Multiple, life-compatible, congenital physical deformities in association with splenic lymphangiomatosis in Zoogoneticus tequila (Webb & Miller, 1998)

The present case describes an adult female Zoogoneticus tequila showing a congenital, marked shortening with left deviation of the upper and lower jaws, in association with microphthalmia of the left eye. The fish was normally fed and had a normal reproductive behaviour. After spontaneous death occurred at an advanced age, the fish was submitted for necropsy examination, which revealed the presence of an oval, 1 cm × 0.5 cm × 0.5 cm in size, cystic structure containing clear amber fluid, located in the coelomic cavity, in place of the spleen. Histopathological examination revealed multiple cystic spaces empty or filled with a slightly eosinophilic, homogenous, proteinaceous material, and lined by flattened, vimentin-positive endothelial-like cells. Residual parts of splenic tissue were also admixed with cystic spaces, suggesting a final diagnosis of cystic lymphangiomatosis of the spleen, which has not been previously described in fish. This is the first report of multiple, life-compatible, congenital physical deformities in association with splenic lymphangiomatosis in Zoogoneticus tequila

Multifocal cutaneous peripheral nerve sheath tumors in a goldfish, Carassius auratus (L.)

The present case describes an adult pet goldfish (Carassius auratus L.) with multiple cutaneous peripheral nerve sheath tumors (PNSTs). PNSTs have been reported in goldfish, however the occurrence of multiple PNSTs with both malignant and benign histological features is unusual and a multicentric origin should be suspected

Tumor⁻Microenvironment Interaction: Analysis of Mast Cell Populations in Normal Tissue and Proliferative Disorders of the Canine Prostate

Mast cells (MCs) are involved in angiogenesis, tissue remodeling and immunomodulation in several human and animal tumors, although their exact role is still controversial. Since no information is available in canine prostate carcinoma (PC) and normal prostate tissues, the aims of this study were to evaluate the possible correlations between MC distribution, molecular expression and microvessel density (MVD) in normal prostatic tissue and proliferative disorders of the canine prostate. All samples (6 normal, 15 benign prostate hyperplasia-BPH, 8 PC) were stained with Toluidine Blue and immunohistochemically evaluated for tryptase, c-Kit (CD117) and CD31. Mast cell density (MCD) and MVD were quantified by the hot-spot method. MCD was significantly increased in periglandular/peritumoral areas, when compared with intraglandular/intratumoral areas, in all groups (p = 0.03). C-Kit expression was strongly associated with PC (ρ = 0.75 p = 0.03), whereas positive correlation between tryptase and c-Kit expression (ρ = 0.64 p = 0.01) was observed in periglandular areas of BPH. MVD showed a correlation with MCD in BPH (ρ = 0.54 p = 0.04). Our data support the importance of c-Kit in regulating MC proliferation. The predominant location of MCs in peritumoral areas of canine PC was similar to the human counterpart, in which PC cells are supposed to produce substances attracting MCs to the tumor microenvironment

p63 immunoexpression in hair follicles of normal and alopecia X-affected skin of Pomeranian dogs

Background: Alopecia X in Pomeranians is caused by a hair cycle deregulation, associated with downregulation of key regulatory genes of the Wnt and Shh pathways, and stem-cell markers. However, the pathogenesis remains unclear. p63 is an important transcription factor correlated with the aforementioned hair cycle modulating genes. Hypothesis/objectives: The aim of this study was to highlight possible changes of p63 immunohistochemical expression within the hair follicles in canine alopecia X compared with normal skin. Animals: Skin biopsies from 19 alopecia X-affected and six control Pomeranians were analysed. Materials and methods: Serial histological sections of skin biopsies harbouring anagen, telogen and kenogen hair follicles were immunohistochemically evaluated for differences in p63 expression in the affected and control samples. Results: Dogs with alopecia X had a significantly decreased immunoexpression of p63 in telogen and kenogen hair follicles. Conclusions and clinical relevance: The decrease of p63 immunoexpression observed in canine alopecia X suggests an involvement of p63 in hair cycle

Unexpected Cardiac Death During Anaesthesia of a Young Rabbit Associated with Fibro-fatty Replacement of the Right Ventricular Myocardium

A 6-month-old female pet rabbit was presented for routine ovariectomy. The pre-anaesthetic evaluation was unremarkable and no anaesthetic complications occurred during the procedure. However, at the end of the surgery, the rabbit suddenly showed acute bradycardia and cardiac death. Necropsy examination revealed marked dilation of the right ventricle, associated with diffuse thinning of the right ventricular free wall. Gross and histopathological findings were suggestive of a congenital dilated cardiomyopathy characterized by fibro-fatty replacement of the right ventricular myocardium. Similar myocardial lesions have not been previously described in rabbits, although they have been documented in myocardial diseases of man, dogs, cats, cattle, horses and chimpanzees