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Post-mortem Findings in Irish Culled Hounds
Abstract
Little is known of the common diseases of hunting dogs or of the reasons why they are culled. To address these questions, necropsy examinations were conducted on 52 hounds aged 1.5-12 years (mean 6.5 ± 2.5 years) and culled from 10 Irish hunting kennels over a 3-year period. Progressive systemic disease was seen in six dogs only and encompassed individual cases of tuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium bovis, bronchioalveolar carcinoma with metastasis to regional lymph nodes, renal amyloidosis, suppurative pneumonia, extramedullary plasmacytoma in the atrial wall of the heart and foreign body-induced hepatitis with focal peritonitis. Single or multiple localized tumours were identified in five dogs and, apart from the aforementioned, included two cutaneous haemangiomas, a trichoepithelioma, a lipoma and a mammary ductal adenoma. Three dogs were culled for lameness; one of these dogs had torn musculature, another had cellulitis and the third had a healed fracture of the tibia and fibula. Chronic renal changes were present in 48% of the dogs and included focal proliferative, exudative or crescentic glomerulonephritis (33%) or low-grade interstitial inflammatory changes (50%). The most frequently diagnosed skin lesions reported in this study were mild healed decubitus ulcers (33%), scars (33%) and stereotypic dermatitis (13%). These findings indicate that hounds are likely to be culled for reasons other than the presence of disease in most cases. In addition, this survey highlights different disease patterns in hounds than are typically observed in pet dogs.
... Hounds typically start hunting when around 18 months old, so these hounds will have been culled when 7.5 to 8.5 years old. The average age of 52 foxhounds culled in Ireland was 6.5 years, with a range of 1.5 to 12 years (Jahns et al., 2011). So it would appear that most foxhounds are culled when around half to two-thirds of their life expectancy of around 11 years (Fogle, 2000). ...
... Despite the large number of hounds being euthanized each year, the only detailed analysis of the health of hunting hounds in Britain and Ireland is a study of 52 culled hounds (42 foxhounds, 10 beagles) from ten Irish hunting kennels. No reason was given for culling 15 of the hounds, 10 were culled for behavioural changes, 10 for being too slow, 6 for being too old, 4 for chronic skin disease, 4 for clinical disease and 3 for lameness (Jahns et al., 2011). ...
... Nine (17%) of the 52 randomly-selected hounds included in the Irish study had debilitating, progressive, potentially fatal diseases, including one case of bovine tuberculosis (bTB). Worryingly, most of these animals were culled for other reasons and the case of bTB would not have been detected if that particular hound had not been included in the study (Jahns et al., 2011). This strongly suggests that large numbers of other cases of diseases in working hounds go undetected, because the hounds are simply culled and disposed of when they are no longer able to hunt with the rest of the pack. ...
... On the one hand this conclusion is caveated by the possibility of under-reporting through lack of systematic surveillance for TB in dogs. Alternatively, the conclusion is supported by a survey of culled hounds from ten Irish hunting kennels, over a 3-year period(2003)(2004)(2005), which identified M. bovis infection in one of 52 foxhounds submitted for PME as part of the survey(Jahns, Callanan, McElroy, Sammin, & Bassett, 2011). ...
Mycobacterium bovis can cause tuberculosis (TB) in social mammals including lions, cattle and man, but canine infections are considered rare. In 2016/17 we investigated a M. bovis TB outbreak in a pack of approximately 180 Foxhounds within the bovine TB Edge Area of England. We employed a combination of immunological tests including an interferon gamma release assay (IGRA) and a serological assay (DPP VetTB, Chembio). Test‐positive hounds were euthanased and subjected to post‐mortem examination (PME). Overall 164 hounds were tested; 97 (59%) responded positively to at least one test. Eighty‐five (52%) dogs responded to M. bovis antigens by IGRA while only 21 (12.9%) had detectable serological responses. At PME three hounds (3.1%) had visible lesions (VL) due to M. bovis infection, later confirmed by culture. Samples from 24 non‐VL hounds were cultured and M. bovis infection was confirmed in a further three hounds (11%). This study is the first investigation and report of an outbreak of M. bovis TB in a canine species. We establish that, in principle, diagnostic tests used for identifying infected individuals of other species can effectively be used in the dog. Further work is urgently needed to establish the sensitivity and specificity of the testing approach used in this study for future clinical application.
