Ganglioneuromatosis is a rare disorder characterized by hyperplasia of intestinal ganglia including myenteric plexus and enteric nerve fibers. This disorder is generally described in children, but ...sporadic cases have also been described in adults. Most human cases arise in the colon and rectum. The disorder has also been described in dogs, mostly juveniles, but rarely in mature dogs with the oldest dog reported with this change being 9 years old.
We report the first case in an older dog from Croatia. A 13-year old female, mixed-breed dog had a history of diarrhea and weight loss. Ultrasound revealed focally-extensive markedly thickened small intestine. The changed part of the intestine, measuring 7 mm x 20 mm, was removed on laparotomy and delivered for histopathologic examination. Grossly, the intestine showed circumferential expansion of the intestinal wall, which was whitish in color. Microscopic findings included diffuse hyperplasia of the myenteric and submucous plexus. Focally in the affected tissue a subacute ulcer was evident, which was probably not the cause of intestinal signs, as it presented a localized lesion, while ganglioneuromatosis was a diffuse change in the affected tissue.
So far, ganglioneuromatosis was reported in young dogs, rarely in adult dogs. Our report shows that ganglioneuromatosis can also be encountered in older dogs. Although the lesion presents a rare finding, it should be listed as a differential diagnosis in dogs where infectious and neoplastic etiology has been ruled out as cause of diarrhea.
Mast cells (MCs) are an evolutionary well-conserved type of cells, mediating and modulating allergic responses in innate immunity and tissue remodeling after chronic inflammation. Among other ...tissues, they inhabit both the testis and epididymis. In the testis, MCs usually appear in the interstitial compartment in humans, but not in other standard experimental models, like rats and mice. MCs seem to be responsible for testicular tissue fibrosis in different causes of infertility. Although experimental animal models follow the effect on MC activation or penetration to the interstitial tissue like in humans to some extent, there is an inconsistency in the available literature regarding experimental design, animal strain, and detection methods used. This comprehensive review offers an insight into the literature on MCs in mammalian testes and epididymides. We aimed to find the most suitable model for research on MC and offer recommendations for future experimental designs. When using in vivo animal models, tunica albuginea incorporation and standard histological assessment need to be included. Domesticated boar strains kept in modified controlled conditions exhibit the highest similarity to the MC distribution in the human testis. 3D testicular models are promising but need further fine-tuning to become a valid model for MC investigation.
Ichthyoses are hereditary cornification disorders that manifest with abnormal differentiation and desquamation of keratinocytes in a form of generalized dry and scaly skin. In golden retriever dogs, ...autosomal recessive congenital ichthyosis (ARCI) has been associated with mutations in the
gene. In human medicine, isotretinoin is frequently used to treat ARCIs. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical and histological effects of isotretinoin on ARCI in a golden retriever dog with confirmed mutation in the
gene. Clinical examination, blood analysis and histopathological examinations were conducted before and after 90 days of isotretinoin therapy. The clinical and histopathological findings indicate that treatment with oral isotretinoin was effective in improving ichthyosis without any side-effects.
Background
Symmetrical alopecia is a common symptom of endocrine and autoimmune diseases, which are rarely manifested with pruritus. Increased levels of stress in primates have been presented with ...increased levels of pruritus and alopecia appearance.
Methods
A pruritic and alopecic disease was investigated in a group of tufted capuchin monkeys (N = 12), but due to ethical reasons, four random animals were further investigated by numerous diagnostic methods. The impact of food and enclosure enrichment was assessed and observed over a 2‐year period.
Results
Histopathology of four random tufted capuchin monkeys revealed lymphocytic perifolliculitis, with an appearance of a “swarm of bees” which was suggestive of alopecia areata. Etiological classification of pruritus excluded dermatological, systemic, and neurological causes, making it behavioral. Enclosure and food enrichment had a beneficial impact on pruritus (12/12) and alopecia (10/12).
Conclusion
The findings were suggestive of alopecia areata, while the pruritus was considered behavioral in origin. Alopecia and pruritus improved upon enclosure and food enrichment.
