Canine mast cell tumours part I: Clinical and survival outcomes.

Background: Dogs have a species-specific susceptibility for developing mast cell tumours (MCTs). Mutations in the KIT proto-oncogene (KIT) are known to contribute to the neoplastic biology of mast cells. In dogs, the most common KIT mutation is an internal tandem duplication (ITD) in exon 11 which has been considered a useful prognostic supplement to traditional histopathological tumour grading.

DNA purification increases PCR-amplifiable DNA extracted from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded canine mast cell tumors for routine mutation detection.

DNA amplification by PCR detects exon 11 internal tandem duplications in canine mast cell tumors (MCTs). Tissue-specific inhibitors often contaminate DNA extracted from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) canine MCTs, blocking PCR amplification and, consequently, preventing mutation detection. We used a commercial kit to extract DNA from FFPE canine MCTs.

SURVEILLANCE FOR SPP. WITH MULTILOCUS SEQUENCE TYPING ANALYSIS IN WILD AND CAPTIVE BIRDS IN VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA.

typically infects birds and can cause outbreaks of avian chlamydiosis, but it also has the potential to cause zoonotic disease (psittacosis) in humans. To better understand the epidemiology of in Victoria, Australia, we conducted opportunistic sampling of more than 400 wild and captive birds presented to the Australian Wildlife Health Centre at Zoos Victoria's Healesville Sanctuary for veterinary care between December 2014 and December 2015. Samples were screened for the presence of chlamydial DNA using quantitative PCR, and positive samples were subjected to multilocus sequence typing analysis.

Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma in two captive Tasmanian devils (Sarcophilus harrisii).

Two captive adult female Tasmanian devils (Sarcophilus harrisii) were investigated for pruritis and dermatitis. In both cases skin lesions consisted of multifocal, superficial patches of crusting, hyperkeratosis, and ulceration. Lesions started on the ventral surfaces of the animal but then appeared on the dorsum as the disease progressed.

Benign gastric neuroendocrine tumors in three snow leopards (Panthera uncia).

Neuroendocrine tumors are relatively rare neoplasms arising from neuroendocrine cells that are distributed throughout the body and are predominant in the gastrointestinal tract. This report describes benign, well-differentiated gastric neuroendocrine tumors in three captive snow leopards (Panthera uncia). All tumors were well circumscribed, were within the gastric mucosa or submucosa, and had histologic and immunohistochemical features of neuroendocrine tumors.