Diagnóstico laboratorial em cães e gatos

O relatório de estágio curricular do Mestrado Integrado em Medicina Veterinária, aqui apresentado, encontra-se dividido em quatro partes distintas. A primeira corresponde à descrição do local de estágio, a segunda engloba a descrição das atividades desenvolvidas com a compilação da respetiva casuística e a terceira consiste numa revisão de literatura sobre as principais áreas laboratoriais acompanhadas: Bioquímica, Hematologia e Urianálise. Na quarta e última parte é abordado um caso clínico de Leishmaniose Canina, acompanhado durante o período de estágio. Este foi realizado no Laboratório Inno, Serviços Especializados em Veterinária, Lda., localizado em Braga, Portugal e abrangeu a área de Diagnóstico Laboratorial Veterinário. A escolha do tema prendeu-se com o grande interesse pela área da Patologia Clínica, associado à sua enorme importância em Medicina Veterinária. No decorrer do estágio, foram solicitadas 29967 análises: 19437 bioquímicas, 2964 hematológicas e 1031 urianálises. Neste relatório pretende-se destacar a importância destas áreas na formulação do diagnóstico médico-veterinário; Laboratory diagnosis in dogs and cats Abstract: This report of my curricular training integrated in the Veterinary Medicine Master Degree of Évora University is divided in three distinctive sections. The first one covers the description of the place where I develop my work - INNO, a specialized Veterinary Laboratory focused mainly on small animal diagnosis, placed in Braga, Portugal; the second one comprise the casuistic and the third is a systematic review of the main laboratory areas of actuation – Biochemistry, Hematology and Urinalysis. The fourth section describes one case of Canine Leishmaniosis accompanied during the period of training. In this period the lab received 29967 analysis, including the following specific exams by areas: biochemistry (n=19437), hematology (n=2964) and urinalysis (n=1031). The purpose of this report is enunciate and evolve about the main and crucial areas of medical diagnostic in small animal practice.

Establishment of antibody panels and histochemical techniques in routine tumor diagnosis in Veterinary Pathology

In Portugal, Veterinary Pathology is developing rapidly, and in recent years we assist to the emergence of private laboratories and the restructuring of universities,polytechnics and public laboratories.The Portuguese Society of Animal Pathology,through its actions and its associates has been keeping the discussion among its peers in order to standardizethe criteria of description,classification and evaluation of cases which are the subject of our daily work.One of the last challenges is associated with the use of routine histochemical techniques and immunohistochemistry, in an effort to establish standardized panels for tumour diagnosis, which could eventually reduce each analysis cost.For this purpose a simple survey was built, in which all collaborators answered questions about the markers used for carcinoma, sarcoma and round cell tumour diagnosis, as well as general questions related with the subject. We obtained twenty-one answered to the questions, from public and private laboratories.In general, in most cases immunohistochemical and histochemical methods are used for diagnosis.The wide spectrum cytokeratins are universally used to confirm carcinoma, and vimentin for sarcoma. The CD3 marker is used by all laboratories to identify T lymphocytes. For the diagnosis of B-cell lymphoma, the marker used is not consensual. In each laboratory there are different markers for more specific situations and only two labs perform PCR techniques for diagnosis. These data will be presented to promote extended discussion,namely to reach a consensus when different markers are used.

Veterinary allergy diagnosis: past, present and future perspectives

Fleas, several aeroallergens as well as many food allergens are the most common allergenic sources for animals and frequent cause of allergic reactions with different target organs such as skin, eyes, and respiratory or digestive systems. Allergy diagnosis needs to follow well-established guidelines under clinical and laboratory approaches. Since 1980 with the Hanifin & Rajka’s criteria for the diagnosis of atopic dermatitis (AD) in humans, successive proposals have been developed to identify atopic dermatitis in dogs. A consensual plan was first proposed by Willemse in 1986 undergoing several modifications in 1994. Prélaud and colleagues made important changes to the plan in 1998 and it was further adjusted by Favrot in 2009. In 2010, this plan was approved by the International Task Force on Canine Atopic Dermatitis (CAD). It was subjected in 2015 to minor updates with regard to therapeutic options. To improve diagnostic accuracy by integrating the basic knowledge on sensitization development and allergen nature and diversity, allergen sources and implicated molecular allergens for animals should be clearly identified. As well as in human medicine, this molecular epidemiology concept is essential for the veterinary allergy diagnosis in the near future, standing as the basis of a component-resolved diagnosis (CRD). Besides current pharma- cotherapy, it will be highly relevant to increase the efficiency of the avoidance measures and specific immunotherapy. Clinical guidelines will lead to at least 80 % of positive diagnosis of atopy, but newer laboratory methods in veterinary medicine aiming to a more precise diagnosis and a better integration of the clinical/laboratory diagnostic course are needed. Allergoms identification for animals, from different allergen sources proteoms should become a priority in veterinary allergology, in order to allow the intended CRD, which is essential to understand the cross-reaction phenomena, allowing a more precise and possibly effective component-resolved immunotherapy (CRIT). Further research has been carried out for a better understanding of the interaction between allergic clinical condition and immune pathophysiology. As well as in human medicine, a deeper knowledge of the molecular immunological mechanisms in veterinary allergy — with their specific allergen triggers — will also provide the veterinary allergist with the necessary information to act more efficiently in the future.