title: Congenital diffuse hyperplastic goiter associated with perinatal mortality in 11 captive-born bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus).
abstract: Diffuse hyperplastic goiter was diagnosed by histopathology in 11 perinatal bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) that died at four separate zoos and aquaria. Thyroid morphology of these animals was compared with the histologically normal thyroids of two stranded wild bottlenose dolphin calves, a neonate and a 2-mo-old calf. Histologic changes included reduced follicular luminal diameter, markedly reduced or absent luminal colloid, hypertrophy of follicular epithelium, and follicular dysplasia. The etiology of the thyroid gland lesion was not identified. Cause of death was not determined for most of these animals, but they were presumed to have died from metabolic derangements associated with the thyroid lesion, drowning, or dystocia.
authors.affiliation: Northwest ZooPath, 18210 Waverly Drive, Snohomish, Washington 98296, USA
authors.forename: Michael M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Garner
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Shwetz
authors.forename: Jan C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Ramer
authors.forename: James M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
authors.forename: Kris
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Petrini
authors.forename: Daniel F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Cowan
authors.forename: James T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Raymond
authors.forename: Gregory D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Bossart
authors.forename: Gregg A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Levine
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000836:Animals, Zoo; D004289:Dolphins; D005260:Female; D006042:Goiter / Q000151:congenital / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D006965:Hyperplasia / Q000151:congenital / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000473:pathology*