Herding and hunting dogs are intense, high-drive dogs that work, and often live, outdoors and in constant or repeated close contact with domestic and wild animals. These dogs are at increased risk for injury and exposure to infectious diseases, toxic substances, and environmental threats. The common practice of feeding or allowing access to raw meat from farm or game animals enhances disease transmission risk. These dogs can be affected by infectious diseases and injurious agents that are rarely encountered in other groups of dogs. In addition, their extreme work ethic may lead to delays in diagnosis.
We would like to report on three recent cases of tuberculosis (TB) in dogs caused by Mycobacterium bovis , following bites from wildlife.
The most recent case concerned a healthy seven-year-old pet/working, male entire Patterdale terrier that went rabbit hunting in March 2009 in an area of
The canine extramedullary plasmacytoma (cEMP) has recently been the subject of numerous investigations, indicating that the histomorphologic diagnosis is often difficult because of the variety of morphologic features. Therefore, the objective of this study was to establish a subclassification scheme for cEMPs and to evaluate correlations between the types and malignancy. Retrospectively, 117 cEMPs, all immunohistochemically characterized by a monoclonal immunoglobulin light-chain expression, were collected and assigned to morphologic types. These types were compared using data from a follow-up study on metastasis and tumor recurrence, then compared by proliferation rate, determined by immunohistochemical detection of the antigen Ki-67. Histopathologic typing revealed five different types of cEMPs, ranging from the mature type with typical plasma cells to the polymorphous-blastic type. Between these two forms, three additional types were established: hyaline, cleaved, and asynchronous. Most of the cEMPs were of the cleaved and asynchronous types. In all cEMPs, mononuclear and multinuclear giant cells were present to varying degrees. Although the results of cell proliferation and the follow-up study indicated less benign behavior by the polymorphous-blastic type, the proliferation rate revealed no statistically significant differences among the cEMP types. The clinical data therefore confirmed previous findings that the risk of tumor recurrence and metastasis in general can be classed as low. The established cEMP typing system is probably a very helpful diagnostic tool, although the types cannot be used for a tumor grading system.
This study presents data on over 350,000 insured Swedish dogs up to 10 years of age contributing to over one million dog-years at risk (DYAR) during 1995-2000. A total of 43,172 dogs died or were euthanised and of these 72% had a claim with a diagnosis for the cause of death. The overall total mortality was 393 deaths per 10,000 DYAR. Mortality rates are calculated for the 10 most common breeds, 10 breeds with high mortality and a group including all other breeds, crudely and for general causes of death. Proportional mortality is presented for several classifications. Five general causes accounted for 62% of the deaths with a diagnosis (i.e. tumour (18%), trauma (17%), locomotor (13%), heart (8%) and neurological (6%)). Mortality rates for the five most common diagnoses within the general causes of death are presented. These detailed statistics on mortality can be used in breed-specific strategies as well as for general health promotion programs. Further details on survival and relative risk by breed and age are presented in the companion paper (Egenvall et al. 2005).
A survey was made of the prevalence, diagnosis and treatment of dermatological conditions in small animals in general practice in the UK. Out of 3707 small animal consultations in general practice that were observed and recorded, 795 (21.4 per cent) involved animals that had a dermatological problem. In dogs and exotic species, pruritus was the most common presenting sign, accounting for 30 to 40 per cent of the dermatological consultations. In cats, cutaneous swellings were the most common presentation (36 per cent). A diagnosis or recommendation for treatment was made on the basis of the presenting clinical signs and physical examination alone in 576 (72 per cent) of the cases, and various diagnostic tests were performed in the other cases. In dogs, parasitic infestations, bacterial infections and neoplasia accounted for the majority of the diagnoses. In cats, parasites and bacterial infections were the most common. In exotic species, parasites accounted for over 80 per cent of the dermatological diagnoses. In dogs, the most common final diagnoses were otitis, pyoderma, anal sac impaction, flea infestation and atopic dermatitis. In cats, abscesses, flea infestation, and otitis were the most common diagnoses. In exotic species, the most common diagnosis was an unspecified mite infestation. Systemic antibiotics were prescribed in 196 cases (25 per cent), systemic glucocorticoids were prescribed in 162 cases (20 per cent) and treatment with an ectoparasiticide was prescribed in 167 cases (21 per cent).
