BackgroundInfectious diarrhea can be caused by bacteria, viruses, or protozoan organisms, or a combination of these. The identification of co-infections in dogs is important to determine the prognosis and to plan strategies for their treatment and prophylaxis. Although many pathogens have been individually detected with real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), a comprehensive panel of agents that cause diarrhea in privately owned dogs has not yet been established. The objective of this study was to use a real-time PCR diarrhea panel to survey the frequencies of pathogens and co-infections in owned dogs attended in a veterinary hospital with and without diarrhea, as well the frequency in different countries. Feces samples were tested for canine distemper virus, canine coronavirus, canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2), Clostridium perfringens alpha toxin (CPA), Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia spp., and Salmonella spp. using molecular techniques.ResultsIn total, 104 diarrheic and 43 control dogs that were presented consecutively at a major private veterinary hospital were included in the study. Overall, 71/104 (68.3%) dogs with diarrhea were positive for at least one pathogen: a single infection in 39/71 dogs (54.9%) and co-infections in 32/71 dogs (45.1%), including 21/32 dogs (65.6%) with dual, 5/32 (15.6%) with triple, and 6/32 (18.8%) with quadruple infections. In the control group, 13/43 (30.2%) dogs were positive, all with single infections only. The most prevalent pathogens in the diarrheic dogs were CPA (40/104 dogs, 38.5%), CPV-2 (36/104 dogs, 34.6%), and Giardia spp. (14/104 dogs, 13.5%). CPV-2 was the most prevalent pathogen in the dual co-infections, associated with CPA, Cryptosporidium spp., or Giardia spp. No statistical difference (P = 0.8374) was observed in the duration of diarrhea or the number of deaths (P = 0.5722) in the presence or absence of single or co-infections.ConclusionsDiarrheic dogs showed a higher prevalence of pathogen infections than the controls. Whereas the healthy dogs had only single infections, about half the diarrheic dogs had co-infections. Therefore, multiple pathogens should be investigated in dogs presenting with diarrhea. The effects of multiple pathogens on the disease outcomes remain unclear because the rate of death and the duration of diarrhea did not seem to be affected by these factors.

Com a finalidade de testar a solução hipersaturada de sal (na proporção de 1,5g de sal comercial para 1m<IMG SRC="http:/img/fbpe/cr/v32n6/12733s3.gif"> de água tridestilada) como conservante, foram realizados implantes de pericárdio canino mantido neste meio, no mínimo por 90 dias, em lesões provocadas no músculo reto abdominal de 24 ratos Wistar. Previamente à implantação da membrana, a solução foi avaliada quanto a presença de bactérias e fungos, demonstrando resultados negativos. Durante o procedimento cirúrgico, foi removido um segmento da largura completa do músculo reto abdominal direito, de 1,5cm de comprimento. A lesão produzida foi preenchida com o implante, sendo este suturado às bordas musculares com fio de náilon monofilamentar 6-0 em padrão contínuo simples. Os animais operados foram subdivididos em seis grupos (I, II, III, IV, V, VI) de igual número, sendo posteriormente sacrificados aos três, cinco, sete,10, 15 e 30 dias do pós-operatório, afim de se realizar as avaliações macroscópica e histológica da região do implante. Nos exames macroscópico e histológico pôde-se constatar neovascularização no local reparado, que gradualmente foi decrescendo. Ao exame histológico foi observado a substituição gradativa do implante por tecido conjuntivo fibroso, sem a ocorrência de eliminação do implante ou contaminação. Através destes achados é possível afirmar que a solução hipersaturada de sal estudada, é um meio adequado para a conservação de pericárdio canino.

653 Pesq. Vet. Bras. 29(8):653-660, agosto 2009 RESUMO.-[Comparação entre esplenectomia laparos-cópica e convencional em cães.] Nos últimos anos, a utilização da laparoscopia em Medicina Veterinária vem expandindo e, conseqüentemente, a necessidade de pes-quisas que determinem as vantagens, desvantagens e possíveis complicações de cada procedimento. Este es-tudo teve como objetivo descrever uma técnica de esplenectomia laparoscópica, assim como as alterações decorrentes deste acesso, e compará-la ao procedimen-to convencional em cães. Foram utilizadas 15 cadelas hígidas, sem raça definida, com peso médio de 17,4 ±2,5kg. Os animais foram distribuídos em três grupos: Grupo IA de acesso convencional (por laparotomia) utili-1 M.S. 2009. Laparoscopic versus open splenectomy in dogs. Pesquisa Veterinária Brasileira 29(8):653-660. In the last few years, the use of laparoscopy in veterinary medicine has expanded and consequently so was the need for studies that establish the advantages, disadvantages and possible complications of each procedure. The purpose of the current study was to describe a laparoscopic splenectomy technique and the alterations due to this access, and compare it to the open procedure in dogs. A total of 15 healthy female mongrel dogs were used, with mean weight of 17.4±2.5kg. The animals were distributed into three groups: Group IA of open splenectomy (laparotomy) using double ligation of the vessels of the splenic hilum with poliglicolic acid, Group IB of open splenectomy (laparotomy) with bipolar electrocoagulation of the splenic hilum, and Group II of laparoscopic access with bipolar electrocoagulation of the splenic hilum. Operative time, blood loss, size of incisions, complications during and after surgery were evaluated. Other parameters included pain scores, white blood cell (WBC) counts and postoperative serum concentrations of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), creatine kinase (CK), C-reactive protein (CRP), glucose and cortisol. No differences were found in the evaluation of parameters between both open splenectomy techniques employed. Laparoscopic access presented significant differences (p<0,05) when compared with open surgery: Longer operative time, smaller abdominal access, decrease in blood loss, lower concentrations of CRP, higher levels of CK and ALP, and lower scores in the pain scale. Laparoscopic surgery showed fewer complications of the surgical wound. No significant differences were observed between groups in the postoperative temperature, WBC, ALT, cortisol and glucose concentrations. In conclusion, the laparoscopic technique is useful for splenectomy in dogs, being advantageous in terms of blood loss, surgical stress and surgical wounds. However, it expends more operative time and causes transitory increase in hepatic and muscular enzymes. INDEX TERMS: Spleen, minimal invasive surgery, enzymes, stress, pain. Pesq. Vet. Bras. 29(8):653-660, agosto 2009 Rafael Stedile et al. 654 zando ligadura com ácido poliglicólico no selamento vas-cular do hilo espl...

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RESUMOForam avaliadas 24 gatas, hígidas, sem raça definida, distribuídas em três grupos de oito animais. Descreveu-se o acesso laparoscópico para ovariossalpingo-histerectomia (OSH) e comparou-se o uso do eletrocautério bipolar (grupo I), do clipe de titânio (grupo II) e da ligadura com fio de sutura (grupo III) para a oclusão dos vasos ovarianos e uterinos. Hemorragia e enfisema subcutâneo foram as principais complicações observadas no transoperatório e hematoma subcutâneo e deiscência de sutura, as do pós-operatório. O procedimento cirúrgico e a técnica operatória mostraram-se viáveis nos três grupos. O uso do eletrocautério bipolar apresentou vantagens na comparação com os outros métodos de hemostasia. Palavras-chave: gata, ovário-histerectomia, laparoscopia ABSTRACT Twenty-four healthy female mongrel cats were submitted to ovaryhisterectomy and distributed into three groups of eight animals each: (I) bipolar electrical cautery, (II) titanium clips, and (III