A 19-year-old male ostrich (Struthio camelus) was referred to a veterinary teaching hospital (São Paulo State University, Botucatu, Brazil) due to a 6-month history of recurrent prolapse of the phallus. On physical examination, 2 ulcerative wounds were present on the phallus, as well as caseous plaques and myiasis. Conservative treatment resulted in improvement but prolapse of the phallus remained. Thus, a decision was made to perform a partial phallectomy. The surgery was successful and no postoperative complications occurred. When the ostrich was reexamined 6 months postsurgery, the ostrich was alert, in good health, and the surgical site completely healed. The owner verbally reported no recurrence of the phallus prolapse 1 year after surgery.

Clostridioides difficile is a strictly anaerobic, spore-forming Gram-positive bacterium associated with diarrhea, known as C. difficile infection (CDI). In domestic animals, C. difficile is considered an important pathogen mostly in pigs and horses, but there are also reports in other domestic species. In wild animals, the epidemiology of C. difficile is largely unknown, and the role of the bacterium as a cause of diarrhea is unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of C. difficile in the feces of wild animals referred to the Center of Medicine and Research in Wild Animals (CEMPAS). Fecal samples obtained from 100 animals of 34 different species were subjected to qPCR for the detection of the C. difficile 16S rRNA gene and two major toxin genes (tcdA and tcdB) and to anaerobic bacterial isolation. A total of 63 animals (63%) were positive for C. difficile by qPCR, and 16 isolates were recovered. The opossum (Didelphis spp.) had the highest number of positive animals in both tests (from 21 samples, 19 were qPCR positive, and four isolates were recovered). Three toxigenic strains (RT 002, 004, and 014), all previously described as infecting humans and animals, were isolated in the following species: bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps), pampas fox (Lycalopex vetulus), and marmoset (Callithrix sp.). The presence of C. difficile in the feces of wild animals highlights the importance of wildlife as potential carriers of infection for production animals or humans.

The study aimed to characterize, through imaging examinations—including radiographs and computed tomography—the hip joint and the bones of the thigh, leg and feet in Lowland tapirs ( Tapirus terrestris ). Ten pelvic limbs were collected, two from juveniles and the remaining from adults. The femoral head exhibited a rounded morphology with a well‐defined fovea capitis and a short, thick neck. Three trochanters were identified, with the greater and third trochanters being particularly prominent. The femoral diaphysis was elongated and straight, and the distal end displayed a globular medial condyle and a flatter lateral condyle. The femoral trochlea consisted of medial and lateral trochlear crests of similar size, separated by a well‐defined trochlear groove. The proximal tibia showed slightly concave tibial plateaus, with the lateral condyle being wider and a prominent intercondylar eminence. The fibula was positioned laterally along the entire tibia, with the interosseous space preserved. The talus presented a well‐defined trochlea and a head articulating with the central tarsal bone. Tarsal bones I, III and IV were identified, with tarsal IV being elongated. Three metatarsals (II, III and IV) were observed, with metatarsal III relatively more developed. The third digit was larger than both the second and fourth digits. The Norberg angle, femoral head–neck inclination angle, mechanical lateral distal and proximal femoral angles, and anatomical medial proximal and lateral distal tibial angles were similar between the two imaging methods. In conclusion, the imaging examinations were complementary, enabling the characterization of morphological features reflecting the species' functional adaptations for cursorial and semi‐aquatic locomotion.