For some 40 years, the development of the pituitary gland has been the subject of numerous studies. Several aspects of the origin, differentiation, and commitment of the pituitary cells, however, are still in doubt. The pituitary gland of several species apparently originates from the anterior ridge of the neural plate. Glandular pituitary cells can be committed very soon in embryonic life, as early as at the open neural stages. Numbers of differentiation and transcription factors may then control the expression of a given phenotype from the committed cells. Many questions remain unanswered about factors underlying such cellular commitment. These issues call for further studies to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of known and unknown factors controlling the embryology of the pituitary gland.
Tumors of the Upper Respiratory Tract Tumors of the Lung
Mycobacteria of feline importance include (1) obligate pathogens (tuberculosis), (2) mycobacteria that are difficult to grow, so the environmental niche is unknown (feline leprosy syndrome), and (3) facultative pathogenic opportunistic saprophytes (non-tuberculous mycobacteriosis). Most cats present with cutaneous disease, although some have systemic involvement. Diagnosis is challenging because there are no pathognomonic histopathological changes and many mycobacteria fail to culture so molecular diagnostics are required. Treatment can involve extended multi-drug therapy and prognosis is variable. This article reviews the microbiology, clinical diagnosis, management and prognosis of feline mycobacterial infections.
The association between breed, sex and canine heart valve incompetence was investigated by means of an observational study of a veterinary clinic population. Odds ratio estimations revealed statistically significant positive associations between some small and medium-sized breeds and heart valve incompetence, and significant negative associations between some large breeds and heart valve incompetence. The log odds, determined for each breed and sex, indicated that males were more susceptible than females.
Salmonella montevideo is a recognised cause of ovine abortion and can cause disease in other domestic animals and humans. The organism was isolated from the aborted fetuses of a bitch from a pack of foxhounds. The subsequent collection of rectal swabs from the foxhounds at approximately two week intervals over a 48-day period resulted in the isolation of S montevideo from 50 of the 61 hounds in the pack on one or more occasions. Some of the hounds had gained access to an open pit containing dead ewes and aborted fetuses on a farm where the housed ewe flock was experiencing S montevideo infection. The S montevideo isolates from both the ovine and canine samples had a plasmid of 120 kilobases with an identical restriction endonuclease fragmentation pattern. The only other isolate from a contemporary outbreak lacked this plasmid. It was concluded that this case offered further evidence of the potential for salmonella infection to be spread by the scavenging of carcasses.
Despite the clinical recognition of multiple distinct types of neoplasia in individual dogs, a detailed description of such cases has not recently been published. Canine oncology cases that were diagnosed with multiple, confirmed, distinct malignancies were prospectively collected for analysis. Approximately 3% of 1722 dogs that were presented to the oncology service at the Colorado State University Veterinary Medical Center were diagnosed with multiple distinct primary tumors. No significant breed or sex predisposition was apparent. Dogs with mast cell tumor, malignant melanoma, and thyroid carcinoma were significantly overrepresented and thus more likely to be diagnosed with multiple tumor types. These findings emphasize the importance of thorough, whole-body evaluation for dogs presented with mast cell tumor, malignant melanoma, and thyroid carcinoma. Furthermore, because approximately 33% of dogs that were presented with thyroid tumors were found to have additional distinct tumors, complete staging is justified in all dogs presented with thyroid tumors.
To establish predilection sites of obstruction and to investigate clinical factors associated with a poor outcome.
A retrospective study of 208 consecutive cases over a 48-month period from first-opinion practice.
Overall, 91 per cent of cases recovered with higher survival rates from discrete foreign bodies (94 per cent in dogs and 100 per cent in cats) as opposed to linear foreign bodies (80 per cent in dogs and 63 per cent in cats). English bull terriers, springer spaniels, Staffordshire bull terriers, Border collies and Jack Russell terriers were over-represented. In dogs, 63 per cent of obstructions occurred in the jejunum but foreign objects were encountered at all points along the gastrointestinal tract. A longer duration of clinical signs, the presence of a linear foreign body and multiple intestinal procedures were associated with significantly increased mortality. Neither the degree of obstruction (partial or complete) nor the location of the foreign body was shown to have a significant influence on survival.
