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Veterinary Quarterly
Veterinary Quarterly
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Hyperadrenocorticism Caused by an Adrenal Carcinoma in a Parrot H. Cornelissenª & A. Verhofstad
a Companion Animal Clinic Broerdijk, Nijmegen, the Netherlands. Published online: 18 Mar 2014.
To cite this article: H. Cornelissen & A. Verhofstad (1998) Hyperadrenocorticism Caused by an Adrenal Carcinoma in a Parrot, Veterinary Quarterly, 20:sup1, $111-S111, DOI: 10.1080/01652176.1998.10807455
To link to this article: http:// dx.doi.org/ 10.1080/01652176. 1998. 1080745
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HYPERADRENOCORTICISM CAUSED BY AN ADRENAL CARCINOMA IN A PARROT
H. Cornelissen1 and A. Verhofstad
INTRODUCTION
Adrenal carcinomas have rarely been reported in birds (1). In the reported cases, the diagnosis was made by post-mortem examination of the adrenal glands. We describe the symp- toms, results of radiography, laboratory tests, and histopa- thological examination of a parrot with spontaneous hyper- adrenocorticism caused by an adrenal carcinoma.
CASE REPORT
A female parrot (Ara macao, >30 years) was presented with the complaints of emaciation, decreased appetite, and poly- dipsia and polyuria (PD/PU) of a few weeks duration. Severe emaciation and an old healed fracture of the right humerus were noted on clinical examination. The bird was hospitali- zed for further diagnostic work-up, consisting of radiogra- phy and hematological (packed cell volume) and biochemi- cal examination of the blood. On the radiographs an old healed but dislocated fracture of the right humerus was seen. An increased radiodensity of the right caudal lung field was diagnosed. The ventriculus was dislocated caudally by an in- homogeneous mass in the abdominal cavity. The plasma al- kaline phosphatase concentration was elevated (232, refer- ence range 25-152 U/1) and there was a severe elevation of the uric acid value (6073, reference range 109-231 umol/l). The packed cell volume (0.32, reference range 0.35-0.50 1/1) and the albumin:globulin ratio (0.4, reference range 1.4-3.9) were decreased. These findings suggested lung and kidney disease. An adrenal tumor was suspected, in view of the lo- cation of the mass on the radiographs. Due to the poor prog- nosis, the owner elected euthanasia. The corticosterone level
! Companion Animal Clinic Broerdijk, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
was measured in the remaining plasma sample and compared with the corticosterone value of 5 clinically healthy birds of the same species (patient 51 nmol/l, mean value control birds 14.6 nmol/l) (2).
At necropsy, a mass with 3 cm in diameter was found cranial to the right kidney. Because a normal right adrenal gland could not be found, the mass most likely originated from the right adrenal gland. The right lung contained small nodules. Both kidneys had a firm texture and were pale and swollen. A nodular mass was visible in the left kidney. Histopatho- logical examination of the mass revealed the presence of an adenocarcinoma of the cortical cells of the adrenal gland. Furthermore, aspergillosis of the right lung and left kidney were diagnosed. Nephrosclerosis was present in both kid- neys.
DISCUSSION
Since the plasma corticosterone concentration in the patient was higher than the mean value + 1.67 SD in five control birds of the same species, a diagnosis of spontaneous hyper- adrenocorticism was made with a probability of 95%. Hyperadrenocorticism is known to cause PD/PU in some animal species (3). In birds, clinical cases have not been re- corded (4). In our patient the PD/PU was probably caused by the hyperadrenocorticism, although the nephrosclerosis might have contributed (5). Aspergillosis has been described in immunosuppressed birds. The aspergillosis of the lung and kidney was probably related to immunosuppression caused by the hyperadrenocorticism (6). The reduced PCV, hyperuricemia and the lowered albumin: globulin ratio can be explained by the impaired renal function due to the nephrosclerosis.
CANINE INTESTINAL LEIOMYOSARCOMA
G. ter Haar1, I. van der Gaag, and J. Kirpensteijn
1
I Department of Clinical Sciences of Companion Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80154, NL-3508 TD Utrecht, the Netherlands.
INTRODUCTION
Gastrointestinal leiomyosarcoma (GI LMS) has a low inci- dence in the canine population and occurs most frequently