Skeletal deformities associated with nutritional congenital rickets in newborn lambs

Abstract

CASE HISTORY: A group of 545 pregnant rising 2-year-old Coopdale ewes on a Southland sheep farm were grazed over winter on a fodder beet (Beta vulgaris) crop. Subsequently, 45 out of approximately 750 lambs were born with a variety of skeletal deformities, including shortened limbs, varus and valgus angular limb deformities, palmar grade stance and cranial bowing of the carpus. Analysis of the crop showed the fodder beet contained a low percentage of phosphorus. In addition, 60 out of 460 rising 2-year-old ewes that had been grazed on the fodder beet crop as 1-year-olds had incisor abnormalities and malocclusion.

PATHOLOGICAL FINDINGS: Two affected lambs (1-day-old and 3-days-old) with representative clinical signs examined postmortem were found to have markedly enlarged costochondral junctions, and noticeably enlarged long bone metaphyses. In addition, one lamb had a dense band of metaphyseal sclerosis beneath the physes of all long bones examined. Histopathological findings included small islands and columns of chondrocytes and eosinophilic cartilage matrix present in the metaphysis. Metaphyseal trabeculae were disorganised and often lined by accumulations of pale pink osteoid; similar pale pink osteoid was also present in the cortices. Unerupted molar teeth in the affected lambs lacked a layer of enamel, and the dentine was irregular with globular basophilia.

DIAGNOSIS: The gross and histopathological lesions were consistent with a diagnosis of rickets.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Nutritional congenital rickets has not been previously diagnosed in sheep, but is a recognised disease of human infants with vitamin D deficient mothers. The rickets in affected lambs was most likely associated with phosphorus deficiency as a result of the pregnant ewes grazing fodder beet during gestation. While vitamin D deficiency was not definitively ruled out in these cases, practitioners are alerted to the possible effects of feeding phosphorus-deficient fodder beet to ewes for long periods during gestation and to 1-year-old sheep during important growth periods.     

Unusual congenital deformities of the lower limb in two calves

Congenital deformities of the lower limb were observed in 2 calves from different properties. One was a newborn Holstein-Friesian bull calf with polydactyly and polypodia of the right fore-limb.The other was an 8-month-old Friesian/Jersey crossbred heifer calf, which had a mirror image duplication of the plantar/palmar half of the distal portion of the digits. The abnormalities in the second calf have not previously been described in cattle. This paper presents details of the clinical, radiological and necropsy findings in these 2 calves.     

Proceedings of the 2013 Joint JSTP/NTP Satellite Symposium

The first joint Japanese Society of Toxicologic Pathology (JSTP) and National Toxicology Program (NTP) Satellite Symposium, entitled “Pathology Potpourri,” was held on January 29^th at Okura Frontier Hotel in Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan, in advance of the JSTP’s 29^th Annual Meeting. The goal of this Symposium was to present current diagnostic pathology or nomenclature issues to the toxicologic pathology community. This article presents summaries of the speakers’ presentations, including diagnostic or nomenclature issues that were presented, select images that were used for audience voting or discussion, and the voting results. Some lesions and topics covered during the symposium include: treatment-related atypical hepatocellular foci of cellular alteration in B6C3F1 mice; purulent ventriculoencephalitis in a young BALB/c mouse; a subcutaneous malignant schwannoma in a RccHan:WIST rat; spontaneous nasal septum hyalinosis/eosinophilic substance in B6C3F1 mice; a rare pancreatic ductal cell adenoma in a young Lewis rat; eosinophilic crystalline pneumonia in a transgenic mouse model; hyaline glomerulopathy in two female ddY mice; treatment-related intrahepatic erythrocytes in B6C3F1 mice; treatment-related subendothelial hepatocytes in B6C3F1 mice; spontaneous thyroid follicular cell vacuolar degeneration in a cynomolgus monkey; congenital hepatic fibrosis in a 1-year-old cat; a spontaneous adenocarcinoma of the middle ear in a young Crl:CD(SD) rat; and finally a series of cases illustrating some differences between cholangiofibrosis and cholangiocarcinoma in Sprague Dawley and F344 rats.     

Successful outcome after surgical correction of large colon atresia in a colt foal

This report describes successful surgical correction and long-term survival of a case of large colon atresia in a 24-h-old Warmblood colt, referred with signs of unrelenting abdominal pain and a suspicion of meconium impaction. Radiographic and ultrasonographic examination was indicative of large colon meconium impaction with secondary ileus. Due to deterioration of the foal, surgery was recommended. An atretic segment was found between the left ventral and dorsal large (ascending) colon. A band of fibrous tissue with no identifiable lumen connected the segments. Surgical correction was done by performing a stapled side-to-side anastomosis. Twelve days after surgery, the foal was discharged. Twenty-two months after discharge, the owner reported the foal developing as expected compared with its peers, but had a mild, self-limiting episode of colic at 20 months of age.     

