Gastrointestinal obstruction secondary to seminal vesicle cystic hyperplasia in an African pygmy hedgehog (Atelerix albiventris)

Abstract

A 3‐year‐old, male, entire African pygmy hedgehog (Atelerix albiventris) was presented for a 10‐day history of hyporexia, mucoid green faeces and lethargy. Survey radiographs revealed a left caudal abdominal mass effect with cranial displacement and gas distension of the intestinal loops. During exploratory laparotomy, the cause of the mass effect was revealed to be grossly enlarged seminal vesicles, which were excised. Histopathology revealed uniform polycystic glandular architecture, consistent with benign cystic hyperplasia. The patient recovered and was clinically healthy at the last follow‐up examination. This is the first detailed report describing the antemortem diagnosis of benign seminal vesicular cystic hyperplasia resulting in presumptive clinical gastrointestinal disease in an African pygmy hedgehog.

Myxofibrosarcoma of the penis in an African pygmy hedgehog (Atelerix albiventris) - A clinical case

“…A retrospective study of disease incidence in African pygmy hedgehogs mentioned one case of hyperplasia of seminal vesicles without any further description (Okada et al 2018). This pathology was later described in a case of gastrointestinal obstruction secondary to seminal vesicle cystic hyperplasia (Wooten and Snider 2022). The only described case of a penile tumour in African pygmy hedgehog was a myxoma of the penis, where the patient (intact male, 3.5-years-old, 648 g) was presented with a solid mass in the preputium.…”