Prompt presentation, diagnosis and surgical intervention improve the outcome of gastrointestinal obstruction by foreign bodies. At surgery, the minimal number of intestinal procedures should be performed to restore the integrity of the alimentary tract.
Four hundred and twenty beagles 1 to 4 years of age were examined for spontaneous pathological changes. In the liver were seen fine granular gallstones (87.5%), granulomas (59.9%), intranuclear hyaline inclusions (52.6%), lipofuscin deposition (50%) and eosinophilic inclusions (3.7%) in the cytoplasm of hepatocytes and parenchymal necrosis at the base of the ligaments (7.3%). Intranuclear hyaline inclusions and lipofuscin deposition were more frequently seen in dogs after being subjected to tests for more than 13 weeks. Besides, hyperplasia of follicular epithelial cells of the thyroid gland (46.3%), Gandy-Gamna like bodies of the splenic capsule (43.1%), small cysts in the anterior lobe of the hypophysis (35.1%) and prostatitis (13,7%) were observed. Lesions due to migration of Toxocara canis larvae were detected in the liver, kidney, lung and other organs from 33.1% of cases examined.
An outbreak of acute paralysis in a pack of foxhounds, which followed the ingestion of raw and partially cooked meat, was almost certainly due to botulism. Botulinal toxin was detected in the serum of one of three hounds which recovered, and Clostridium botulinum type C was present in a sample of meat remaining from a batch fed to the hounds.
Renal amyloidosis was confirmed in 6 related male and female Beagles, ranging in age from 5 to 11 years. The most commonly reported signs of illness included lethargy, anorexia, vomiting, and weight loss. Common clinicopathologic abnormalities were normocytic, normochromic anemia; hypoalbuminemia; azotemia; hypercholesterolemia; proteinuria; and urine specific gravity values below the normal range. Histologic examination of renal tissue from the 6 Beagles revealed moderate to severe glomerular amyloidosis with inconsistently observed mild medullary interstitial amyloidosis. Congo red-stained kidney sections from 4 of 4 affected dogs were potassium permanganate-sensitive, suggestive of reactive amyloidosis. Hereditary predisposition for renal amyloidosis was suspected in these Beagles.
Thoracic radiographs demonstrated a needle-like foreign body within the myocardium of a three-year-old male labrador retriever examined for an unrelated illness. Six months later the dog became lethargic and inappetent. The original foreign body had not moved, and a second needle was present in the stomach. Laparotomy and gastrotomy revealed a sewing needle which had perforated the lesser curvature of the stomach and was migrating cranially. An organised fibrous band extended through the diaphragm, and it is suspected that the original myocardial foreign body had migrated from the stomach by this route.
The medical records of 59 dogs with renal amyloidosis were reviewed. Most dogs with amyloidosis were greater than 6 years old, and females were affected more often than males. Beagles, Collies, and Walker Hounds were at increased risk, whereas German Shepherd Dogs and mixed-breed dogs were at decreased risk. Common historical findings were anorexia, polyuria, polydipsia, lethargy, vomiting, and weight loss. Common laboratory findings were leukocytosis, lymphopenia, nonregenerative anemia, hypercholesterolemia, azotemia, hyperphosphatemia, metabolic acidosis, isosthenuria, cylindruria, and proteinuria. Proteinuria was moderate to severe in most dogs, as assessed by qualitative determination of urine protein concentration, urine protein/urine creatinine ratio, and 24-hour urine protein excretion. Conservative medical management was of little value, and survival ranged from 3 to 20 months in 12 dogs for which this information was available. Moderate to severe diffuse global glomerular amyloidosis was detected in all dogs. Medullary amyloid deposition was multifocal and less severe, but was evident in most dogs. Secondary tubulointerstitial and glomerular lesions were mild or absent in most dogs. Thromboembolism was identified in approximately 14% of affected dogs, underlying inflammatory disease in 37%, and neoplasia in 20%. Laboratory indicators of renal function correlated poorly with histologic lesions, with the exception of glomerular amyloid deposition and "chronic renal disease" index with endogenous creatinine clearance.
