TRABALHO DE CONCLUSÃO DE CURSO E RELATÓRIO DE ESTÁGIO OBRIGATÓRIO

Abstract

This Final Course Project describes the activities carried out during the Mandatory Curricular Internship in small animal clinical medicine and presents an epidemiological and morphological analysis of the occurrence of Onchocerca gutturosa in cattle slaughtered in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul. The internship was developed at the Vet Intensive veterinary clinic, in Campo Grande – MS, encompassing care in the areas of dermatology, endocrinology, cardiology, gastroenterology and dentistry, totaling 165 consultations, mostly involving dogs (147), with the highest incidence in dermatology (48.7%) and endocrinology (34.8%). In the research phase, 418 cervical ligaments of cattle from 12 municipalities were examined, collected from a slaughterhouse under federal inspection, of which 29.2% showed infection by Onchocerca spp., a prevalence lower than that described by Paiva et al. (1984). This reduction may be related to the widespread use of macrocyclic lactones, such as ivermectin, and the decrease in the average slaughter age, which reduces the animals' exposure time to vectors. Morphological characterization, performed by light microscopy, confirmed the specimens as *Onchocerca gutturosa* based on the cuticular striation pattern, sexual dimorphism, and spicule conformation. The findings reinforce the need for epidemiological updates on bovine filariasis and demonstrate the relevance of morphology for differential diagnosis and understanding of parasite biology. The combination of practical experiences from the internship and the scientific experience acquired contributed significantly to professional training, broadening clinical and parasitological understanding in veterinary medicine.