# hedgehog necropsy results



## quillyones (Mar 5, 2009)

Does anyone here have experience with understanding very detailed necropsy and Toxicology/mineral analysis results.


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

Best bet would be Kalandra or Hedgemom.


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## quillyones (Mar 5, 2009)

I was just scanning through the necropsy results for Cuddles and comparing them to Sparkles' (Princess Chloe's mom) necropsy results. I noticed some differences in the Toxicology part I did not list all the results just the ones where there seems to be a difference . Some seem to be at least doubled for one or the other.

Toxicology results
Mineral analysis
Indent: Sparkles results Cuddles results 
Copper 4.9 ppm 8.7 ppm
Iron 127.2 ppm 69.4 ppm
Magnesium 123.6 ppm 215.4 ppm
Manganese 1.6 ppm 2.5 ppm
Molybdenum less than 0.5 ppm 0.9 ppm
Zinc 39.9 ppm 61.4 ppm


Does anyone know the normal range for any of these? Now to read through 4 pages of necropsy results.

Hugs

Cyndy


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## quillyones (Mar 5, 2009)

I am going to just type the three areas that they found stuff.

Necropsy : Body condition score:2.5/5 (1=emaciated and 5=obese)

Body cavities: There was 130 ml of dark red serosanguineous fluid inside the abdominal cavity. The abdominal wall contained two multilobular, encapsulated, red to beige, semi-soft masses measuring up to 2.5x2.0x0.6 cm.

Alimentary system: There was a 1.0x0.5x0.5 cm mass on the stomach great curvature, (close to the pylorus) with features similar to those described in the abdominal wall. Diffusely all liver lobes were pale tan.

Urinary system: The right kidney was moderately enlarged and measured 2.5x1.0x0.5 cm. The left kidney was mildly shrunken and measured 2x0.6x0.4 cm. The cortex of both kidneys contained multifocal to coalescing light brown areas.

Histopathology:

Peritoneal mass (slide C): The inner portion of the peritoneal wall contained an expansile, partially encapsulated, well demarcated, multilobulated, moderately cellular neoplasm. The neoplastic cells were arranged in acini and islands and were supported by a delicate fibrovascular stroma. The neoplastic cells were round to polygonal, with indistinct cell borders, a moderate amount of vacuolated amphophilic cytoplasm and often were arranged in a palisading pattern. The nuclei were round, eccentrically placed, with finely stippled chromatin and 1-2 large, magenta nuclei. The tumor cells exhibited a moderate degree of anisocytosis and anisokaryosis. Mitotic figures were not observed. Multifocally, the neoplasm contained multiple areas with cellular and karyorrhectic debris ( lytic necrosis; most prominent in the center of the acinar-like structures) and extravasated erythrocytes (hemorrhage). In some areas of the mass, the neoplastic cells were arranged in discrete, round to ovoid, follicle-like structures lined by a prominent, single basaloid layer of cuboidal cells with a central region comprised of a solid, densely cellular aggregate of neoplastic cells as described above. These follicle-like structures were surrounded by a moderate amount of fibrous connective tissue and stroma.

Kidneys (slide A): Multifocally in the cortex and medulla (of the left kidney), the tubules were markedly ectatic and filled with hypereosinophilic, homogeneous, amorphous material (protein deposition). At low magnification, the renal medulla with its protein-filled tubules had a thyroid-like (colloid-filled follicles) appearance ("medullary thyroidization"). The tubular epithelial cells were often vacuolated and some had faded nuclei. The glomeruli were variably sized with moderate proliferation of mesangial matrix and marked thickening of the basement membrane of the capillary tufts. The interstitium contained a moderate amount of fibroblast proliferation and a small infiltration lymphocytes. In one of the sections examined, the renal pelvis contained small infiltration of neutrophils and macrophages (pyelitis). The right kidney had mild glomerular changes (thickened basement membranes) and had mild to moderate interstitial fibrosis and lymphocytic nephritis.

Urinary bladder (slide B): The submucosa contained a small infiltration of neutrophils and a few eosinophils. The muscularis layer contained a few scattered eosinophils and a few eosinophils. The muscularis layer contained a few scatter eosinophils and multifocal small infiltrates of lymphocytes.

Liver (slide B): Multifocally a moderate number of hepatocytes contained variably-sized, clear, well-circumscribed, intracytoplasmic vacuoles (interpreted as lipid).

Immunohistochemistry: The following IHC preparation was done on slide C (peritoneal mass): broad-spectrum cytokeratin (epithelial cell maker): Many of the neoplastic cells were moderately to strongly immunopositive.


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## quillyones (Mar 5, 2009)

Here is the rest of the necropsy results:

Bacteriology: Sections of lung and liver were submitted for aerobic culture; the results yielded no growth. No Salmonella spp. were isolated from the tissue pool.

Parasitology: Feces and intestinal content were submitted for fecal floatation; no ova, oocysts, or cysts were observed.

Diagnosis:

1. Peritoneal wall and mesenteric mass, poorly-differentiated carcinoma (N.O.S.; not otherwise specified).
2. Kidney:
a. left, unilateral, tubular ectasia with intraluminal protein, multifocal to coalescing, moderate to marked, chronic; and membranous glomerulonephritis, multifocal, moderate.

b. interstitial nephritis, lymphocytic, multifocal, mild, chronic.

c. interstitial fibrosis, multifocal, mild, chronic.

3. Liver: hepatocellular vacuolar degeneration (hepatic lipidosis), multifocal, moderate.

4. Abdominal cavity, ascites, marked, likely secondary to #2a.

Comments:

The most significant necropsy findings in this hedgehog involved the kidney disease and the peritoneal neoplasm. The ascites was likely associated with the severe kidney disease (glomerulonephritis and fibrosis) and the subsequent protein loss via the renal tubules. The tumors in the abdominal wall and abdominal cavity may also have contributed to the ascites by causing compression/obstruction of lymphatic drainage. The tumor in the peritoneal wall most likely a poorly-differentiated carcinoma; however, the exact origin of the tumor could not be determined. The masses observed at necropsy involved the peritoneal wall and mesentery only. In a few areas, the tumor had some features of a granulosa cell tumor, and in other areas, the tumor resembled a carcinoma with foci of central necrosis.


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## quillyones (Mar 5, 2009)

Could part of the cancer have originated from the ovaries. She was spayed in 2007 with the diagnosis: Dysgerminoma and poly-cystic ovaries and leiomyoma of the uterus. I have the detailed histopathology from her spay if more information is needed.

Sorry these postings were so long. I cut out a lot of the necropsy parts to shorten the length. 

Thanks

Cyndy


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

And in simple language this means????? :lol: 

Some of it makes sense, other parts I have no clue.


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## quillyones (Mar 5, 2009)

Some parts make sense to me and then I get confused or lost. :lol:


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

From what I can gather....There were two cancer tumors in the abdominal wall, and one on the stomach. Also the kindneys were not functioning properly (kidney failure) and the liver wasn't functioning properly either. They couldn't tell where the cancer originally came from. There didn't seem to be any infections anywhere, liver, lungs etc, were clear of infection. There was fluid in the abdominal cavity which could have been from the kidney failure or the tumors pressing on the lymphatic system (the lympahtic system helps move fluid around the body, keeping it balanced)

That's the main parts.


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