title: Ameloblastoma in a wild black rat snake (Pantherophis alleghaniensis).
abstract: Reports of neoplasia in captive reptiles are becoming more frequent; however, there is still scarce knowledge of the occurrence of neoplasia in wild reptiles. A wild black rat snake (Pantherophis alleghaniensis) was presented to the Zoological Medicine service of the University of Georgia's Veterinary Teaching Hospital with a 3 cm in diameter solid mandibular mass that was partially ulcerated. Radiographically, the mass was radiopaque with small bone spicules and partial osteolysis of the adjacent mandible. Histologic examination of the mass revealed a neoplasm composed of cuboidal to polygonal cells arranged in islands, anastomosing cords, and trabeculae of pseudostratified epithelium with a palisading peripheral layer of densely packed columnar cells with cytoplasmic clearing. The neoplastic tissue was separated from the mesenchyme by a prominent band of fine collagen. Neoplastic cells were positive for cytokeratin and negative for smooth muscle actin. Electron microscopy highlighted the presence of tonofilaments and microvilli. These findings led to the diagnosis of ameloblastoma, an odontogenic epithelial tumor known to occur in humans and most veterinary species.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Pathology (Seguel, Sakamoto), College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GASmall Animal Medicine and Surgery (Comolli, Olsen, Schnellbacher, Divers), College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GAVeterinary Biosciences and Diagnostic Imaging (Fox), College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA.
authors.forename: Jessica R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Comolli
authors.affiliation: Departments of Pathology (Seguel, Sakamoto), College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GASmall Animal Medicine and Surgery (Comolli, Olsen, Schnellbacher, Divers), College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GAVeterinary Biosciences and Diagnostic Imaging (Fox), College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA.
authors.forename: Haley M H
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Olsen
authors.affiliation: Departments of Pathology (Seguel, Sakamoto), College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GASmall Animal Medicine and Surgery (Comolli, Olsen, Schnellbacher, Divers), College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GAVeterinary Biosciences and Diagnostic Imaging (Fox), College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA.
authors.forename: Mauricio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seguel
authors.affiliation: Departments of Pathology (Seguel, Sakamoto), College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GASmall Animal Medicine and Surgery (Comolli, Olsen, Schnellbacher, Divers), College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GAVeterinary Biosciences and Diagnostic Imaging (Fox), College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA.
authors.forename: Rodney W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Schnellbacher
authors.affiliation: Departments of Pathology (Seguel, Sakamoto), College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GASmall Animal Medicine and Surgery (Comolli, Olsen, Schnellbacher, Divers), College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GAVeterinary Biosciences and Diagnostic Imaging (Fox), College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA.
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Fox
authors.affiliation: Departments of Pathology (Seguel, Sakamoto), College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GASmall Animal Medicine and Surgery (Comolli, Olsen, Schnellbacher, Divers), College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GAVeterinary Biosciences and Diagnostic Imaging (Fox), College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA.
authors.forename: Stephen J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Divers
authors.affiliation: Departments of Pathology (Seguel, Sakamoto), College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GASmall Animal Medicine and Surgery (Comolli, Olsen, Schnellbacher, Divers), College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GAVeterinary Biosciences and Diagnostic Imaging (Fox), College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA kaoris@uga.edu.
authors.forename: Kaori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
mesh_terms: D000564:Ameloblastoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D007573:Jaw Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008334:Mandible; D008854:Microscopy, Electron / Q000662:veterinary; D011859:Radiography; D012911:Snakes
keywords: Ameloblastoma; epulis; neoplasia; oral tumor; rat snakes; reptile; wildlife