Abdominal B-mode and Doppler ultrasonography of chemically restrained agouti (Dasyprocta prymnolopha Wagler, 1831)

Abstract

Agoutis are small-sized wild animals whose body weight can reach up to 4kg, and are found throughout Brazil. They are considered important seed dispersers, especially for big trees and there are species that rely almost exclusively on these animals for their territorial distribution. The objective of the present study was B scan and Doppler ultrasound characterization of the abdominal organs of healthy agoutis reared in captivity. Fifteen agoutis, chemically restrained, were used from the Nucleus for Wild Animal Studies and Conservation (Núcleo de Estudos e Preservação de Animais Silvestres - NEPAS), CCA-UFPI, submitted to B scan and Doppler ultrasound examination. The urinary bladder wall was hyperechogenic, thin, smooth and regular throughout its anatomic path, with 0.09±0.03cm mean thickness. The kidneys showed fine and homogeneous echotexture, preserved global echogenicity, hyperechogenic in relation to the spleen and isoechogenic or discreetly hyperechogenic in relation to the liver. The spectral Doppler trace showed systolic and diastolic peaks, wide and thread-like, with low flow resistance and a continuous and full diastolic portion that decreased gradually during the diastole (75.83±1.42cm/s, for the right kidney and 80.43±1.22cm/s, for the left kidney). The right adrenal gland was 0.61-1.18cm long and 0.17-0.32cm in diameter, while the left adrenal gland was 0.62-1.16 long with 0.14-0.25cm diameter. The agouti spleen was filiform in shape, with pointed poles and 1.02±0.18cm in diameter. The agouti liver occupied all the abdominal cavity cranial space in direct contact with the diaphragm. The intrahepatic vascular flow allowed individualization of the portal vein (PV) and hepatic vein (HV). The portal veins were distinguished from the hepatic veins mainly by their wall echogenic pattern. The pancreas was 0.51±0.1 cm thick and the pancreatic duct measured 0.12±0.02cm. The stomach was placed to the left the spleen and to the right of the proximal intestine and the transversal colon and the walls were 0.16±0.05cm thick. The abdominal aorta was 0.43±0.04cm in diameter and showed 95.2±2.16cm/s vascular flow. This study characterized agouti organs and abdominal blood vessels by B scan and Doppler ultrasound, that permitted definition of the size, shape, position, echogenicity and echotexture of the anatomic constituents and established reference values for the vascular network and blood flow in the species.

Topographic and Morphometric Study on the Kidneys of Balady Rabbit Enhanced by Ultrasonographic, Radiographic and Computed Tomography Scan

“…The current investigation reported that, the renal cortex echogenicity was similar to or slightly less than the hepatic parenchyma which came on the same line with findings of Moarabiet al (2011) in New Zealand white rabbit and Tolai Hare and Dimitrov (2012), Redrobe (2013) and Banzato et al (2014a) in rabbit. WhileBanzato et al (2014b in rat and Pessoa et al (2018) in Agoutis demonstrated that, the renal cortex was more in echogenicity than the liver parenchyma.…”

Ocular Echobiometry and Resistivity Index of External Ophthalmic Artery in Agoutis (Dasyprocta prymnolopha)

“…As protocol was followed the methodology described by Pessoa et al [10], using a combination of ketamine hydrochloride 1 (40 mg/kg) and xylazina hydrochloride 2 (1 mg/kg), intramuscularly. The action of the drugs occurred about 10 min after application, and lasted 30 to 40 min, with no need for reapplication or complications.…”