Cases of arthropod-infested, abandoned or abused animals are sometimes brought to the attention of veterinarians by animal welfare authorities, with the requirement for a full postmortem examination towards criminal or civil proceedings. In these situations, entomology is an important support tool for the pathologists' investigation since the presence of arthropod life cycle stages serve as reliable forensic markers, especially for blowflies which form the first waves of activity following death. In the present study, 70 cadavers from a total of 544 referred to the Institute of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, between 2009 and 2014 displayed evidence of infestation. Here, the authors introduce principles of applied entomology and simplified approaches for estimating the minimum time since death, relevant in the context of routine submissions and the broad remit of individual cases. Despite often limited availability of scene of the crime and local thermal data, the interpretation of the minimum postmortem interval has nonetheless proved valuable as an adjunct to the expert pathology report. However, future developments and enhanced accuracy in this area of animal welfare require resource and training in expertise, and agreed standardisation of both laboratory and field procedures.
Background Lymphocytic neoplasms with frequent reactive lymphocytes are uncommonly reported in dogs, and can pose a diagnostic challenge. Different diagnostic modalities such as cytology, flow cytometry, histopathology, immunohistochemistry, and clonality testing, are sometimes required for a diagnosis. This report illustrates the value of using a multi-modal diagnostic approach to decipher a complex lymphocytic tumor, and introduces immune repertoire sequencing as a diagnostic adjunct. Case presentation A 10-month-old Great Dane was referred for marked ascites. Cytologic analysis of abdominal fluid and hepatic aspirates revealed a mixed lymphocyte population including numerous large lymphocytes, yielding a diagnosis of lymphoma. Flow cytometrically, abdominal fluid lymphocytes were highly positive for CD4, CD5, CD18, CD45, and MHC II, consistent with T cell lymphoma. Due to a rapidly deteriorating clinical condition, the dog was euthanized. Post mortem histologic evaluation showed effacement of the liver by aggregates of B cells surrounded by T cells, suggestive of hepatic T cell-rich large B cell lymphoma. Immune repertoire sequencing confirmed the presence of clonal B cells in the liver but not the abdominal fluid, whereas reactive T cells with shared, polyclonal immune repertoires were found in both locations. Conclusions T cell-rich large B cell lymphoma is a rare neoplasm in dogs that may be challenging to diagnose and classify due to mixed lymphocyte populations. In this case, the results of histopathology, immunohistochemistry and immune repertoire sequencing were most consistent with a hepatic B cell neoplasm and reactive T cells exfoliating into the abdominal fluid. Immune repertoire sequencing was helpful in delineating neoplastic from reactive lymphocytes and characterizing repertoire overlap in both compartments. The potential pitfalls of equating atypical cytomorphology and monotypic marker expression in neoplasia are highlighted.
Case summary A young adult female spayed domestic shorthair cat presented for acute hindlimb weakness and anorexia with a 1-month history of lethargy, hyporexia and weight loss. A mass was palpable in the caudolateral abdomen and the left hindlimb was diffusely edematous. Abdominal ultrasound showed hydronephrosis of the left kidney with suspected hydroureter and heterogeneous tissue in the dorsal abdomen. CT evaluation confirmed a mass extending from the left kidney through the lumbar musculature with hydronephrosis, aortic attenuation, caudal vena caval thrombosis and lysis of vertebrae 4 and 5. Fine-needle aspiration of the mass suggested squamous cell carcinoma. Owing to clinical deterioration, euthanasia was elected. At necropsy, the left kidney was firmly adhered to the lumbar region with tissue that obliterated the musculature and surrounded the aorta and vena cava. There was hydronephrosis of the left kidney. Histopathologic evaluation of the mass revealed islands of neoplastic epithelial cells separated by fibrous connective tissue and areas of gradual keratinization with rare squamous metaplasia. The histologic diagnosis was invasive carcinoma with desmoplasia and vascular invasion. Relevance and novel information Primary carcinomas of the kidney in cats are rare and this report documents a progression of disease not previously reported in cats. This is the second reported case of a primary carcinoma of renal origin with features of squamous cell carcinoma in a cat, and the first with lumbar and vascular invasion. This is also the first use of kidney injury molecule-1 to help investigate tumor differentiation in cats.
A 13-year-old Friesian stallion was referred for evaluation of acute coughing and bilateral nasal discharge. Thoracic radiographs revealed dilation of the terminal portion of the oesophagus, forming a thin-walled outpouching containing soft tissue opaque material and gas. A diagnosis of oesophageal obstruction with an impacted diverticulum was made. Caudal oesophageal muscularis hypertrophy and an impacted oesophageal diverticulum were found on postmortem examination. Histological abnormalities included a thick caudal oesophageal tunica muscularis and an oesophageal diverticulum composed of mucosa, submucosa and adventitia. Muscular hypertrophy of the oesophagus with diverticulum formation should be considered in Friesian horses presenting with clinical signs of oesophageal obstruction. In this case, thoracic radiographs contributed to a premortem diagnosis, guided medical management and provided information on prognosis. Thoracic radiography can be used as a complementary test in the diagnosis of oesophageal obstruction when endoscopy is available and is a useful diagnostic alternative when endoscopy is not an option.
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