Studies of a foxhound pack and gundog kennel in Clwyd, Wales showed 47 of 162 foxhounds (29%) and six of 25 gundogs (24%) to be infested with cestodes. Taeniia species were found in both groups, T. hydatigena being most common. Echinococcus granulosus and Dipylidium caninum were found in hounds only.
The husbandry of the dogs was investigated and close relationships were found between diet, worming procedures and cestode infestation. These dogs play an important role in disseminating cestode eggs in the environment. Recommendations for control of the problem are made. Foxhounds and other hunting dogs play a particularly important role in the life-cycle of cestodes because their diet frequently includes uncooked carcasses and because they hunt over large areas of countryside, facilitating the widespread dissemination of infective eggs.
Renal disease is common in dogs. The incidence of significant renal disease increases with age. Many disease processes are subtle and subacute, and so many are not detected until they result in chronic renal failure. The causes of many renal diseases are not known but one must suspect immune-mediated damage in some.
Postmortem examination of 1000 commercially bred Beagle dogs used in 39 drug-safety evaluations showed a spectrum of concurrent lesions of spontaneous, subclinical disease that was used to develop a profile of lesions. This profile included the gross observations and the histopathologic findings in at least 36 different tissues from 647 of these dogs. The incidence, sex distribution, and etiologic classification of 77 different spontaneous lesions and the occurrence of four species of parasites are indicated. The profile provides a means of differentiating concurrent, spontaneous lesions from those induced by experimental procedures in ‘normal’ Beagle dogs.
A retrospective study of necropsy data for 2,002 dogs showed that the mean age at death of neutered dogs of both sexes exceeded that of intact dogs, but the differences were not significant. A wide variation in mean age at death of 56 breeds and cross breeds, 3.0 to 9.9 years, was found. This variation was not correlated with mean breed body weight. An attempt was made to explain the variability by finding diseases to which dogs of the short-lived breeds were particularly susceptible. This was not possible in general, since the samples of each breed were small and the total number of diseases from which they died so large. Dogs of long-lived breeds died of diseases appropriate to their age, particularly cancer, 39% of the sample. In the sample as a whole, cancer accounted for 20% of deaths at 5 years and increased to and remained between 40% and 50% from 10 to 16 years of age.
A survey was made of the euthanasia of dogs and cats in the Scottish Region of BSAVA. The reasons for euthanasia were classified and major differences were found between the two species in the numbers destroyed on veterinary, behavioural and convenience grounds. Methods of destruction and body disposal were also considered.
Histopathological studies were made on 50 autopsied beagles to examine for spontaneous lesions and age changes. While many neonatal and juvenile dogs under one year died of pneumonia, aged dogs had various age changes in some organs. They were vacuolar and fatty degeneration, lipofuscin deposition, acidophilic crystalline intranuclear (ACN) inclusions and granulomatous aggregation of mononuclear cells in the liver; urinary casts, calcification, ACN inclusions, chronic interstitial nephritis and pyelonephritis in the kidney; fatty and vacuolar degeneration, and nodular hyperplasia in the adrenal gland; mucoepithelial cysts of the intestine; atrophy and cyst of follicles, and interfollicular cellularity in the thyroid gland. In addition, cystic hydronephrosis with pelvic dilatation in neonatal dogs, mild cerebral edema with ventricular dilatation, cyst of pituitary anterior lobes, lymphocytic thyroiditis, and dermatosis were noted. Tumorous lesions were observed only in a few aged dogs.
A histological and immunohistological study of the kidneys of 115 dogs, with and without clinical signs of spontaneous renal disease, was performed to prove the applicability of the WHO criteria for the classification of human glomerulopathy. Aside from the morphological investigation of paraffin and resin semithin sections, deposits of immunoglobulins, the complement component C3, and fibrinogen were observed immunoenzymatically in paraffin‐embedded tissue specimens. From this, eight different types of glomerular lesions with various frequencies were identified: minor glomerular abnormalities (28 cases), focal and segmental hyalinosis and sclerosis (12 cases), focal glomerulonephritis (GN; 18 cases), diffuse membranous GN (nine cases), diffuse mesangial proliferative GN (2 cases), diffuse endocapillary proliferative GN (five cases), diffuse mesangiocapillary GN (25 cases), diffuse sclerosing GN (11 cases) und unclassified GN (two cases). In one case, renal dysplasia was diagnosed and two dogs did not present glomerular alterations. The results are discussed with regard to human glomerular diseases and pathogenic mechanisms.
Zusammenfassung
Eine histologische und immunhistologische Untersuchung wurde an Nieren von 115 Hunden mit und ohne klinisch manifestierte Nierenerkrankung durchgeführt, um die Anwendbarkeit der WHO‐Kriterien zur Einteilung humaner Glomerulopathien zu überprüfen. Außer einer morphologischen Untersuchung von Paraffin‐ und semidünnen Kunststoffschnitten wurden Ablagerungen von Immunglobulinen, der Komplementkomponente C3 und Fibrinogen in paraffineingebetteten Gewebeproben immunenzymhistochemisch dargestellt. Acht verschiedene Formen glomerulärer Veränderungen wurden nachgewiesen: minimale glomeruläre Veränderungen (28 Fälle), fokale und segmentale Hyalinose und Sklerose (12 Fälle), fokale Glomerulonephritis (GN; 18 Fälle), diffuse membranöse GN (neun Fälle), diffuse mesangialproliferative GN (zwei Fälle), diffuse endokapillär‐proliferative GN (fünf Fälle), diffuse mesangiokapilläre GN (25 Fälle), diffuse sklerosierende GN (11 Fälle) und zwei nicht‐klassifizierbare Glomerulopathien. In einem Fall wurde eine renale Dysplasie festgestellt, und zwei Hunde wiesen keine glomerulären Alterationen auf. Die Ergebnisse werden unter Berücksichtigung der beim Menschen vorkommenden Glomerulopathien und ihrer Pathomechanismen diskutiert.
Renal amyloidosis was diagnosed in six related English foxhounds from two separate hunting kennels. There was no apparent age or sex predilection. All the dogs had clinical and laboratory findings compatible with renal disease. The onset of clinical signs was acute in all cases with death or euthanasia in five of the six affected dogs occurring within one week of presentation. The remaining dog was treated with diuresis which produced a temporary improvement.
Histological examination of renal tissue from affected dogs identified the presence of both glomerular and interstitial amyloid, which was confirmed by immunohistochemical staining to be of the reactive type (amyloid A). There were occasional sclerosed glomeruli or glomeruli with thickened Bowman's capsules, in addition to interstitial and periglomerular infiltration with a predominance of plasma cells and lymphocytes and secondary changes including tubular eosinophilic casts. Renal papillary necrosis was identified in three dogs. One hound had concurrent multicentric lymphoma.
Pedigree analysis of the affected dogs revealed that four individuals shared a common great grandsire and that the same dog was the grand-sire of a further case. Pedigree analysis of five additional dogs from one of the kennels, all of which had clinical signs of acute renal failure but from which renal tissue was not available, revealed a close relationship to those foxhounds with confirmed renal amyloidosis.
The results of a questionnaire provided data about owners' perceptions of the cause of death of over 3000 British dogs. The mean age at death (all breeds, all causes) was 11 years one month, but in dogs dying of natural causes it was 12 years eight months. Only 8 per cent of dogs lived beyond 15, and 64 per cent of dogs died of disease or were euthanased as a result of disease. Nearly 16 per cent of deaths were attributed to cancer, twice as many as to heart disease. Neutered females lived longer than males or intact females, but among dogs dying of natural causes entire females lived slightly longer. In neutered males the importance of cancer as a cause of death was similar to heart disease. Mongrels lived longer than average but several breeds lived longer than mongrels, for example, Jack Russells, miniature poodles and whippets. There was no correlation between longevity and cardiovascular parameters (heart rate, systolic, diastolic, pulse and mean arterial pressure, or the combination of heart rate and pulse pressure) but smaller dogs had longer lifespans. The results also include breed differences in lifespan, susceptibility to cancer, road accidents and behavioural problems as a cause of euthanasia.
To determine causes of death or reasons for euthanasia in a population of military working dogs.
