title: Spontaneous subcutaneous myxosarcoma in a captive European hedgehog (Erinsceus europaeus).
abstract: A surgically excised biopsy representing a subcutaneous mass on the left side of the neck from a 3-year-old female European hedgehog (Erinsceus europaeus) was presented. Spontaneous myxosarcoma was diagnosed based on histological, immunohistochemical, and ultrastructural characteristics. The neoplasm grossly consisted of a firm, pale, multilobulated mass with a characteristic clear gelatinous fluid. Histologically, the neoplasm was nonencapsulated and composed of pleomorphic stellate or spindle-shaped vimentin and periodic acid-Schiff-positive cells arranged in loose sheets and occasionally whorls. The neoplastic cells were suspended in Alcian blue-positive stroma and contained infrequent mitotic figures. Evidence of a viral etiology was not detected using electron microscopy and polymerase chain reaction. This is the first case report of a myxosarcoma in a captive European hedgehog.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA.
authors.forename: Kuldeep
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Uriel
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Blas-Machado
authors.forename: Emily J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: Shannon L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Caseltine
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nordhausen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D006364:Hedgehogs; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000662:veterinary; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission / Q000662:veterinary; D009236:Myxosarcoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D010503:Periodic Acid-Schiff Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary