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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Ames, Iowa » National Animal Disease Center » Virus and Prion Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #222664
Title: Astrocytoma with involvement of medulla oblongata, spinal cord and spinal nerves in a raccoon (Procyon lotor)

Author
item Hamir, Amirali
item PICTON, R - OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
item BLYTHE, L - OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
item HEIDEL, J - OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: Veterinary Pathology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/16/2008
Publication Date: 11/1/2008
Citation: Hamir, A.N., Picton, R., Blythe, L.L., Heidel, J.R. 2008. Astrocytoma with Involvement of Medulla Oblongata, Spinal Cord, and Spinal Nerves in a Raccoon (Procyon lotor). Veterinary Pathology. 45(6):949-951.

Interpretive Summary: Tumors and neoplasms are extremely rare in wild animals and only a few have been described in raccoons. This report describes a neoplasm which had involved the brain, spinal cord and nerves of an adult raccoon. This appears to be the only reported case of central nervous tumor (astrocytoma) which had involved multiple anatomic sites in an adult raccoon.

Technical Abstract: Neoplasms affecting the central and peripheral nervous systems of wild animals are extremely rare. Described are clinical signs, pathologic and immunohistochemical findings in an adult female raccoon (Procyon lotor) with an astrocytoma which involved brainstem, cervical spinal cord and roots of the cervical spinal nerves. Microscopically, the neoplastic cells revealed some pleomorphism, but generally had fusiform morphology and showed moderate numbers of mitotic figures. Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) was demonstrated within the neoplastic cells by immunohistochemistry. This appears to be the only reported case of astrocytoma which had involved multiple anatomic sites in the central nervous system of this raccoon.