Bilateral hibernomas in the femoral regions of a dog.

A 14-year-old intact male Chihuahua dog was presented with masses located between the biceps femoris and adductor muscles in both hind limbs. Based on histopathological, immunohistochemical, and ultrastructural findings, we diagnosed these masses as bilateral hibernomas in the femoral regions. The dog had no evidence of recurrence or metastasis of the hibernomas through a 4-month postoperative follow-up. This is apparently the first report of bilateral hibernomas in the femoral regions of a dog. Key clinical message: Bilateral hibernomas should be considered as a differential diagnosis for masses occurring in the femoral regions of dogs.

Hibernomes bilatéraux dans les régions fémorales d'un chien. Un chien Chihuahua mâle intact de 14 ans a été présenté avec des masses situées entre le biceps fémoral et les muscles adducteurs des deux membres postérieurs. Sur la base des résultats histopathologiques, immunohistochimiques et ultrastructuraux, nous avons diagnostiqué ces masses comme des hibernomes bilatéraux dans les régions fémorales. Le chien n'avait aucun signe de récidive ou de métastases des hibernomes au cours d'un suivi postopératoire de 4 mois. Il s'agit apparemment du premier rapport d'hibernome bilatéral dans les régions fémorales d'un chien.Message clinique clé:Les hibernomes bilatéraux doivent être considérés comme un diagnostic différentiel pour les masses survenant dans les régions fémorales des chiens.(Traduit par Dr Serge Messier).

Novel microminipig model of atherosclerosis by high fat and high cholesterol diet, established in Japan.

Novel atherosclerotic lesions were induced in the Microminipig (MMP, registered with the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries as a novel variety of swine), the smallest pig available for experimental use, by feeding a high fat (12%) and high cholesterol (5%) diet (HFCD) with sodium cholate (SC, 0.7%) (HFCD/SC) for three months. Three MMPs were used: a male fed with normal diet (M-ND), and a male and an ovariectomized female fed with HFCD/SC (M-HFCD/SC and Fx-HFCD/SC). HFCD/SC induced hypercholesterolemia accompanied by an increase in serum total cholesterol (T-Cho), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and cholesterol ester (CE) from the first week. Serum levels of T-Cho, LDL-C and CE reached a maximum in two to three weeks, and HDL-C gradually increased during the experimental period (duration). Serum lipoprotein analysis showed a dominant LDL-C fraction, as seen in humans, in all three MMPs. Body weight gain in the MMPs fed with HFCD/SC was greater than in the animal fed with M-ND. At the end of the experiment, computed tomography scans of conscious animals showed increases in subcutaneous and abdominal fat in those fed with HFCD/SC, suggesting the induction of obesity. Atherosclerotic lesions in systemic arteries (including external and internal iliac arteries, abdominal aorta, coronary artery, cerebral arterial circle), fatty changes, and foamy cell infiltration in the liver and spleen were histopathologically observed in the MMPs fed with HFCD/SC. Atherosclerosis and the pathological findings induced by HFCD/SC in MMPs were similar to the pathological changes associated with human atherosclerosis, suggesting that the MMP has the potential to be a suitable animal model for human atherosclerosis.