[Oligodendroglioma with neuronal differentiation in an 8-month-old African hedgehog (Atelerix albiventris)].
An 8-month-old, male African hedgehog clinically displayed a wobbly walk, anuria, inappetence and apathy, whereupon the suspected diagnosis wobbly hedgehog syndrome was made. After exacerbation, the hedgehog was euthanized. Histologically, a tumour mainly consisting of medium-sized, oval tumour cells and a smaller number of spindeloid cells was found in the cerebrum. The tumour contained neuropil islets and extracellular myxoid material. Immunohistochemically, the tumour cells expressed oligodendroglial (neurite outgrowth inhibitor, Nogo-A; oligodendrocyte transcription factor, Olig-2) and neuronal (neuron-specific enolase, NSE; microtubule-associated protein-2a, MAP-2a; synaptophysin) cell markers. Based on these findings, an oligodendroglioma with neuronal differentiation was diagnosed. Such a brain tumour has to date not been reported for African hedgehogs. At necropsy, a severely filled and dilated urinary bladder was observed, which was presumably caused by a central blockade of the micturition centre in the brain. In the case of neurological symptoms in young hedgehogs, a primary brain tumour should, as in adults, be considered as a differential diagnosis. As further differentials, inflammatory-infectious (rabies, herpes, baylisascariosis), degenerative (cardiomyopathy, intervertebral-disc disease), traumatic, alimentary (vitamin-B deficiency) and metabolic-toxic (heat-cold-torpor, hepatic encephalopathy) triggers have to be considered.
Iris
I
Völker
Iris
I
Schwarze
Tina E
TE
Brezina
Saskia
S
Köstlinger
Prof. Dr. Marion Hewicker-Trautwein, Institut für Pathologie, Stiftung Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover, Bünteweg 17, 30559 Hannover, E-Mail: marion.hewicker-trautwein@tiho-hannover.de.
Marion
M
Hewicker-Trautwein
D000818:Animals; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D054022:Cerebrum / Q000473:pathology; D006364:Hedgehogs; D008297:Male; D009837:Oligodendroglioma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*
CNS; Neoplasm; brain; hedgehog; juvenile; tumour; wobbly hedgehog syndrome