Congenital oesophageal hiatal hernia in a pug

Congenital sliding, oesophageal or type I hiatal hernia was diagnosed in a five-month-old pug puppy presented for evaluation of dyspnoea post feeding. The diagnosis was confirmed using plain film radiography. Surgical reduction of the hernia followed by plication of the oesophageal hiatus, oesophagopexy and left flank gastropexy permitted restoration of normal function. At 12 months of age, the dog was asymptomatic. This article describes the diagnosis and treatment of a congenital type 1 oesophageal hiatal herniation with unusual clinical presentation.     

枯草芽孢杆菌铜对先天性缺铜大鼠生长发育、器官指数、铜沉积量、血清生化和抗氧化指标的影响

本试验旨在研究枯草芽孢杆菌铜对先天性缺铜大鼠生长发育、器官指数、铜沉积量、血清生化和抗氧化指标的影响。试验分为模型期和干预试验期。模型期选取怀孕10 d的SD大鼠72只,平均分为模型组和对照组,每组6个重复,每个重复6只。模型组大鼠孕期饲喂缺铜饲粮(铜含量为0.33 mg/kg),对照组大鼠孕期饲喂正常饲粮(在缺铜饲粮基础上添加6.0 mg/kg五水硫酸铜),持续到哺乳期结束,验证建模是否成功。干预试验期选择24日建模成功的缺铜幼龄大鼠108只,随机分成6个试验组,Ⅰ～Ⅲ组为硫酸铜组(缺铜饲粮基础上分别添加3.0、6.0和9.0 mg/kg五水硫酸铜),Ⅳ～Ⅵ组为枯草芽孢杆菌铜组(缺铜饲粮基础上分别添加3.0、6.0和9.0 mg/kg枯草芽孢杆菌铜),每个组3个重复,每个重复6只。试验期35 d。结果表明:1)在铜添加量相同条件下,Ⅳ组体重和血清谷丙转氨酶(ALT)、谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶(GSH-Px)活性显著或极显著高于Ⅰ组(P<0.05或P<0.01),Ⅳ组血清谷草转氨酶/谷丙转氨酶(AST/ALT)显著低于Ⅰ组(P<0.05)。Ⅴ组血清铜蓝蛋白(CP)、碱性磷酸酶(AKP)活性显著或极显高于Ⅱ组(P<0.05或P<0.01),Ⅴ组血清丙二醛(MDA)含量显著低于Ⅱ组(P<0.05)。Ⅵ组血清AKP活性和肾脏中铜沉积量显著或极显高于Ⅲ组(P<0.05或P<0.01)。2)在硫酸铜组中,Ⅱ、Ⅲ组体重、体长显著高于Ⅰ组(P<0.05),Ⅲ组血清CP活性显著或极显著高于Ⅰ、Ⅱ组(P<0.05或P<0.01),Ⅲ组血清AKP活性显著高于Ⅱ组(P <0.05),Ⅲ组血清谷草转氨酶(AST)、GSH-Px和铜锌超氧化物歧化酶(CuZn-SOD)活性及肾脏中铜沉积量显著或极显著高于Ⅰ组(P<0.05或P<0.01),Ⅲ组血清M DA含量极显著低于Ⅰ组(P <0.01)。在枯草芽孢杆菌铜组中,Ⅵ组体重、体长,血清AST、GSH-Px和CuZn-SOD活性,心脏、肝脏、肾脏中铜沉积量显著或极显著高于Ⅳ组(P<0.05或P<0.01),Ⅵ组血清CP和AKP活性显著或极显著高于Ⅳ、Ⅴ组(P <0.05或P <0.01)。由此可见,枯草芽孢杆菌铜能提高先天性缺铜大鼠体重,血清CP、AKP、ALT活性,提高机体抗氧化能力,增加肝脏、肾脏中铜沉积量,效果优于硫酸铜,且降低了饲粮中铜添加量。     

Epibulbar melanoma in a foal

A case of epibulbar melanoma in a 6-month-old, gelded, chestnut Hanoverian foal is reported. The location and clinical appearance upon initial presentation led to the tentative diagnosis of staphyloma or a congenital mass of unknown origin. An attempt was made to surgically excise the mass under general anesthesia, but due to its infiltrative nature and intraoperative appearance, most, but not all was removed without compromising the integrity of the globe. Histopathological evaluation revealed a multinodular to packeted, poorly demarcated, unencapsulated, infiltrative exophytic melanocytic neoplasm composed of bundles and nests of plump spindloid to polygonal heavily pigmented epithelioid neoplastic cells interspersed with pigment-laden macrophages within a fine fibrovascular stroma. Upon examination after enucleation, neoplastic cells were found to infiltrate into the lateral cornea, sclera and the choroid. This is a unique case of an epibulbar melanoma with choroidal invasion in a foal. Based on the sudden onset and rapid growth as well as the histological evidence of invasion, well-differentiated features, heavy pigmentation, and no apparent mitoses, this neoplasm was considered to be a low-grade malignant melanoma. At 14 months after excision there is no evidence of recurrence.