Marked lateral ventricular enlargement associated with atrophic cerebral cortex is described in three dogs. In case 1 (Irish terrier) and case 2 (German shepherd), hydranencephaly was diagnosed and ...it was characterized by the complete loss of cerebral hemispheres, leaving only about 2 mm of brain tissue that encircled fluid filled sacs. Clinically, the Irish terrier showed only sleepines and retroflexion of the head during sleeping, while the German shepherd showed no neurological or any other symptoms. In the third case (English setter), internal hydrocephalus was found, probably secondary to the severe periventricular lesions characterized by neutrophilic/ mononuclear cell infiltration. This lesion was diagnosed as hydrocephalus associated with periventricular encephalitis, and this dog showed more severe neurological symptoms, such as: somnolence, opisthotonus, rigor of muscles due to seizures, poor eye-sight, stager, ataxia, and unresponsivness to vocalisation. In all cases, no infectious agent or specific cause was determined. Key words: dog, cavitatory lesions, hydranencephaly, hydrocephalus, periven_ricular encephalitis Vrlo jako prosirenje lateralnih mozdanih klijetki praceno s jakom atrofijom mozdane kore prikazano je kod tri psa. U prvom slucaju (irski terijer) i drugom slucaju (njemacki ovcar) opisana je hidranencefalija karakterizirana potpunim gubitkom mozdanih polutki ostavljajuci samo oko 2 mm mozdanog tkiva sto predstavlja tekucinom ispunjene vrece. Klinicki je irski terijer pokazivao samo pospanost i retrofleksiju glave tijekom spavanja, a njemacki ovcar nije pokazivao neuroloske ni druge znakove bolesti. U trecem slucaju (engleski seter), unutarnji hidrocefalus vjerojatno je bio sekundaran zbog teskog periventrikularnog ostecenja karakteriziranog neutrofilnim/mononuklearnim stanicnim infiltratom. Ta je lezija dijagnosticirana kao hidrocefalus povezan s periventrikularnim encefalitisom, a pas je pokazivao teske neuroloske znakove kao sto su pospanost, opistotonus, grcevi misica, poteskoce s vidom, vrtoglavica, ataksija i nereagiranje na zvucne podrazaje. U sva tri slucaja nije utvrden infekciozni ni drugi specifican uzrok. Kljucne rijeci: pas, kavitatorne lezije, hidranencefalija, hidrocefalus, perivaskularni encefalitis
One of the current leading causes of death in pet cats is neoplasia. The scarcity of data on tumor prevalence in cats from south-eastern Europe led to this retrospective study which reports an ...abundant collection of tumors diagnosed in cats living in Croatia. Archived histopathology findings (diagnosis, cell origin, and biological behavior), and epidemiological data (breed, sex, age, and anatomical site of the tumor) of the cats diagnosed with at least one tumor were collected and statistically analyzed. For the research, 2338 archived feline samples, obtained from 2009-2019, have been reviewed. In 659 samples (28.1%) one or more tumors were diagnosed. Tumors have most often affected non-pedigree cats, cats between 7 and 15 years of age, and female cats. Most tumors showed malignant behavior (85.7%). The most frequent diagnoses were mammary adenocarcinoma, lymphoma, and squamous cell carcinoma. Regarding origin, most samples were epithelial (46.9%), but mesenchymal (28.7%) and lymphoid tumors (17.0%) were also frequently found. Tumors most often occurred in the skin and subcutis, mammary gland (in females), digestive system, and hemolymphatic system (in males). Statistical analysis did not reveal breed, sex, and age predisposition, but female animals and non-pedigree cats were significantly more likely to develop malignant tumors. This detailed study gives insight into the most frequent tumors that occur in cats from Croatia, and the data reported here is likely applicable to other countries. This data will contribute to clinical veterinary oncology, as it presents the most extensive tumor index of cats in south-eastern Europe.
