Cerebral cysticercosis by Taenia crassiceps in a domestic cat.

Cerebral cysticercosis by Taenia crassiceps was diagnosed in an adult female domestic shorthair cat. The animal was euthanized 6 weeks after the initial presentation with signs of vomiting, lethargy, and ataxia. The disease took an intermittent relapsing course with the neurological signs progressing eventually to recumbancy and coma. At necropsy, numerous cysticerci were found in the dilated left lateral ventricle and the adjacent brain parenchyma. The cysticerci were identified as metacestodes of T. crassiceps larvae based on size and morphology of the cysts; shape, number, and size of the rostellar hooks; and mode of proliferation, including endogenous and exogenous budding. Cerebral cysticercosis by T. crassiceps is rare in atypical intermediate hosts and has not been described in cats.     

Cerebral blastomycosis in a cat

A nine year old domestic shorthair cat was presented to the Small Animal Clinic, Ontario Veterinary College, with anorexia, depression and blindness. The animal died despite treatment. At necropsy, a space occupying mass was located in the left cerebral hemisphere. Histopathologically, the mass consisted of large numbers of fungal yeast-phase cells with an associated pyogranulomatous inflammatory response. The organisms were identified as Blastomyces dermatitidis on the basis of morphology and staining characteristics.

The purpose of this article is to describe the lesions of blastomycosis in the brain of a cat.

     

Cerebral coenurosis in a cat

Coenurus serialis, the intermediate stage of Taenia serialis, was the cause of progressive, fatal, intracranial disease in a 5-year-old cat. X-Ray computed tomographic findings were identical to those associated with intracranial parasitic cysts in people, in whom x-ray computed tomographic features are considered pathognomonic and superior to those of other diagnostic methods. The presumed source of the coenurus was the owner's dog.     

Cerebral cysticercosis in a cat

The metacestode of Taenia solium, Cysticercus cellulosae, was recovered from the brain of a cat showing central nervous clinical signs ante mortem. This is the first record of cerebral cysticercosis in a cat in South Africa.     

Fucosidosis in a domestic shorthair cat

This paper documents the first reported case of fucosidosis in a cat. The cat presented with signs of forebrain and cerebellar dysfunction and a magnetic resonance imaging scan of the brain suggested a degenerative or metabolic disease process. A fine needle aspirate of grossly normal lymph nodes revealed vacuolated lymphocytes and a renal biopsy of an irregular shaped kidney identified vacuolated tubular epithelial cells. A white cell lysosomal enzyme screen revealed negligible α-fucosidase activity. Fucosidosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of young cats with cerebellar dysfunction and must be added to the list of lysosomal storage diseases affecting the cat.     

Leptospirosis in a British domestic cat

A leptospire was isolated from thoracic fluid, aqueous humour, and kidney of a cat, which at gross post-mortem had widespread haemorrhages and excess straw-coloured fluid in the thoracic and peritoneal cavities.
Histopathological examinations revealed severe centrilobular necrosis of the liver, and vascular lesions with haemorrhage were present in lung and brain.
Spirochaetes were demonstrable in lung, kidney and brain by silver impregnation techniques.
Strong fluorescence was observed in lung, liver, brain and kidney with bratislava antiserum.     

Conjunctival dacryops in a domestic shorthair cat

A 1-year-old spayed female domestic shorthair cat with a 1-week history of a conjunctival mass located in the dorsolateral quadrant of the right eye was presented to a referral hospital. Ophthalmic examination revealed a pink, fluctuant, and non-painful cystic swelling of the upper right palpebral conjunctiva. An ocular ultrasound confirmed the presence of a fluid-filled cystic structure that extended into the temporal orbit. The histopathology of the excisional biopsy revealed multiple cysts lined by ductal epithelium along with dilated lacrimal gland ducts and lymphocytic nodules adjacent to the dorsal lacrimal gland; consistent with a diagnosis of dacryops.     

Nasal oncocytoma in a domestic shorthair cat

An oncocytoma was diagnosed in the nasal cavity of a 12-year-old Domestic Shorthair cat who presented with periocular swelling and sneezing. Histologic examination from biopsy material revealed monomorphic sheets, anastomosing cords, tubules, and acini composed of large polygonal to oval cells that contained abundant finely granular eosinophilic cytoplasm. No vascular or lymphatic invasions were noted. Histochemical stains revealed positive staining of tumor cells with periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) (before and after diastase digestion) and phosphotungstic acid-hematoxylin. Immunohistochemical evaluation of the tumor cells demonstrated positive staining for cytokeratin and negative staining for vimentin, desmin, S-100, glial fibrillar acidic protein, and neuronal specific enolase. Ultrastructurally, the tumor cells contained large numbers of mitochondria within their cytoplasm, which confirmed a diagnosis of oncocytoma.     

Uhl's anomaly in a domestic shorthair cat

A 2-year-old, neutered male, domestic shorthair cat was presented for investigation of dyspnea and episodic weakness. Clinical and ultrasonographic features were consistent with right ventricular cardiomyopathy. Pathological findings documented Uhl's anomaly. Although rare, Uhl's anomaly should be a differential diagnosis for cats with right-sided congestive heart failure. In particular, Uhl's anomaly could be misdiagnosed as arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy due to the similarity of clinical and echocardiographic findings.     

Suspected clostridial myositis in a domestic cat

Extract

Sir:- A long-haired domestic cat. aged two years, appeared normal when fed by the owner, at 9.00am. At 3.00pm the cat arrived home walking on three legs. The other leg appeared very painful. The owner brought the cat to the clinic immediately as she thought it has been hit by a car.     

Cerebral Blastomyces dermatitidis infection in a cat

CASE DESCRIPTION: An 8-year-old domestic shorthair cat was evaluated because of signs of depression, circling, and visual deficits. CLINICAL FINDINGS: The cat had no cutaneous lesions, and results of an ophthalmologic examination and thoracic radiography were within reference limits. Computed tomography of the brain revealed a mass lesion involving the right parietal, temporal, and occipital lobes; the mass was in broad-based contact with the skull and smoothly marginated and had strong homogenous enhancement after contrast agent administration. During craniectomy, samples of the mass were collected for cytologic and histopathologic evaluations and microbial culture. A diagnosis of Blastomyces dermatitidis-associated meningoencephalitis with secondary pyogranulomatous inflammation was made. TREATMENT AND OUTCOME: Amphotericin B (0.25 mg/kg [0.11 mg/lb], IV) was administered on alternate days (cumulative dose, 1.75 mg/kg [0.8 mg/lb]). To minimize the risk of nephrotoxicosis, assessments of serum biochemical variables (urea nitrogen and creatinine concentrations) and urinalyses were performed at intervals. The third dose of amphotericin B was postponed 48 hours because the cat became azotemic. The cat subsequently received fluconazole (10 mg/kg [4.5 mg/lb], PO, q 12 h) for 5.5 months. Six months after discontinuation of that treatment, the cat appeared healthy and had no signs of relapse. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Brain infection with B dermatitidis is typically associated with widespread disseminated disease. The cat of this report had no evidence of systemic disease. Blastomycosis of the CNS should be considered as a differential diagnosis for brain lesions in cats from areas in which B dermatitidis is endemic.