Background: Fetal malformations are characterized by anatomical changes that compromise an organ or system. Tongue formation in bovines occurs with the fusion of three structures at the end of the fourth week of gestation, and any failure during this stage of embryonic development may lead to tongue malformation. Bifid tongue, also called glossoschisis, is a rare congenital abnormality in any species and is characterized by incomplete fusion of the lateral tongue buds, resulting in a deep groove in the midline of the tongue. The objective of this study was to describe a case of bifid tongue and the procedure of reduction glossoplasty in a calf of the Girolando breed in Tocantins State. Case: A male mixed-breed (Holstein-Friesian × Gir) calf, born from natural mating in the municipality of Araguaína, Tocantins, was clinically assessed in the Sector of Ruminant Clinical Medicine of the Federal University of Tocantins at 2 months of age. The owner reported that the animal exhibited difficulty in suckling after birth and that on inspection of the oral cavity, he observed changes in the tongue and mandible. Clinical examination of the oral cavity revealed the presence of a bifid tongue and abnormal fusion of the mandible in the region of the lower incisive teeth. It was decided to perform a surgical procedure with the aim of improving the animal's quality of life because the owner wanted to keep it in the farm. An incision was made, followed by removal of the medial rims of the two tines of the tongue, and synthesis was performed, joining the ventral rims of the tongue, beginning at the root and ending at the apex. Discussion: The observed lesions are compatible with bifid tongue and mandibular fissure, both previously reported in other species. The literature has no reports of bifid tongue in bovines. The etiology of fetal malformations is still unclear, and the primary causes known in Brazil include ingestion of toxic plants by the mother, such as Mimosa tenuiflora and Poincianella pyramidalis; infections, with the main viral agents being bovine viral diarrhea virus and blue tongue virus; and teratogenic agents, namely certain medications administered during embryogenesis, e.g., ivermectin. Other potentially teratogenic agents that have not been identified as causes of malformation include radiation, cortisone, benzimidazoles, sulfonamides, folate antagonists, and organophosphates. The intense genetic improvement that the Holstein-Friesian breed has been subjected to, including inbreeding that results in consanguinity, may be a determining factor for the breed carrying mutant alleles. Because the calf in this report was crossbred from parents with Holstein-Friesian ancestry, it could carry mutant alleles that led to the malformation. Another etiology proposed in a study on embryological bases by Goodacre and Wallace (1990) is the persistence of buccopharyngeal membrane and amniotic constriction bands in the region of the branchial arches; this cause cannot be ruled out in the present case. Calves born with fetal m...
Background:Knowing the different diseases that affect the herds of a region is a fundamental necessity, because sanity is one of the main factors limiting animal production. Several studies have reported the diseases affecting the animals of various regions of Brazil; however, no such study was carried out in the state of Tocantins so far. Thus, the objective of this work is to report the main diseases diagnosed in cattle and sheep in the central and northern regions of the state of Tocantins, between January 2011 and December 2015. Materials, Methods & Results:The records and reports of the cattle and sheep treated by the clinicians and pathologists of the Ruminants Medical Clinic (SCMR) of the University Veterinary Hospital (HVU), School of Veterinary Medicine and Zootecnia (EMVZ), University Federal of Tocantins (UFT) during the study period were evaluated. The cases were classified into two categories, conclusive and inconclusive; the cases with conclusive diagnosis were classified according to the etiology and the organic systems involved. In the period of five years, 697 cattle and sheep were treated in the SCMR. The diagnoses were made using epidemiological, clinical, and pathological data, and in some cases, using complementary tests. Among the 697 cases reviewed, 692 (99.2%) and 5 (0.8%) cases were diagnosed conclusively and inconclusively, respectively. The most affected system was the digestive system, which accounted for 260 (37.6%) cases; this was followed by the locomotor 130 (18.8%) cases, nervous 56 (8.1%) cases, reproductive 57 (8.2%) cases, urinary 50 (7.2%) cases, skin 16 (2.3%) cases, muscular 11 (2%) cases, respiratory 34 (4.9%) cases, hemolymphopoietic 28 (3.5%) cases, endocrine 24 (3.5%) cases, sense organs 22 (3.2%) cases, and cardiovascular 4 (0.6%) cases. A total of 220 (31.6%) parasitic, 202 (29%) infectious, 106 (15.2%) toxic, 96 (13.8%) nutritional, 52 (7.5%) by physical agents, and 6 (0.8%) congenital/hereditary diseases were identified. Diseases of neoplastic, metabolic, and inconclusive nature represented 15 (2.1%) cases. Discussion: In this study, the most affected organic system was the digestive system. The disturbances of the digestive system in production animals are reported to comprise a group of important diseases, and they are responsible for large economic losses. Parasitic, infectious, and toxic diseases were more frequently diagnosed, a result similar to those of other studies carried out in Brazil. Haemonchosis was the most frequently occurring parasitic disease and occurrence in sheep. The characteristic clinical signs such as submandibular edema and pallor of the mucosa/carcass and the visualization of the abomasal mucosa in adult specimens on necropsy enabled the diagnosis of this disease. The foot injury were the most frequent disease among the others of the infectious order and affected the sheep. Such lesions are characterized by inflammation and ulceration of the skin of the digits, in which numerous bacteria are isolated. The most frequent toxic disorder was bo...
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