title: Spontaneous tumours in captive African hedgehogs (Atelerix albiventris): a retrospective study.
abstract: Forty tumours were diagnosed in 35 (53%) of 66 captive African hedgehogs documented at Northwest ZooPath (NZP) between 1994 and 1999. Three hedgehogs had more than one type of tumour and the remaining 32 had a single type. Of the 35 hedgehogs with tumours, 14 were female, 11 were male, and 10 were of unknown gender; 21 were from zoological parks and 14 were privately owned. Twenty of the hedgehogs with tumours were adult (>1 year old) with a median age of 3.5 years (range 2-5.5 years); 15, of unreported age, were classified as adult. Thirty-four (85%) of the 40 tumours were classified as malignant and six (15%) as benign. The integumentary, haemolymphatic, digestive and endocrine systems were common sites for tumours. The most common tumours were mammary gland adenocarcinoma, lympho-sarcoma and oral squamous cell carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Northwest ZooPath, 18210 Waverly Drive, Snohomish, Washington, 98296-4815, USA
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Raymond
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Garner
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000836:Animals, Zoo; D005260:Female; D006364:Hedgehogs; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D012189:Retrospective Studies