SURGICAL MANAGEMENT OF A TARSAL LUXATION IN A RED KANGAROO (OSPHRANTER RUFUS).

Joint luxations commonly occur in animals secondary to traumatic injury. Because of the unique hind-limb anatomy of macropods, surgical stabilization of orthopedic injuries is considered challenging, and reports of successful management are limited. A 4-yr-old male neutered red kangaroo (Osphranter rufus) presented with a dorsolateral luxation of the left tibiotarsal joint. Surgical reduction and tarsal arthrodesis were performed. Although the full range of motion of the tarsal joint was limited, this kangaroo was still able to ambulate normally at slow speeds following surgery and recovery. The aim of this report was to describe the surgical and postoperative management of a tibiotarsal luxation in a kangaroo. There were significant postoperative complications in this kangaroo, and antibiotic regional limb perfusion was used to treat wound and implant infection.

Ocular Iridociliary Adenoma in a Congo African Grey Parrot (Psittacus erithacus).

A 19-year-old female Congo African grey parrot (Psittacus erithacus) presented for an oval, solid, pigmented, suspected intraocular mass with extrascleral extension through the inferior cornea of the left eye. The eye was nonvisual, and intraocular portions of the mass significantly altered the posterior chamber. Neoplasia was confirmed by biopsy, and enucleation was performed because of the severity of ocular disease, loss of vision, enhancement of patient comfort, and potential metastasis. Histopathologic examination of the entire globe revealed a pigmented iridociliary adenoma. Iridociliary adenomas have been rarely reported in birds, and this case report details diagnosis and treatment. Iridociliary adenomas in other species are often benign, indicating this neoplasia can be successfully treated with no reoccurrence by complete excision.

Validation of an immunocytochemical assay for immunophenotyping of lymphoma in guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus).

BACKGROUND: Lymphoma is an important disease of pet guinea pigs, although validation of immunophenotyping techniques based on cytologic or hematologic samples has not been reported. OBJECTIVE: To describe an immunocytochemical method for immunophenotyping of lymphoma (as either T- or B-cell) in guinea pigs, and to validate antibodies for this purpose. METHODS: Blood and tissues were obtained at the time of necropsy from laboratory guinea pigs and a privately owned dog (control) euthanized for reasons unrelated to lymphoproliferative disease. Fine-needle aspirates of enlarged peripheral lymph nodes were obtained from a case of spontaneous lymphoma in a pet guinea pig. Anti-CD3 and anti-Pax5 antibodies were validated by a combination of western blotting performed on splenic lysates of both the dog and guinea pigs, immunohistochemical studies on normal guinea pig tissues, and immunocytochemistry on normal guinea pig peripheral blood and splenic impression smears. RESULTS: The antibodies bound to antigens of an appropriate size in both the dog and guinea pig splenic lysates by Western blot analysis. Immunohistochemistry and immunocytochemistry demonstrated the expected distribution of putative T- and B-lymphocytes in normal tissues, peripheral blood, and splenic impression smears. As a proof-of-principle for its clinical utility, this immunocytochemical assay was used to diagnose a B-cell phenotype in a spontaneous lymphoma case in a pet guinea pig. CONCLUSIONS: Here, we validated an immunocytochemical method for immunophenotyping of lymphoma in guinea pigs as either a T- or B-cell phenotype. This enables future research into the clinical attributes of these subtypes and may ultimately improve both prognostication and therapy of lymphoma in guinea pigs.