Técnica e parâmetros ecodopplercardiográficos em tamanduás-bandeiras (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) de vida livre

Abstract

The objective of this work was to describe the technique of performing Doppler echocardiography and present the parameters found in the examination of free-living giant anteaters (Myrmecophaga tridactyla Linnaeus, 1758). The study examined 5 adult animals under chemical restraint, with two different anesthetic protocols for induction and maintenance with isofluorane, and 3 physically restrained pups. Right lateral and ventrodorsal radiographic projections of the patients were performed. The echocardiographic exams were performed with the animal in left lateral decubitus, in the left parasternal window, making four cuts of the cardiac silhouette, two longitudinal and two transverse for evaluation of systolic and diastolic cardiac parameters, analyzing the interventricular septum, left ventricular diameter, free wall, ejection fraction, shortening fraction and the diameter of the aorta and left atrium. The weight data (Kg) of each animal were associated with their respective echocardiographic data and submitted to correlation studies and linear regressions to obtain representative equations for each association. These same associations were performed with canine data to compare and verify possible extrapolations between dogs and anteaters. Right parasternal and pulmonary artery transverse scans could not be obtained in healthy anteaters, and the corresponding transverse sections were performed in left parasternal windowing. The correlations between echocardiological parameters and weight proved to be reliable and can be used as a simulation model in anteaters (confidence level greater than 99%). When comparing the associations of weight and echocardiographic measurements of anteaters with those of canines, the elevations and regression coefficients were divergent in most parameters and statistically different, except for the left atrial diameter parameter. This allows us to infer that the echocardiographic parameters of canines cannot be extrapolated to anteaters, except for the association between weight and left atrial diameter.