Os carcinomas mamários caninos são a neoplasia mais comumente diagnosticada em cadelas não castradas, e são a segunda neoplasia mais comumente encontrada dentre todas as neoplasias em cães. Assim como observado em tumores de mama em humanos, os tumores mamários malignos em cadelas possuem uma incidência de alta morbidade e mortalidade nos animais acometidos. Além da semelhança epidemiológica com dados encontrados na literatura humana sobre neoplasias mamárias, os tumores mamários caninos também possuem alta similaridade histopatológica e de fisiopatogenia. Os carcinomas mamários caninos possuem desenvolvimento multifatorial, os quais podem estar associados a raça, idade, status de castração do animal e, também, fatores genéticos. Os genes BRCA1 e BRCA2, quando mutados, têm grande importância na formação de tumores de mama em humanos e cães. Estes são genes com função importante na manutenção da estabilidade genômica. Devido a alta semelhança desta enfermidade entre a espécie canina e humana, é possível estudar a utilização de biomarcadores humanos para medicina veterinária. Mutações nos genes BRCA1 e BRCA2 são alvos de uso como biomarcadores bem definidos e estabelecidos para tumores de mama e de cérvix em mulheres, o seu uso tem relevância na medicina veterinária, assim como é observado na literatura humana. Com esta revisão, ressalta-se que é notório o potencial do uso dos genes BRCA1 e BRCA2 como biomarcadores para carcinomas mamários caninos a partir de estudos já existentes, porém, ainda são necessários mais estudos abordando esta temática.

This study characterized the non-traditional or “exotic” pets most frequently admitted to a referral center (Center for Medicine and Research in Wild Animals–CEMPAS) located in Botucatu, São Paulo state, Brazil, and identified the main reasons for admission according to affected body systems or sense organs. A retrospective review of medical records was performed over 11 years, and data were grouped into four vertebrate classes: reptiles, mammals, amphibians, and birds. From 2014 to 2019, bird admissions exceeded mammals (p = 0.0001), whereas no significant difference was observed from 2020 to 2024 (p = 0.625). Reptiles were the least represented, and no amphibians were recorded in any year. In the bird class (n = 961), cockatiels (Nymphicus hollandicus) were the most common species (47.76%), followed by domestic chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) (15.19%), and blue-fronted Amazons (Amazona aestiva) (8.01%). The digestive, integumentary, and musculoskeletal systems were the most affected. The mammal class accounted for 882 admissions, with rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) predominating (52.38%), followed by guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) (17.57%), brown rats (Rattus norvegicus) (10.77%), and Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) (6.00%). In these animals, digestive disorders were most common, followed by integumentary, musculoskeletal, and reproductive conditions. The reptile class accounted for 164 admissions, mainly tortoises (70.12%) and turtles (18.90%), with the integumentary, musculoskeletal, and digestive systems most frequently affected. Overall, birds and mammals were the most commonly admitted non-traditional or “exotic” pets, while the digestive and integumentary systems were the most frequently affected across species, emphasizing the value of regional epidemiological data for improving exotic animal veterinary care.

Coatis (Nasua nasua, Linnaeus, 1766), omnivorous mammals of the family Procyonidae of the order Carnivora, are ubiquitous in South America. Their diet varies seasonally, with a greater intake of invertebrates and small vertebrates during fruit-scarce periods. This study aimed to evaluate dental wear and dental formula variations in free-ranging coatis from Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil, using the modified Triadan system. Coatis typically have 40–42 teeth, with a dental formula of 2 × (3/3 incisors, 1/1 canines, 4/4 premolars, 2/2–3 molars). They exhibit heterodont, brachydont, and anisognathic dentition, with secodont and bunodont morphologies adapted to omnivorous feeding. Among nine coatis evaluated, 364 teeth were analyzed. Two males presented supernumerary lower third molars, considered a normal variation in the species. Two adults showed occlusal wear, including one female with no other visible oral disorders. A total of 26 teeth (7.1%) exhibited occlusal wear: 2 teeth (0.6%) had grade 1 (mild), 10 (2.7%) grade 2 (moderate), and 14 (3.8%) grade 3 (severe) wear. No teeth exhibited grade 4 (extreme) wear. Wear in coatis is likely physiological and may result from their anisognathic occlusion and abrasive diet. Tooth wear, involving loss of dental tissue through attrition or abrasion, is common in many wild species. Understanding these characteristics enhances knowledge of oral physiology and dental health in wildlife. These findings provide baseline data on dental morphology and wear in free-ranging coatis, supporting future clinical assessments and ecological research in wild carnivores.