Odontoma-like Tumours of Squirrel Elodont Incisors—Elodontomas

A Retrospective Study of Tumours in Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) Submitted to a Zoological Pathology Service

“…Elodontoma was the third most common tumour in this retrospective study (9.4%). Although included in this study, elodontomas are, according to recent literature, not true neoplastic lesions but hamartomatous dysplastic malformations (Crossley, 2004;Boy and Steenkamp, 2006;Capello, 2008). Elodontoma is defined as a hamartoma of continuously developing odontogenic tissue and alveolar bone at the periapical bud of elodont teeth (Boy and Steenkamp, 2006).…”

“…The most common clinical sign of elodontoma is dyspnoea due to obstructive respiratory disease (Wagner, 374 I. Thas and M.M. Garner 1999;Phalen et al, 2000;Wagner and Johnson, 2001;Boy and Steenkamp, 2006). Repeated trauma and fractures to the incisors caused by chewing on cage bars, falling from a height or dental trimming with subsequent trauma of the bone surrounding the incisors, resulting in bony changes that impede the tooth growth, have been proposed as possible causes of elodontomas in prairie dogs (Wagner, 1999;Phalen et al, 2000;Capello, 2002Capello, , 2005Capello, , 2008Boy and Steenkamp, 2006).…”

“…Garner 1999;Phalen et al, 2000;Wagner and Johnson, 2001;Boy and Steenkamp, 2006). Repeated trauma and fractures to the incisors caused by chewing on cage bars, falling from a height or dental trimming with subsequent trauma of the bone surrounding the incisors, resulting in bony changes that impede the tooth growth, have been proposed as possible causes of elodontomas in prairie dogs (Wagner, 1999;Phalen et al, 2000;Capello, 2002Capello, , 2005Capello, , 2008Boy and Steenkamp, 2006). Another suggested cause is chronic intermittent vitamin A deficiency, which experimentally reproduces apical dysplasia and formation of elodontomas of the upper incisors in rats (McDowell et al, 1987;Crossley, 2004).…”

“…There is limited information on diseases in prairie dogs with the most common diagnoses being elodontoma (Wagner, 1999;Phalen et al, 2000;Wagner and Johnson, 2001;Capello, 2002Capello, , 2005Boy and Steenkamp, 2006) and hepatocellular adenocarcinoma (Woolf et al, 1982;Une et al, 1996;Garner et al, 2004). This report summarizes the spectrum of neoplastic diseases in this species diagnosed in a private zoological pathology service.…”

Biology and Diseases of Other Rodents

“…Proliferative, expansile masses of the incisors previously described as odontomas, but more recently renamed elodontomas, are frequently seen in captive prairie dogs and other members of Sciuromorpha (Boy and Steenkamp, 2006;Smith et al, 2013;Wagner, 1999). Prairie dogs have elodont (continuously growing) incisors and are subject to trauma, insufficient wear, and abnormal growth due to husbandry or nutritional conditions.…”