A 4‐year‐old, male Rothschild's giraffe presented with a rapidly growing, hemispherical, approximately 40 × 20 × 20 mm, raised, firm mass located on the mid‐region of the left lateral thigh. Complete surgical excision (minimal 20 mm margins in all orientations) was achieved under behavioural restraint and local anaesthesia. Cytology and histopathology diagnosed a poorly differentiated malignant mesenchymal neoplasm, with nuclear karyomegaly, multinucleation and atypical horseshoe‐like forms. The neoplastic cells exhibited diffuse strong cytoplasmic immunopositivity to vimentin, and were negative to smooth muscle actin, desmin, glial fibrillary acidic protein, and CD18 immunomarkers, giving a diagnosis of undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma. At 1 year follow‐up, the giraffe is clinically well with no health issues after complete excision, and no evidence of local recurrence or distant metastases, based on physical examination and routine haematology/biochemistry. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first report of an undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (atypical fibroxanthoma‐subtype) in a giraffe.
A 10‐year‐old male cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) presented with weight loss, inappetence and weakness. Clinical examination revealed muscle loss, splenomegaly and dehydration. Haematology and biochemistry showed hyperglobulinaemia and marked leukocytosis with eosinophilia and neutrophilia. Urinalysis revealed proteinuria. Following an empirical 7‐day course of clavulanate potentiated amoxicillin, normal appetite and demeanour were observed. One month later, it re‐represented with the same clinical signs. Clinical examination was repeated. Radiographs showed ileocaecocolic junction dilation. Ultrasound examination revealed enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes, splenic nodules and colonic thickening. Fine‐needle aspirates of these organs and bone marrow aspirates showed marked atypical eosinophilic infiltration with haematology showing peripheral eosinophilia. Idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome was diagnosed. Treatment with prednisolone was initiated with good compliance, but there was a marked clinical deterioration 2 days later, and euthanasia was elected on welfare grounds.
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