title: Pathology in Captive Wild Felids at German Zoological Gardens.
abstract: This retrospective study provides an overview on spontaneous diseases occurring in 38 captive wild felids submitted for necropsy by German zoological gardens between 2004 and 2013. Species included 18 tigers, 8 leopards, 7 lions, 3 cheetahs and 2 cougars with an age ranging from 0.5 to 22 years. Renal lesions, predominantly tubular alterations (intra-tubular concrements, tubular degeneration, necrosis, intra-tubular cellular debris, proteinaceous casts, dilated tubuli) followed by interstitial (lympho-plasmacytic inflammation, fibrosis, metastatic-suppurative inflammation, eosinophilic inflammation) and glomerular lesions (glomerulonephritis, glomerulosclerosis, amyloidosis) were detected in 33 out of 38 animals (87%). Tumors were found in 19 of 38 felids (50%) with 12 animals showing more than one neoplasm. The tumor prevalence increased with age. Neoplasms originated from endocrine (11), genital (8), lympho-hematopoietic (5) and alimentary organs (4) as well as the mesothelium (3). Most common neoplasms comprised uterine/ovarian leiomyomas (5/2), thyroid adenomas/adenocarcinoma (5/1), pleural mesotheliomas (3), hemangiosarcomas (2) and glossal papillomas (2). Inflammatory changes were frequently encountered in the intestine and the lung. Two young animals displayed metastatic mineralization suggestive of a vitamin D- or calcium intoxication. One tiger exhibited degenerative white matter changes consistent with an entity termed large felid leukoencephalomyelopathy. Various hyperplastic, degenerative and inflammatory changes with minor clinical significance were found in several organs. Summarized, renal lesions followed by neoplastic changes as well as inflammatory changes in lung and gastrointestinal tract represent the most frequent findings in captive wild felids living in German zoological gardens.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover, Lower Saxony, Germany.
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Junginger
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover, Lower Saxony, Germany; Center for Systems Neuroscience, Hannover, Lower Saxony, Germany.
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hansmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover, Lower Saxony, Germany; Center for Systems Neuroscience, Hannover, Lower Saxony, Germany.
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Herder
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover, Lower Saxony, Germany; Center for Systems Neuroscience, Hannover, Lower Saxony, Germany.
authors.forename: Annika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lehmbecker
authors.affiliation: Chemisches und Veterinäruntersuchungsamt Westphalia, Arnsberg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.affiliation: Department of Biometry, Epidemiology and Information Processing, University of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover, Lower Saxony, Germany.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beyerbach
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover, Lower Saxony, Germany.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wohlsein
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover, Lower Saxony, Germany; Center for Systems Neuroscience, Hannover, Lower Saxony, Germany.
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Baumgärtner
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary; D004066:Digestive System Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary; D004700:Endocrine System Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary; D045989:Felidae / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D007249:Inflammation / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary; D010341:Pathology, Veterinary / Q000379:methods; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary