What is your diagnosis? Ventral neck mass in a dog

Abstract: A 14‐year‐old male Labrador Retriever was presented for lethargy and collapse. On physical examination, numerous abnormalities were found, including a large ventral neck mass (100 cm³) in the area of the thyroid gland. Fine‐needle aspirates revealed 2 apparent populations of cells: one suspected to be a well‐differentiated thyroid carcinoma, and the other consisting of large pleomorphic to spindloid cells suggestive of sarcoma. Two days later, the dog died at home. A full necropsy was not performed, but examination of the head and neck revealed a well‐encapsulated mass adjacent to the cranial trachea and larynx. A section of the mass was evaluated histologically and a diagnosis of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma was made. Immunohistochemical evaluation with antibodies to thyroglobulin, cytokeratin, and vimentin confirmed distinct populations of malignant epithelial and malignant mesenchymal cells, and the diagnosis was amended to thyroid carcinosarcoma. Thyroid carcinosarcoma is a rare neoplasm in dogs in which the cell type comprising the mesenchymal component can vary. Immunochemistry to demonstrate the 2 cell types may be necessary to differentiate thyroid carcinosarcoma from anaplastic thyroid carcinoma.     

王锦蛇幼蛇的饲养与子一代的繁育试验

为了更好地保护和利用王锦蛇的自然资源,于1 998年8月～2 0 0 3年8月对王锦蛇幼蛇的饲养技术和子一代的繁育技术进行了研究。结果表明,只要满足王锦蛇幼蛇生长发育所需要的环境条件和食物条件,就能够在人工条件下饲养王锦蛇幼蛇,并获得子二代王锦蛇     

ULTRASONOGRAPHIC APPEARANCE OF OVARIAN TUMORS IN 10 DOGS

Signalment, clinical history, physical examination, clinicopathologic, readiographic and ultrasonographic findings of 10 female dogs with histologically confirmed ovarian neoplasms were reviewed. Ultrasonographic images and reports were reviewed for (1) location, size, outer margins, and echogenicity of the mass(es), (2) presence of free abdominal fluid, (3) evidence of uterine abnormalities, and (4) signs of metastatic disease. The masses were classified according to their ultrasonographic pattern in solid, solid with cystic component, and cystic. The masses were ultrasonographically reported as being of ovarian origin in eight dogs, and this origin was included in the list of differentials in the remaining two dogs. When present, abdominal effusions and uterine abnormalities were diagnosed by means of ultrasound.     

Oncology Virtual Issue Articles

The following two articles have been published online as part of the EVE Oncology Virtual Issue which is available online at wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/eve     

Canine orbital meningiomas: a review of 22 cases

Clinical and pathologic features of primary orbital meningiomas in the dog were reviewed. Twenty-two meningiomas, confined to the orbit, were identified from the Comparative Ophthalmic Pathology Laboratory of Wisconsin from 1981 to 1997. The dogs ranged in age from 3 to 17 years (mean = 9.2 years). The clinical presentation, reported in 20 cases, was indicative of a retrobulbar mass and included exophthalmos and orbital swelling (18/20), and papilledema or abnormalities of the posterior segment (7/20). Visual acuity was reported in 15 cases; of those, 12 dogs were blind in the affected eye. Follow-up information was obtained on 17 cases; six dogs developed local recurrence of the neoplasm. Two dogs with recurrent neoplasms simultaneously developed blindness in the opposite eye. Extension along the optic nerve to the optic chiasm was suspected. No metastasis was found at the time of the study. Enucleation with excisional biopsy was effective therapy to date in 11 cases (0.2–4.5 years follow-up time). All neoplasms were located within the vicinity of the optic nerve and, when sectioned through the optic nerve head, appeared to completely envelope the nerve. The neoplastic cells were arranged in tight whorls and bundles characteristic of meningiomas. Most tumors had islands of chondroid and osseous metaplasia (17/22). Ocular invasion was limited to small foci in the posterior choroid or optic nerve head of six dogs. Immunoperoxidase stains on 10 cases were positive for vimentin and S-100, but negative for cytokeratin. Electron microscopy revealed complex interdigitations between cell membranes and few desmosomal intercellular attachments. Primary orbital meningiomas have a characteristic histologic appearance and may recur locally after surgical excision.     

棕黑锦蛇染色体核型和Ag-NORs研究

初步研究了吉林长白山地区的棕黑锦蛇染色体核型及Ag-NORs特征,并与已经报道的安徽产赤峰锦蛇有关特征进行对比。结果表明,吉林长白山地区的棕黑锦蛇染色体2n=36,由8对大型染色体和10对微小染色体组成,可分为A、B和C3组,性染色体属于ZZ/ZW型,Ag-NORs也都位于1对微小染色体上。棕黑锦蛇仅在第8对和W染色体的相对长度和臂比值上与赤峰锦蛇有差异,染色体其他特征,包括数目、形态、染色体类型等,在2蛇之间基本一致。锦蛇属染色体属名变化较大,但多数种类2n=36。棕黑锦蛇和赤峰锦蛇染色体数目相同,且仅在第8对和W染色体上有差异,由于核型存在地理多态性,单纯依据上述差异尚不能为这2种蛇的分类提供充足的证据。今后,除继续对不同地理分布的棕黑锦蛇和赤峰锦蛇的染色体进行研究外,对棕黑锦蛇和赤峰锦蛇的分类问题还需要从整合分类学角度进行深入研究。     

What is your diagnosis? Lingual mass in a dog

A 3.5-year-old female spayed Rat Terrier was presented for evaluation of a submucosal lingual mass. Fine-needle aspiration of the mass revealed a population of neoplastic cells composed predominantly of small, round cells and large, round to spindle-shaped cells, which occasionally had blunt cytoplasmic borders and multiple nuclei. The neoplastic cells had moderate to marked anisocytosis and anisokaryosis. The cytologic interpretation was malignant neoplasia, most likely sarcoma. Histopathologic examination of a biopsy specimen revealed an unencapsulated, poorly demarcated, moderately cellular neoplasm composed of individualized, infiltrative spindle cells. Elongate skeletal muscle cells with prominent, rectangular borders (strap cells) were observed. A morphologic diagnosis of rhabdomyosarcoma was made. Staining with phosphotungstic acid-hematoxylin revealed haphazardly arranged skeletal muscle cross-striations. Immunohistochemical staining results for vimentin, Myo D1, desmin, and myoglobin were positive, though staining intensity of tumor cells varied with the degree of differentiation. Using transmission electron microscopy, irregular, disorganized Z-bands were identified. Rhabdomyosarcomas are uncommon tumors in the dog, and rarely may involve the tongue or oral cavity. Cytologic evaluation of a rhabdomyosarcoma may reveal a pleomorphic population of cells and definitive diagnosis may require histologic examination, immunohistochemical staining, and electron microscopy.