Circumanal gland (CG) tumors are common neoplasms of older dogs. Of these, only circumanal gland carcinomas show clear metastatic potential, and even so metastases seem to be uncommon. ...Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a process that facilitates the initial steps of metastasis, and to date it has not been systematically investigated in CG tumors. Insight into the occurrence of this process would be a valuable asset in understanding the biology of these tumors. To test the occurrence of EMT we used three immunohistochemical markers that alter their expression in this process, namely – E-cadherin, N-cadherin, and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9). Additionally, we used the Ki-67 marker of proliferation. The samples used consisted of 15 adenomas, 11 epitheliomas, 21 well-differentiated carcinomas, seven poorly differentiated carcinomas, and ten samples of normal CG. The results of N-cadherin were negative for all samples. E-cadherin was highly expressed in all groups, but was slightly lower in semi-malignant and malignant tumors; MMP-9 marking was generally very low, but significantly higher in semi-malignant or malignant tumors when compared to benign or non-neoplastic CG. The index of proliferation (Ki-67) was significantly higher for semi-malignant or malignant CG tumors when compared to benign CG tumors or normal CG. These results show that with an increase in the histologic malignancy of these tumors there is a slight drop in E-cadherin, a slight rise in MMP-9, and a significant increase in Ki-67. Therefore, these results suggest the possibility that EMT occurs within the malignant or even semi-malignant forms of CG tumors, but probably as a rare and late event. Further studies are needed to prove or disprove these statements.
The medical records databases (March 2016 to March 2021) of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, were examined to determine the frequency and clinical relevance of cytological ...diagnoses from fine-needle fenestration biopsy (FNFB) of the spleen in dogs with visible ultrasound changes. Seventy-five dogs were divided into clinically relevant and irrelevant groups, according to the clinical relevance of the diagnosis. The incidence of clinically relevant diagnoses was 28/75 (37.3%). Malignant diagnoses were over-represented (23/28; 82.1%), followed by hemorrhages/hematomas (3/28; 10.7%) and suppurative inflammation (2/28; 7.1%). The most common malignancy was lymphoma (12/28; 42.9%). There was no correlation between the ultrasound lesions examined and the relevant cytological diagnoses, except in cases of patchy echo texture (P = 0.010). Lesion size greater than 1.74 cm had the highest sensitivity/specificity values (91.3%; 42.1%) with a significant area under the curve (AUC) of 0.68 (P = 0.029) for predicting clinically relevant findings. The complication rate due to bleeding was 2/130 (1.5%). In conclusion, splenic FNFB can be safely performed in dogs as it carries a low risk of development of complications. Specific ultrasonographic findings, such as patchy echo texture pattern, may increase the suspicion of the presence of neoplastic disease in the form of lymphoma. According to ROC analysis, lesion size greater than 1.74 increases the possibility of predicting clinically relevant findings.
Cytology is the diagnostic procedure of the microscopic evaluation of cells. It is becoming increasingly important and more frequently used in veterinary diagnostics, having many advantages including ...simplicity, speed and low cost. To determine the pathological changes diagnosed by cytology in cats, as well as the distribution of age, breed and gender in the diagnosed changes, we performed a retrospective study on slides submitted to the Department of Veterinary Pathology for routine cytological examination. The archive was searched for all feline cytology slides submitted from 2009 to 2018. All the slides were re-evaluated and classified into one of the four pathological processes: ‘neoplasia’, ‘inflammation’, ‘other condition’ or ‘non-diagnostic sample’. Breed, age, gender and the tissue from which the lesion was sampled were noted from the submission form, and statistically analyzed. The most frequent type of pathological process diagnosed was neoplasia, which reflects the high prevalence of neoplastic diseases in cats reported in literature data. Pathological changes were mostly diagnosed in domestic shorthaired cats of both sexes, with an average age of 8.4 years, but no breed, age or gender predisposition was found. The most evaluated tissue was skin, probably due to its accessibility and the ease of obtaining a sample from skin lesions. The most frequent neoplasia were malignant and the most frequent diagnosis was round cell neoplasia. Cats affected with round cell neoplasia had a significantly lower average age (7.3 years) than cats diagnosed with epithelial and mesenchymal neoplasia (9.9 and 10.3 years, respectively), probably reflecting the common retroviral infection in Croatian cats.
A granular cell tumor (GCT) in the central nervous system (CNS) of a ferret is a rare finding. In this case a cerebral GCT is described in a 5-year-old castrated female ferret. The animal developed ...lameness in right hind leg which progreseed to total ataxia. The animal died and a necropsy revealed the mass in the medial to caudal part of the left frontal lobe of the brain. Based on histological and imunohistochemical findings, tumor was diagnosed as granular cell tumor. Immunohistochemically, granular cells were diffusely positive for vimentin and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and weakly focal reactivity for S-100 protein was seen. Neoplastic cells did not express cytokeratins and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Although immunohistochemistry was performed, histogenesis of this tumor remains unsolved and controversial.
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