The reproductive cycle of an invasive alien Italian grey squirrel population was studied to understand its adaptation and limit its spread, in order to conserve the autochthonous red squirrel. Female and male genital traits were evaluated throughout the reproductive cycle, including the ovary, uterus, testicle, epididymis, seminiferous tubule morphometry, and germinative epithelium histology. Moreover, individual female fecundity was determined by counting uterine scars. Ovary width and uterus weight, length, and width reached their highest values in the luteal and pregnancy phases. On conducting a histological evaluation of the testicular germinal epithelium, four morphotypes related to the different reproductive phases of the male squirrels were identified: immature, pubertal, spermatogenesis, and regressive. Testicle and epididymis weights and seminiferous tubule diameters reached their largest values during spermatogenesis. Uterine scar analysis showed that 69% of the females had given birth to one or two litters, while 31% had no uterine scars. Litters were larger in the first breeding period than in the second; annual fecundity was 4.52 ± 1.88 uterine scars/female. Umbrian grey squirrels have adapted to their non-native range, showing two annual mating periods at times similar to those in their native range, and high reproductive success.

Intestinal smooth muscle hypertrophy and hyperplasia has been described in human and several mammal species. In birds, only one case of intestinal smooth muscle hyperplasia has been reported. This paper describes the anatomopathological and histological findings of three cases of intestinal smooth muscle hypertrophy/hyperplasia in two different avian species belonging to the family Gallinidae and Columbidae. Grossly, it involved all tracts of the small intestine. Histologically, hyperplasia involved the mucosal villi, muscularis mucosa and inner and outer layers of the tunica muscularis. Hypertrophy was apparently detected only in the inner circular muscle layer. Lack of submucosal plexuses was also observed in all three animals. The results confirm the remarkable histological difference between mammals and avian species and show as these pathological changes can occur in different species of birds.

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Clinical, histological and immunohistochemical examination of a 13-year-old male client-owned Pekingese dog revealed an uncommon presentation of apocrine cutaneous cystomatosis. This is a rare non-neoplastic condition of uncertain cause, characterised by multiple cystically dilated apocrine sweat glands. We aimed to describe the features of this unusual case of generalised cutaneous apocrine cystomatosis in the dog, which can be useful to distinguish it from multifocal benign cystic apocrine tumours.

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