title: Spontaneous proliferative and neoplastic lesions in thyroid and parathyroid glands of nondomestic felids.
abstract: Based on microscopic and immunohistochemical characterization, we documented spontaneous proliferative and neoplastic lesions in the thyroid and parathyroid glands of nondomestic felids. Ten animals (4 leopards, 3 tigers, and 3 cougars), all with a previous diagnosis of thyroid neoplasia were identified from the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine database. The mean age of affected animals was 15.9 y. Twelve neoplasms were identified; 2 animals had 2 concurrent neoplasms. After immunohistochemical characterization using a panel of chromogranin A, thyroglobulin, and calcitonin, 7 of the former thyroid neoplasms were diagnosed as thyroid adenomas, 1 was diagnosed as a thyroid carcinoma, and 4 were diagnosed as parathyroid adenomas. No thyroid medullary neoplasms (C-cell tumors) were diagnosed in the current study. Most of the diagnosed neoplasms were benign (11 of 12), and metastasis was not documented in the single carcinoma. Only 2 animals were suspected to have functional neoplasms (1 thyroid adenoma and 1 parathyroid adenoma), based on associated tissue lesions or serum biochemistry. Other documented lesions in the thyroid and parathyroid glands included thyroid nodular hyperplasia ( n = 7), parathyroid hyperplasia associated with chronic renal disease ( n = 2), a thyroid abscess, and a branchial cyst. Parathyroid adenomas were more commonly diagnosed than expected in comparison with domestic cats. We demonstrated that an immunohistochemistry panel for thyroglobulin, calcitonin, and chromogranin A can be used to differentiate neoplasms of thyroid from parathyroid origin in nondomestic felids.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences (Pope, Reel, Newman), College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN.|Small Animal Clinical Sciences (Steeil, Ramsay), College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN.|Current addresses: Thompson Bishop Sparks State Diagnostic Laboratory, Auburn, AL (Pope).|KDL VetPath, Knoxville, TN (Reel).|Department of Animal Health, National Zoological Park, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC (Steeil).
authors.forename: Jenny P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Pope
authors.affiliation: Departments of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences (Pope, Reel, Newman), College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN.|Small Animal Clinical Sciences (Steeil, Ramsay), College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN.|Current addresses: Thompson Bishop Sparks State Diagnostic Laboratory, Auburn, AL (Pope).|KDL VetPath, Knoxville, TN (Reel).|Department of Animal Health, National Zoological Park, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC (Steeil).
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Steeil
authors.affiliation: Departments of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences (Pope, Reel, Newman), College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN.|Small Animal Clinical Sciences (Steeil, Ramsay), College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN.|Current addresses: Thompson Bishop Sparks State Diagnostic Laboratory, Auburn, AL (Pope).|KDL VetPath, Knoxville, TN (Reel).|Department of Animal Health, National Zoological Park, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC (Steeil).
authors.forename: Edward C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Ramsay
authors.affiliation: Departments of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences (Pope, Reel, Newman), College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN.|Small Animal Clinical Sciences (Steeil, Ramsay), College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN.|Current addresses: Thompson Bishop Sparks State Diagnostic Laboratory, Auburn, AL (Pope).|KDL VetPath, Knoxville, TN (Reel).|Department of Animal Health, National Zoological Park, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC (Steeil).
authors.forename: Danielle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Reel
authors.affiliation: Departments of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences (Pope, Reel, Newman), College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN.|Small Animal Clinical Sciences (Steeil, Ramsay), College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN.|Current addresses: Thompson Bishop Sparks State Diagnostic Laboratory, Auburn, AL (Pope).|KDL VetPath, Knoxville, TN (Reel).|Department of Animal Health, National Zoological Park, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC (Steeil).
authors.forename: Shelley J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Newman
mesh_terms: D000236:Adenoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D018278:Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D002415:Cats; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D010282:Parathyroid Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D013714:Tennessee; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*
keywords: Exotic cats; felids; immunohistochemistry; neoplasia; parathyroid; thyroid