title: Paraparesis in a Golden Retriever.
abstract: A 7-year-old female spayed Golden Retriever dog presented with fever and a 10-day history of neurological signs, including ambulatory paraparesis and pelvic limb ataxia. Neurological examination initially revealed a T3-L3 myelopathy. Thoracic radiographs revealed a diffuse miliary pulmonary pattern. Endotracheal washes and fine-needle aspirates from several organs aimed at identifying a potential infectious agent or neoplastic process were all unsuccessful. Due to worsening of the clinical signs, euthanasia was elected. Necropsy findings included multifocal, pale to dark red, firm nodules infiltrating the lungs, heart, mesentery, pancreas, small intestine, brain, and spinal cord. Cytological examination of impression smears obtained from the pulmonary nodules during necropsy revealed clusters of epithelioid cells admixed with fewer spindle cells, erythrocytes, and scattered leukocytes. Clinical signs and cytological findings initially suggested the possibility of a widespread granulomatous disease or a metastatic epithelial neoplasm as possible clinical differentials in this case. The final diagnosis was based on the gross and histological findings, with confirmation following histochemistry and immunohistochemistry.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aschenbroich
authors.affiliation: Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Woolcock
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA rissi@uga.edu.
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Rissi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D004285:Dogs; D015622:Epithelioid Cells / Q000473:pathology; D037901:Euthanasia, Animal; D005169:Factor VIII / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D018323:Hemangioendothelioma, Epithelioid / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary; D006394:Hemangiosarcoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000662:veterinary; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D020335:Paraparesis / Q000662:veterinary*; D011859:Radiography; D019043:Vascular Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D005169:Factor VIII
keywords: canine neoplasia; epithelioid cells; factor VIII; immunohistochemistry