Síndrome do abscesso pituitário em bezerros na Região Centro-Oeste

Nose-Flap Devices Used for Two-Stage Weaning Produce Wounds in the Nostrils of Beef Calves: Case Report

This case report aims to describe the occurrence of negative impacts of wearing nose-flap devices on beef calves subjected to the two-stage weaning method. Forty-one calves, twenty-one pure Nellore and twenty F1 Angus-Nellore, were weaned on average at 236 days of age. Commercial nose-flap devices were fitted in the nostrils of the calves (d0) to prevent suckling and removed five days later (d5). Individual body weights were assessed at d0 and d5, and average daily gain (ADG) was calculated. At d5, during nose-flap device removal, it was noted that 26.8% of the calves lost the nose-flap device; however, all of them had wounds in their nostrils (no injuries in the nostrils had been observed on d0). To assess the severity of these injuries, an impairment score was assigned to each calf, ranging from 1 = no lesions to 5 = injured with purulent discharge. A logistic regression model was fitted to evaluate the effect of sex and genetic group on nose-flap retention (kept or lost). The retention rate did not differ (p > 0.05) between sex and genetic groups. All calves showed at least open wounds of the nasal septum (score 2), including those that lost the nose-flaps before d5. Almost half of the calves showed weight loss during this period. We conclude that there is a considerable risk of the two-stage weaning method compromising the physical integrity of the nostrils of beef calves through the use of these devices, and due to this, it should not be referred to as a low-stress weaning practice for beef calves.

Cerebrospinal fluid analysis in 58 ruminants showing neurological disorders

ABSTRACT: Ruminants may be affected by a wide variety of central nervous system (CNS) diseases. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis forms the basis for ante mortem diagnostic evaluation of ruminants with clinical signs involving the CNS. Despite its importance as a tool to aid diagnosis, data regarding CSF examinations in spontaneous cases of CNS diseases in ruminants from Brazil are limited, and most reports involve experimental studies. Therefore, this study aimed to report the results of CSF analysis in 58 ruminants showing signs of neurological disorders. CSF samples for analysis were obtained from 32 cattle, 20 sheep, and 6 goats by cerebello-medullary cistern (n=54) or lumbosacral space (n=4) puncture. These ruminants showed neurological signs related to viral (n=13), mycotic (n=3), or bacterial (n=15) infections, and toxic (n=21), traumatic (n=4), or congenital disorders (n=2). CSF analysis from ruminants with viral infections presented lymphocytic pleocytosis, even though CSF showed no changes in several cases of rabies. Neutrophilic pleocytosis, cloudiness, presence of fibrin clots, and abnormal coloration were evident in the CSF of most cases of CNS bacterial infection, such as meningoencephalitis, meningitis, abscesses, myelitis, and a case of conidiobolomycosis. On the other hand, CSF was unchanged in most cases of toxic disorders, as botulism and hepatic encephalopathy. Elevated CSF density was observed in 60% of ruminants diagnosed with polioencephalomalacia. Our findings show that evaluation of CSF is a valuable diagnostic tool when used in association with epidemiological, clinical and pathological findings for diagnosis of CNS diseases in ruminants.

Suppurative infectious diseases of the central nervous system in domestic ruminants

ABSTRACT: This study describes suppurative infectious diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) in domestic ruminants of southern Brazil. Reports from 3.274 cattle, 596 sheep and 391 goats were reviewed, of which 219 cattle, 21 sheep and 7 goats were diagnosed with central nervous system inflammatory diseases. Suppurative infectious diseases of the CNS corresponded to 54 cases (28 cattle, 19 sheep and 7 goats). The conditions observed consisted of listerial meningoencephalitis (8 sheep, 5 goats and 4 cattle), suppurative leptomeningitis and meningoencephalitis (14 cattle, 2 goats and 1 sheep), cerebral (6 cattle and 2 sheep), and spinal cord (7 sheep) abscesses, and basilar empyema (4 cattle and 1 sheep). Bacterial culture identified Listeria monocytogenes (9/54 cases), Escherichia coli (7/54 cases), Trueperella pyogenes (6/54 cases) and Proteus mirabilis (1/54 cases). All cases diagnosed as listeriosis through histopathology yielded positive immunostaining on immunohistochemistry, while 12/17 of the cases of suppurative leptomeningitis and meningoencephalitis presented positive immunostaining for Escherichia coli. Meningoencephalitis by L. monocytogenes was the main neurological disease in sheep and goats, followed by spinal cord abscesses in sheep. In cattle, leptomeningitis and suppurative meningoencephalitis was the most frequent neurological disease for the species, and E. coli was the main cause of these lesions. Basilar empyema, mainly diagnosed in cattle, is related to traumatic injuries, mainly in the nasal cavity, and the main etiologic agent was T. pyogenes.