Pathological features of fetal anasarca in Pekingese puppies

Abstract

Fetal anasarca is a congenital condition defined by excessive fluid accumulation throughout the body and subcutaneous edema. A 9-month-old Pekingese bitch with dystocia was presented to the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department of Ankara University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. Three stillborn puppies were removed by caesarian section and sent to the Pathology Department of Ankara University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine for necropsy. Grossly, two of the puppies were larger than normal, had diffuse subcutaneous swelling with visceral effusion and were diagnosed with fetal anasarca. As for the third one, pulmonary hypoplasia was reported. All the fetuses additionally showed palatoschisis, bird tongue and lissencephaly. For histopathological examination, samples from the organs were collected and routinely processed. Severe edematous and degenerative changes were noted in the skin, liver, heart and kidneys of the anasarcous fetuses. Extramedullary hematopoiesis was also observed to different degrees in the livers and the spleens of all fetuses. The current case represents the first histopathologically described case of canine fetal anasarca in Turkey and it highlights the predisposition of brachycephalic dogs to fetal anasarca which is referred to be heritable as a recessive trait.

Keywords

• Dog,Fetal anasarca,Histopathology,Hydrops fetalis,Pekingese

Pekingese yavrularda fetal anasarka’nın patolojik bulguları

Öz

Fötal anasarka, vücutta aşırı sıvı birikimi ve subkutan ödem ile tanımlanan konjenital bir bozukluktur. Dokuz aylık bir Pekinez dişi köpek Ankara Üniversitesi, Veteriner Fakültesi, Doğum ve Jinekoloji Anabilim Dalı’na, güç doğum şikâyeti ile getirildi. Sezaryen operasyonuyla üç adet ölü doğmuş yavru çıkarıldı ve Ankara Üniversitesi Veteriner Fakültesi Patoloji Anabilim Dalı’na nekropsi amacıyla gönderildi. Makroskobik olarak iki yavru normalden daha büyüktü. Bu yavrularda visseral efüzyon ve subkutan ödeme rastlandığı için fötal anasarka tanısı konuldu. Üçüncü yavruda ise pulmoner hiperplazi ile karşılaşıldı. Tüm yavrularda ayrıca, palatoşizis, kuş dili ve lissensefali anomalilerine rastlandı. Histopatolojik yönden incelenmesi için organlardan örnekler alınarak rutin doku takibine koyuldu. Anasarka’lı fötusların deri, karaciğer, kalp ve böbreklerinde şiddetli ödem ve dejeneratif değişikliklere rastlandı. Tüm fötusların karaciğer ve dalaklarında farklı derecelerde ekstramedüller hematopoez gözlendi. Bu çalışma Türkiye’de histopatolojik olarak köpeklerde tanımlanan ilk fötal anasarka olgusunu oluşturmuştur. Ayrıca, brakisefallik köpeklerin resesif kalıtsal bir bozukluğu olan fötal anasarkaya yatkınlık gösterdikleri vurgulamıştır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Fötal anasarka,Histopatoloji,Hydrops fetalis,Köpek,Pekingese

Kaynakça

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