Retrospective study.
927 military working dogs.
Records of all military working dogs that died during the period from 1993 to 1996 were evaluated for cause of death or reason for euthanasia by review of necropsy and histopathology reports, death certificates, and daily clinical treatment sheets. A single primary cause of death or euthanasia was determined.
Although sexually intact male dogs were more numerous in the study population, castrated male dogs typically lived longer than spayed females or sexually intact males. Leading causes of death or euthanasia (76.3% of all dogs) were appendicular degenerative joint disease, neoplasia, spinal cord disease, nonspecific geriatric decline, and gastric dilatation-volvulus. Compared with German Shepherd Dogs, Belgian Shepherd Dogs were at increased risk for death attributable to neoplasia, behavior, and respiratory tract disease. German Shepherd Dogs had nearly twice the risk for death associated with spinal cord diseases, compared with Belgian Shepherd Dogs.
For most military working dogs, death or euthanasia results from a few diseases commonly associated with advanced age. Some breed differences in risk for these diseases may exist, which clinicians should consider in the procurement and long-term management of these dogs.
A rare case of primary extramedullary plasmacytoma of the heart is described. The large space-occupying tumor in the atrial wall and its associated significant pericardial effusion caused marked impairment of cardiovascular function. The diagnosis was made via intravenous biopsy. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated CD45 and kappa light chain expression. Other B-cell- and T-cell-specific lymphoid markers were negative. Elevated kappa light chain was detected in serum by immunofixation electrophoresis. The differential diagnosis of plasmacytoma should be considered in cardiac tumors when routine screening is negative with lymphoid (CD20, CD3) and soft tissue immunohistochemical markers.
Neoplasia is common in pet dogs but accurate figures for the incidence of tumours in this, as in other species, are sparse. The purpose of this study was to document the occurrence of tumours in a defined population of dogs. From a database of 130,684 insured dogs, claims relating to the investigation or treatment of tumours or tumour-like lesions during a 12-month period were accessed and followed up. A total of 2,546 claims were tumour related and were classified according to tumour site and type. Because the demographics of the insured population were skewed towards younger animals, a standard population, as described in the veterinary literature, was used in the calculation of tumour incidence rates. The skin and soft tissues were the most common sites for tumour development, with a standardised incidence rate of 1,437 per 100,000 dogs per year, followed by alimentary (210), mammary (205), urogenital (139), lymphoid (134), endocrine (113) and oropharyngeal (112). Canine cutaneous histiocytoma was the most common single tumour type, with a standardised incidence rate of 337 per 100,000 dogs per year, followed by lipoma (318), adenoma (175), soft tissue sarcoma (142), mast cell tumour (129) and lymphosarcoma (114). These data are unique and provide a valuable basis for future research into the aetiology and epidemiology of canine tumours.
It is well documented that the presence of spontaneous renal disease and renal dysfunction increases with age in many species of mammals. Such alterations in renal structure and function may significantly affect the interpretation of long-term toxicology studies. The purpose of the present study was to assess the temporal evolution of selected renal lesions (cysts, interstitial inflammation, interstitial fibrosis, and glomerulosclerosis) in laboratory Beagle dogs, an important animal model in chronic toxicology studies. We examined representative sections of the kidneys from 159 purpose-bred and laboratory housed Beagle dogs and analyzed the extent and distribution of spontaneous lesions using the World Health Organization classification system for renal lesions. All dogs examined had renal lesions of varying severities. In the youngest dogs (up to 2 years of age), the density and severity of lesions were minimal, but were more severe by middle age (defined as 3-7 years). The density and severity of interstitial fibrosis and inflammation progressed with advancing age (p < 0.0001 for both) in both sexes. The density of tubular cysts increased linearly with advancing age in females (p = 0.0006), but not in males (p = 0.49). The cortical distribution of glomeruli and advancing age of dogs were significantly related to the development of glomerulosclerosis. As age increased, the presence of glomerulosclerosis increased (p = 0.0008). These data indicate that the development of renal lesions is progressive over the lifetime of a genetically similar population of laboratory Beagle dogs maintained under optimal standard environmental conditions. This information may be useful in the interpretation of compound effects during chronic toxicology studies in the dog.
