting the discrete pathological changes. In this goat, definitive diagnosis of paralytic rabies was obtained through the association of epidemiological, clinical, laboratorial, pathological findings (histology and IHC) and gold standard confirmatory tests (dFAT and MIT).

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The present study aimed to establish the prevalence of orthopedic injuries and main clinical-epidemiological findings in equids referred to the Large Animal Veterinary Teaching Hospital of the Universidade de Brasília (HVET-UNB), during a 2-year period (March 2016 to February 2018. All equids records during the 2-year period were reviewed to select the orthopedic injury cases. Animal records were divided into two groups: traction animals and those participating in other equestrian activities. Definitive diagnosis, reached by means of physical evaluation and ancillary diagnostic (radiography and ultrasonography) methods, showed that 34% (156 cases) of the referred 438 equids, presented some sort of orthopedic disorders. Of these cases, 151 (96.8%) were horses, four (2.6%) mules, and one (0.6%) donkey. Ninety (58%) were traction horses and 66 (42%) participated in other equestrian activities, while 45.5% (71/156) were females and 54.5% (85/156), males. Forelimbs were the most affected (51.9% -81/156), followed by hind limbs (41.1% -64/156) and vertebral column disorders (7% -11/156). Furthermore, 75% (117/156) presented some degree of lameness while 25% (39/156) had no pain or gait alterations. The three major orthopedic injuries were bone disorders (40.4% -63/156), tendinopathies (25.6% -40/156) and arthropathies (13.5% -21/156), while the digital (9% -14/156), muscle (6.4% -10/156) and ligament (5.1% -8/156) injuries were observed less frequently. Total mortality rate reached 32.7% (51/156), and fractures represented the major orthopedic disease leading to euthanasia (80.4% -41/51). The high number of traction equids attended (90 animals -58%) indicates the still frequent use of these animals in large urban centers. The high mortality rate in this category (50% -45/90), representing 90.1% (45/51) of all deaths, reveals the need for developing public policies prohibiting horses from circulating in urban areas while also improving their welfare in the rural area. We reiterate the importance of retrospective studies for identifying risk factors, proposing management changes and creating policies to avoid animal suffering and financial losses.

Avulsão do casco é descrita com uma laceração aguda ou ocasionada por lesões crônicas por traumas repetitivos, podendo ser completa, com perda total dos tecidos, ou incompleta, na qual uma borda do casco permanece intacta. A parede do casco, região coronária, sola, falange distal, lâminas e a articulação interfalangeana distal podem estar envolvidas. Neste trabalho, relata-se o caso de um equino, SRD, macho, adulto, de aproximadamente 15 anos e com 285 kg, encaminhado ao hospital veterinário apresentando ferida com secreção purulenta, tecido necrosado e avulsão na porção dorsal da pele e região coronária do membro pélvico direito, além de edema distal da articulação metatarso-falangeana e claudicação. Na avaliação física, observou-se extensiva lesão traumática no casco do membro pélvico direito, com perda de parte da muralha no aspecto dorsal, tecido ulcerativo e necrótico, com incrustações compactas e de odor fétido, presença de miíase na sola e claudicação de grau 5. A terapêutica aplicada associada à abordagem cirúrgica promoveu evolução satisfatória da ferida podal, com progressiva eclosão do estojo córneo em direção oposta ao que é comumente observado, isto é, a cicatrização adquiriu uma oclusão advinda da região distal, próxima à pinça do casco em direção à coroa, adquirindo fornecimento constante de novas células na região lamelar, gerando um aparente fluxo laminar ascendente e considerável diminuição de secreção e redução da claudicação para grau 3.

Background: Schiff-Sherrington syndrome is characterized by extensor hypertonicity of the forelimbs and flaccid hindlimbs as a result from the interruption of the ascending inhibitory effect on motor neurons of forelimbs. The main cause is trauma to the spinal cord in thoracolumbar segment and is considered a common condition in companion animals, but rarely reported in large animals. The present study aimed to report the clinical-pathological and laboratorial findings of a horse with Schiff-Sherington syndrome.Case: A 9-year-old mare weighing 330 kg was referred for clinical evaluation after a 36 h evolution of an acute onset of inability to stand. During physical examination the horse was on lateral recumbency and presented normal mental status, spasticity of the forelimbs, flaccid paralysis of the hind limbs, and superficial sensitivity decreased from the 13th thoracic vertebra, reaching the perianal region and hindlimbs. Hematological and biochemical abnormalities included mild neu- trophilic leukocytosis, hypoalbuminemia and increased activity of aspartate aminotransferase. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis showed yellowish coloration (xanthochromia), turbidity (+1), increased density, hypoproteinemia and erythro- phagocytosis. Microbiological culture of CSF was negative. Necropsy revealed muscle hematomas and complete fracture of the 10th and 11th thoracic vertebrae with spinal cord compression. Cross section of the thoracic spinal cord presented severe hemorrhage and cavitations areas in the gray matter. Microscopically, vacuolization of the white matter (status spongiosus) with numerous axonal spheroids was present. In the gray matter, the presence of moderate amount of neurons with eosinophilic cytoplasm, nucleus and retracted picnotic (necrosis), discrete perineuronal edema, and moderate foci of hemorrhage was observed.Discussion: The definitive diagnosis of thoracic vertebral fracture with spinal cord compression and myelomalacia was conducted by the association of epidemiological, clinical, laboratory and pathological findings. Schiff-Sherington syndrome can occur due to serious injuries in the thoracolumbar region with spinal cord compression, resulting in lower motor neuron paralysis in the hind limbs (flaccid paralysis) and upper motor neuron paralysis in the forelimbs (spasticity). In horses, thethoracic segment is the most affected in cases of vertebral fractures. CSF analysis presented as a crucial tool for diagnosis, because it allowed the observation of xanthochromia and erythrophagocytosis. And it also allowed the exclusion of other causes of acute spinal cord impairment, such as rabies, viral myeloencephalitis, protozoal mieloencefalopathy and trypanosomiasis by Trypanosoma evansi. CSF analysis is an important ancillary method, associated with the epidemiological and clinical findings, in the diagnosis of central nervous system diseases in horses. In large animals with suspected fracture and spinal cord compression, CSF analysis can help in the definitive diagnosis, especially when performing radiographic examination is impossible.