What is your diagnosis? Biopsy impression smear of a hepatic mass in a yearling Thoroughbred filly.

A 1-year-old Thoroughbred filly was presented to the Cornell University Hospital for Animals with a 10-day history of fever, diarrhea, inappetance, and hypodipsia. Clinical pathology abnormalities found by the referring veterinarian included erythrocytosis, hyperproteinemia, and increased serum gamma-glutamyltransferase and lactate dehydrogenase activities. At Cornell University, the laboratory abnormalities were confirmed and also included thrombocytosis and hypoglycemia. Erythrocytosis persisted despite vigorous fluid therapy. Ultrasound examination revealed an extremely enlarged liver with abnormal echogenicity and a 21 x 25-cm hepatic mass with varied echogenicity. Imprints of an ultrasound-guided biopsy of the mass revealed a neoplastic epithelial population of uncertain origin, although the cells did not resemble hepatocytes. Together with the presenting signs, signalment, ultrasonographic findings, and persistent erythrocytosis, the cytologic findings were considered to be most consistent with hepatoblastoma. Histopathologic examination of the mass at necropsy confirmed the diagnosis and findings also included bone marrow erythroid hyperplasia. Serum erythropoietin concentration was 28.0 mU/mL (reference interval 1.0-11.8 mU/mL), supporting erythropoietin production by the tumor and secondary inappropriate erythrocytosis. To our knowledge, this report is the first to document secondary erythrocytosis with increased erythropoietin concentration in a horse with hepatoblastoma, and also the first to describe the cytopathologic features of this rare tumor.

Gross and microscopic pathology associated with large cavernous lesions in muscle of Chinook salmon from Lake Ontario.

Since 1999, eight adult Chinook salmon (Onchorhynchus tshawytscha) from Lake Ontario with large, focal, cavernous, fluid-filled muscle lesions have been examined in our respective laboratories. Gross and microscopic examination, cytology, and bacteriology were performed. Microscopically the lesions were consistent with chronic abscesses. Cytologic evaluation revealed diplomonad flagellate Spironucleus within these lesions. We provide a description of the gross and microscopic pathology associated with the cavernous lesions.

Accuracy and precision of a point-of-care hemoglobinometer for measuring hemoglobin concentration and estimating packed cell volume in horses.

OBJECTIVE: To determine accuracy and precision of a point-of-care hemoglobinometer for measuring hemoglobin concentration and estimating PCV in horses. DESIGN: Prospective trial. ANIMALS: 55 horses. PROCEDURE: Blood samples were obtained from 43 horses examined at a veterinary teaching hospital. Hemoglobin concentration was measured with the hemoglobinometer and by means of the standard cyanmethemoglobin method; PCV was measured by centrifugation. Blood samples were also obtained from 12 healthy horses, and PCV of aliquots of these samples was altered to approximately 5 to 80% by removing or adding plasma. Hemoglobin concentration and PCV were then measured. RESULTS: For samples from the clinic patients, hemoglobin concentrations obtained with the hemoglobinometer were less than concentrations obtained with the cyanmethemoglobin method; however, there was a linear relationship between concentrations obtained with the 2 methods. Breed, sex, body weight, and duration of sample storage did not significantly affect the difference between hemoglobin concentrations obtained with the 2 methods. There was a significant linear relationship between PCV and hemoglobinometer hemoglobin concentration (PCV = [2.83 x hemoglobin concentration] - 0.62). For samples from the healthy horses, a substantial negative bias was evident with the hemoglobinometer when hemoglobin concentration exceeded 16 g/dL. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggest that this hemoglobinometer is reasonably accurate and precise when used to measure hemoglobin concentration in blood samples from horses with a hemoglobin concentration < 16 g/dL.