Clinicopathologic and immunophenotypic features in dogs with presumptive large granular lymphocyte leukaemia.

Large granular lymphocytic leukaemia (LGLL) has been described in a range of species but has been most commonly reported in humans and dogs. In both species, this neoplasia exhibits diversity in both phenotype and biological behaviour with phenotype only partially predicting behaviour. There is currently little knowledge of concurrent haematological and serum biochemistry features or concurrent occurrence of distinct neoplasia in canine LGLL cases. This study presents a canine case series and defines haematological parameters, novel serum biochemistry findings and phenotype of the large granular lymphocytes in an Australian case series. Neutrophilia was the most common haematological abnormality, identified in 43% of dogs, and 84% of dogs with biochemistry data available had elevated serum gamma-glutamyl transferase. Five of the 40 dogs in this study exhibited concurrent neoplasia during the period of the study, demonstrating this is a relatively common clinical outcome in canine LGLL cases. In agreement with previous canine and human studies, the most common LGLL phenotype in dogs is CD3+, CD4- and CD8+. Further work is needed to define the variables predictive of the biological behaviour of LGLL in dogs.

Atypical multiple, papilliform, xanthomatous, cutaneous neoplasia in a goose (Anser anser).

An 18-month-old, male greylag goose was presented for assessment of multiple, semi-pedunculated cutaneous masses limited to non-feathered areas of skin. Initial biopsy and histopathology revealed a mesenchymal neoplasm suggestive of lipoblastomatosis or atypical xanthoma. Immunohistochemistry was unsuccessful in determining the tissue type of origin. Surgical resection of all masses was prevented by the mucocutaneous location of several masses. Chemotherapy using intralesion cisplatin was unsuccessful in resolving the masses but was well-tolerated by the goose. Serum lipid and lipoprotein analysis revealed a persistent hypercholesterolaemia and hypertriglyceridaemia without biochemical evidence of an underlying metabolic disease. The persistent hyperlipidaemia may have contributed to the formation of the masses identified in this case.

The pathology of normobaric oxygen toxicity in budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus).

The effects of normobaric oxygen exposure were investigated in budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus). Sixty birds were randomly divided into four equal groups of 15. These groups were randomly allocated as control, acute exposure, repeated acute exposure or chronic exposure. Control birds were exposed to 72 continuous hours of 21% oxygen in a sealed, enclosed chamber. Acute exposure, repeated acute exposure and chronic exposure groups were exposed oxygen at minimum concentration of 95% for a single 3-h period, a 3-h period daily for three sequential days, or a single 72-h period in a sealed, enclosed chamber, respectively. Oxygen exposure resulted in significant alteration in the histological morphology of respiratory exchange tissue, with severe oedema, and inflammatory cell infiltration. Electron micrographs revealed thickening of the blood-gas barrier with the tissue harmonic thickness increasing from 226 +/-90 nm in control birds to 639 +/-393nm following repeated acute exposure, with the total harmonic thickness increasing from a control value of 345 +/-146nm to 837 +/-423 nm at the same time. Chronic oxygen exposure resulted in significant changes in cell morphology including thickening of endothelial cells, ruffling of type I respiratory endothelial cells and interstitial vacuolation. These results indicate that budgerigars undergo significant morphological and ultrastructural changes in respiratory exchange tissue following exposure to 100% oxygen.

Central nervous disease and blindness in Nankeen kestrels (Falco cenchroides) due to a novel Leucocytozoon-like infection.

The histopathological and electronmicroscopic features of a novel parasitic infection causing seasonal epizootics of central nervous disease in Nankeen kestrels (Falco cenchroides) from Western Australia is described. Thorough necropsy, haematological and transmission electronmicroscopical examinations were performed on thirteen affected kestrels between 1996 and 1999. All had an extensive vasculocentric granulomatous meningoencephalomyelitis, pectenitis and proliferative arteritis with endothelial parasitic cysts measuring 40 to 60 mu m in diameter. Arterioles in the brain, optic papillae, pecten and kidney were most consistently affected. In some birds there was severe haemorrhage from the pecten. Less commonly, parasitic cysts were seen in the arterioles of the lung, liver, heart and intestines. Endothelial schizonts contained many spherical merozoites measuring 1 mu m in diameter that were also present free within the lumen of affected arterioles. Haematological examination in three of seven affected kestrels tested demonstrated rare, basophilic intracytoplasmic inclusions in leucocytes with distorted nuclei consistent with Leucocytozoon-like gametocytes. Day-old chickens inoculated with brain homogenate failed to develop similar lesions.

Assessment of liver function in chickens using galactose and indocyanine green clearances.

Values for galactose and indocyanine green (ICG) clearances, and plasma and serum biochemical markers of liver dysfunction were determined in normal chickens and following coeliotomy, and compared with birds after partial hepatectomy. Clearance tests, and serum and plasma biochemistry were performed 4h, and 4 and 7 days after surgery. Coeliotomy and manipulation of the liver did not delay clearance of either compound. Partial hepatectomy resulted in elevation of galactose single point concentrations but did not significantly alter galactose clearance (GEC) values. Clearance values of ICG were not significantly altered. Biochemical values were not significantly elevated in birds after a partial hepatectomy in comparison with birds after coeliotomy. Galactose single point concentrations have the potential to become a simple, relatively non-invasive method of screening for liver disease, with GEC tests having the potential to quantify the degree of loss of functional hepatic mass.