Primary pheochromocytoma in an Asian Water Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis)

Abstract

A mass of the adrenal gland was observed during a routine necropsy of a female 23-year-old Asian Water Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) at Seoul Zoo in Gyeonggi Province, Korea. The animal showed no clinical signs but the necropsy examination revealed hydropericardium, ascites, hydrothorax and edema of the intestinal wall, lung and adrenal gland. Histopathologically, the neoplastic cells of the right adrenal gland were arranged in lobules supported by a fine fibrovascular stroma. The neoplastic cells had round hyperchromatic nuclei and granular eosinophilic to basophilic cytoplasm. Immunohistochemically, tumor cells were positive for chromogranin A and S-100 and negative for vimentin, synaptophysin and cytokeratin. Based on the above findings, this case was diagnosed as a pheochromocytoma. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a pheochromocytoma in an Asian Water Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis).