Causes of Mortality in a Population of Marine-Foraging River Otters (Lontra canadensis).

Retrospective analysis of diagnostic findings from 30 marine-foraging river otter (Lontra canadensis) carcasses opportunistically acquired between 2003 and 2013 revealed trauma as the most common cause of mortality (47%). Within this focal population, causes of trauma included vehicular, gunshot, and one case of suspect intraspecific aggression. Other causes of death included idiopathic (20%), infectious (13%), metabolic (10%), nutritional (7%), and neoplasia (3%). One case of neoplasia, a pancreatic islet cell adenoma, was identified in a 12-yr-old female. In six animals, diffuse renal interstitial fibrosis and multifocal glomerulosclerosis of unknown clinical significance were noted.

Canine pancreatic islet cell tumours secreting insulin-like growth factor type 2: a rare entity.

Insulin-like growth factor type II (IGF-II) is the main cause of non-islet cell tumour hypoglycaemia (NICTH) and insulin is thought to be the only factor causing hypoglycaemia in insulinomas. However, two case reports of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (PNETs) producing IGF-II have been previously published: a human and a canine patient. In this study, we investigated clinical, histopathological, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural features, and biological behaviour of canine pancreatic IGF-II-omas, a subgroup of PNETs that has not been previously characterized. Case records of 58 dogs with confirmed PNETs and hypoglycaemia were reviewed: six patients were affected by IGF-II-omas. Surgery was performed in all cases and two dogs had metastases. Four patients remained alive and in remission at 370, 440, 560 and 890 days post-diagnosis; two died of non-tumour-related causes. IGF-II-omas can be differentiated from insulinomas through hypoinsulinaemia, IGF-II positive and insulin negative immunostaining. The prevalence of this neoplasia is low, accounting for just 6% of PNETs.

Pancreatic endocrine tumour with disseminated pulmonary thromboembolism in an owl monkey (Aotus nancymae).

Pulmonary thromboembolism associated with pancreatic endocrine neoplasia is extremely uncommon in man and animals. Post-mortem examination of an adult owl monkey (Aotus nancymae) revealed extensive pulmonary arterial thromboembolism and a well-demarcated mass attached to the pancreas. Microscopically, the mass consisted of areas of interstitial fibrosis with loss of acini and islets and replacement by nests and sheets of polygonal cells with amphophilic cytoplasm, an eccentric round nucleus with stippled chromatin and, in some cells, with a single prominent eccentric nucleolus. Clusters of these cells were noted within vessels and adjacent lymph nodes. The cells did not express S100 or insulin, but were labelled strongly with SP-1/chromogranin. Rare individual cells expressed glucagon and somatostatin. A few cells in pulmonary thrombi/emboli and the adjacent lymph node also expressed SP-1/chromogranin. Based on cell morphology, location and immunohistochemistry the tumour was classified as pancreatic endocrine (islet cell) carcinoma with metastasis to regional lymph nodes and lung.

Metastatic pancreatic polypeptide-secreting islet cell tumor in a dog.

A 14-year-old female spayed Golden Retriever was presented to the University of Florida's Veterinary Medical Center with history of lymphoplasmacytic gastroenteritis, intermittent vomiting, watery diarrhea, and weight loss for over a year. CBC, biochemical profile, and urinalysis were within reference intervals. Abdominal ultrasonographic examination revealed mesenteric and jejunal lymphadenopathy and hyperechoic hepatic nodules. Cytologic examination of the enlarged lymph nodes revealed loosely cohesive cells with moderate nuclear pleomorphism and rare punctate eosinophilic cytoplasmic granules. The cytologic interpretation was metastatic neuroendocrine neoplasia. On surgical exploration, a mass was detected in the right lobe of the pancreas. Histologic evaluation determined the mass to be an islet cell tumor. Approximately 98% of cells were positive by immunolabeling for pancreatic polypeptide (PP), and only rare cells were positive for insulin or somatostatin. All cells were negative for glucagon, gastrin, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, protein gene product 9.5, synaptophysin, and chromogranins A and B. Pancreatic tumors that primarily produce PP are rare in dogs, and this is the first report of both the cytologic and histologic features of an islet cell tumor predominantly secreting PP. Clinical signs for these tumors are typically absent or nonspecific; signs may include watery diarrhea, as noted in this dog, although the diarrhea may have resulted from lymphoplasmacytic gastroenteritis. Additional case studies are needed to further characterize the cytomorphologic features and clinical presentation of PP-secreting islet cell tumor, or polypeptidoma, in dogs.

Spontaneous pancreatic islet cell tumor in a black and white colobus monkey (Colobus guereza kikuyuensis).

A 12-year-old, male black and white colobus monkey (Colobus guereza kikuyuensis) from a small community zoo presented with a 6-month history of mild, slowly progressive ataxia and paresis culminating in an acute episode of recumbency, depression, and seizures. The animal was humanely euthanatized. Gross post-mortem examination revealed significant abnormalities including diffuse pallor of the carcass and a firm, pale, 8-cm diameter mass, adherent to the serosa of the proximal duodenum and colon, and embedded within the pancreas and mesenteric root. Histologically, the mass had characteristics of a neuroendocrine or endocrine tumor. Immunohistochemical stains for chromogranin, synaptophysin, insulin, and glucagon were positive, confirming the diagnosis of a mixed pancreatic islet cell tumor. These tumors are rare in all species except ferrets and unreported previously in colobus monkeys.

Two cases of pancreatic neoplasia in British ferrets (Mustela putorius furo).

Two six-year-old male neutered polecat ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) were presented for the investigation of acute collapse or periodic weakness and weight loss. While blood biochemistry revealed hypoglycaemia in both cases, diagnosis of an insulin-secreting neoplasia was confirmed by exploratory surgery in one case and supported by the use of an insulin assay in the other. Subsequent histopathological examination showed the former to be a pancreatic islet cell carcinoma and the latter to be a pancreatic islet cell adenoma. While neoplasia of the pancreas commonly affects ferrets in the USA, there appears to be only one previous report from the UK.

Glucagon-producing neuroendocrine tumour associated with hypoaminoacidaemia and skin lesions.

A nine-year-old neutered female crossbred Bernese mountain dog was diagnosed with superficial necrolytic dermatitis and a glucagon-producing islet cell tumour. Laboratory findings included hyperglucagonaemia and hypoaminoacidaemia. The dog was euthanased because of progression of the disease, and necropsy revealed liver metastases of a neuroendocrine carcinoma with immunohistochemical expression of glucagon and somatostatin. This report represents a case of canine glucagonoma syndrome; the previously reported cases in dogs are also briefly described.

Ultrasonographic detection of a pancreatic glucagon-secreting multihormonal islet cell tumour in a dachshund with metabolic epidermal necrosis.

The clinical, ultrasonographic and histopathological features of a pancreatic multihormonal islet cell tumour are described in a 12-year-old dachshund with cutaneous lesions suggestive of metabolic epidermal necrosis. This condition was suspected because of the compatible cutaneous signs, a high plasma glucagon concentration and the detection of a well defined pancreatic mass by ultrasonography. The diagnosis was confirmed postmortem and by histology.

Immunohistochemistry of pancreatic islet cell tumors in the ferret (Mustela putorius furo).

Twenty-two pancreatic islet cell tumors and normal pancreatic islets from ferrets were evaluated by immunohistochemistry for expression of the peptide hormones insulin, somatostatin, glucagon, and pancreatic polypeptide (PP) and the neuroendocrine markers chromogranin A (CgA) and neuron-specific enolase (NSE). In normal pancreatic islets, the majority of cells stained strongly with CgA and NSE. A cells, B cells, D cells, and PP cells stained strongly with glucagon, insulin, somatostatin, and PP, respectively. All 22 tumors stained with CgA and NSE. The proportion of cells within tumors staining for CgA was variable, but more than half of the cells stained positively in 18 of the tumors. The intensity of staining for CgA was strongly (reactivity equivalent to or greater than normal islet cells in adjacent tissue) in 11 moderate in six, and weak in five of the tumors. All tumors stained for NSE, with > or = 50% of the cells staining in 21 of the tumors, and the intensity of staining was strong in 18 of the tumors. Twenty of 22 tumors stained positively for insulin. with > or = 50% of the cells staining in 19 of them. The intensity of staining for insulin was strong in 12, moderate in seven, and weak in one of the tumors. Approximately < or = 1% of the cells in 15 of 22 tumors stained for somatostatin, five tumors stained for pancreatic polypeptide, and three tumors stained for glucagon. These data indicate that the majority of islet cell tumors of ferrets express immunohistochemically detectable insulin. CgA and NSE are both useful general markers for such tumors, including those that are insulin negatives. Commercially available antisera to CgA, NSE, insulin, glucagon, somatostatin, and PP work well in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue for immunophenotyping islet cell tumors in the ferret.

A retrospective study of pancreatic tumors in slaughter cattle.

Sixteen primary pancreatic tumors were found in a retrospective study of bovine pancreatic lesions detected in slaughtered cattle. Eleven islet cell tumors and three pancreatic exocrine carcinomas were identified based on light microscopy and immunohistochemistry. Nine of 11 islet cell tumors were classified as malignant. Metastatic sites included iliac, mediastinal, hepatic, and mesenteric lymph nodes, peritoneum, mesentery, and liver. Six cows with multiple islet cell tumors also had pheochromocytomas. All 11 islet cell tumors had positive immunoreactivity to insulin and somatostatin. Three tumors also contained cells immunoreactive for glucagon and two tumors contained pancreatic polypeptide immunoreactive cells. Immunoreactivity of tumor cells in metastatic sites was similar to their respective primary tumors. All exocrine pancreatic carcinomas metastasized widely and were immunonegative for insulin, somatostatin, glucagon, and pancreatic polypeptide. No mixed endocrine-exocrine tumors were identified. None of the endocrine or exocrine tumors contained amyloid. Additional primary tumors of the bovine pancreas included one neurofibroma and one neurofibrosarcoma. Additional cases with lesions of the bovine pancreas included nodular hyperplasia in 15 cows, exocrine acinar atrophy and fibrosis in four cows (two of which also had pancreatic lithiasis), pancreatitis in one cow, peripancreatic fibrosis in two cows, pancreatic steatosis in one animal, and pancreatic hemorrhages in one cow.

Functional islet cell tumor in six ferrets.

Functional islet cell tumor was diagnosed in 6 ferrets. Prominent clinical signs included weight loss, hind limb weakness, ptyalism, and tremors. The diagnosis was made on the basis of 2 or more of the following methods and confirmed by histologic examination of biopsied tissue: hypoglycemia on routine serum biochemical analysis, clinical signs of hypoglycemia, simultaneous development of hypoglycemia (44 +/- 9.9 mg/dl; mean +/- SD), and hyperinsulinemia (58 +/- 18.4 microU/ml; mean +/- SD) after food was withheld for 4 hours. Surgical resection of affected tissue was associated with clinical improvement in all cases. Foci of metastasis were found in 1 ferret. Diazoxide was unsuccessful in controlling persistent postsurgical hypoglycemia in 2 ferrets. Additional functional islet cell tumors were identified in 5 of 6 ferrets at necropsy. Functional islet cell tumors are important neoplasms of older ferrets. Preventive health programs for ferrets > 3 years old should include monthly weight determinations and biannual CBC and serum biochemical analysis.

Insulin-secreting pancreatic (islet cell) carcinoma in a cat.

A functional, insulin-secreting pancreatic (islet cell) carcinoma was diagnosed in a 17-year-old male Siamese cat. Diagnosis was made on the basis of clinical signs (i.e., seizures and stupor) that resolved temporarily after correction of hypoglycemia with feeding or intravenous administration of glucose, the finding of an inappropriately increased serum insulin concentration in the face of hypoglycemia, and prolonged resolution of hypoglycemia after surgical removal of the tumor. Primary islet cell tumor of the pancreas was confirmed by biopsy. The cat died 18 months later, and necropsy revealed metastases to regional lymph nodes and liver. Specimens of the tumor and metastatic lesions both stained positively for insulin.

[Pathological changes of the endocrine pancreas in dogs and cats in comparison with clinical data]. / Pathologische Veränderungen des endokrinen Pankreas bei Hund und Katze im Vergleich mit klinischen Daten.

In a retrospective study concerning the functional morphology of the endocrine pancreas the files of the Institute for Veterinary Pathology, University of Munich, of the last 12 years were reviewed. Cases of diabetes mellitus as well as developmental disorders and tumors of the endocrine pancreas were examined by routine histological and immunohistological methods. Cases are discussed together with clinical data and the relevant literature. The forms of diabetes mellitus were categorized according to the classification used in human pathology.

Hyperinsulinism and hypoglycemia associated with pancreatic islet cell tumor in a ferret.

Pancreatic islet cell tumor causing hypoglycemia and hyperinsulinism was diagnosed in a ferret with a history of progressive neurologic dysfunction. The diagnosis was suspected by the findings of hypoglycemia when the ferret was not fed, hyperinsulinism, and an amended insulin/glucose ratio approaching infinity. A focal pancreatic mass was removed by partial pancreatectomy, resulting in euglycemia and the resolution of clinical signs. Histologic diagnosis of the pancreatic mass was consistent with islet cell tumor (insulinoma). The ferret remained clinically normal for 8 months, but died after recurring episodes of hyperglycemia and glucosuria. Necropsy revealed no evidence of islet cell neoplasia involving the pancreas or other structures.