A 3-year-old Wirehaired Fox Terrier was presented to the University Veterinary Hospital, University College Dublin, for evaluation of chronic cough of 8-months duration. Bronchoscopy showed a severely dilated collapsed left principal bronchus filled with highly viscous white mucus. Cytologically, globular lipid-like material and round concentrically laminated crystalline structures were evident within the proteinaceous mucus. These findings resembled the calcospherites and granular caseous debris often observed in human tuberculous patients. A Ziehl-Neelsen-stained cytocentrifuged preparation of material obtained by bronchoalveolar lavage revealed a few acid-fast rods within macrophages, suggestive of tuberculosis. At necropsy, granulomas with caseous necrosis were present in the lung parenchyma, bronchial and mediastinal lymph nodes, liver, pancreas, and mesentery. Granulomas were adherent to both kidney capsules and to the diaphragm. Histologically, there was evidence of mild calcification within caseous granulomas, which was confirmed by von Kossa's stain. Using Ziehl-Neelsen stain, acid-fast rods were identified within granulomas; bacterial culture was positive for Mycobacterium bovis. The cytologic findings in this case have not been reported previously in dogs and demonstrate a possible correlation between tuberculosis and calcospherite-like bodies with caseous, globular material in bronchial mucus, similar to that described in human patients.
In a 10-year period, extramedullary plasmacytomas (EMP) represented 5.2% of all oral tumors found in the dog (16/302). These 16 oral EMP comprised 28.5% of all EMP within the same time period. Eleven dogs died with a median survival time of 474 days. Five dogs remain alive at the time of this writing. Dogs without complete surgical removal of the EMP and no adjuvant therapy had a median survival time of 138 days. Oral EMP have a clinical behavior consistent with EMP arising from other tissues. They have no obvious correlation with multiple myeloma, and complete surgical resection may be curative.
The occurrence of spontaneous tumors in pet animals has been estimated in a few European and North American veterinary cancer registries with dissimilar methodologies and variable reference populations.
The Animal Tumor Registry (ATR) of Genoa, Italy, was established in 1985 with the aim of estimating the occurrence of spontaneous tumors in dogs.
Six thousand seven hundred and forty-three tumor biopsy specimens were received from local veterinarians in the Municipality of Genoa between 1985 and 2002. Three thousand and three hundred and three (48.9%) biopsy specimen samples were diagnosed as cancer and were coded according to the International Statistical Classification of Diseases (ICD-9).
Mammary cancer was the most frequently diagnosed cancer in female dogs, accounting for 70% of all cancer cases. Incidence of all cancers was 99.3 per 100,000 dog-years (95% CI: 93.6-105.1) in male dogs and 272.1 (95% CI: 260.7-283.6) in female dogs. The highest incidence rates were detected for mammary cancer (IR = 191.8, 95% CI: 182.2-201.4) and for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (IR = 22.9, 95% CI: 19.7-26.5) in bitches and for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (IR = 19.9, 95% CI: 17.4-22.7) and skin cancer (IR = 19.1, 95% CI: 16.6-21.8) in male dogs. All cancer IR increased with age ranging between 23.7 (95% CI: 18.4-30.1) and 763.2 (95% CI: 700.4-830.1) in bitches and between 16.5 (95% CI: 12.8-21.1) and 237.6 (95% CI: 209.1-269.0) in male dogs aged < or =3 years and >9-11 years.
This study summarizes the work done by the ATR of Genoa, Italy, between 1985 and 2002. All cancer incidence was 3 times higher in female than in male dogs, a difference explained by the high rate of mammary cancer observed in bitches. Because a biopsy specimen was required to make a cancer diagnosis, cancer rates for internal organs cancers, such as respiratory and digestive tract cancers may have been underestimated in the study population.
Notes on Pathology for Small Animal Clinicians
- D Kelly
- V Lucke
- C J Gaskell
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Small Animal Clinicians. John Wright, Bristol.
Color Atlas and Text of Surgical Pathology of the Dog and Cat
- J A Yager
- B P Wilcock
Yager JA, Wilcock BP (1994) Color Atlas and Text of Surgical
Pathology of the Dog and Cat. Wolfe, London.
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