An adult female cougar (Felis concolor) suspected to have been involved in a human attack in far west Texas was trapped and euthanized. The animal was submitted to the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) for diagnostic testing. At necropsy, the carcass was thin with no visceral or subcutaneous fat. Other significant gross findings included…
An 8-year-old spayed domestic short haired cat from east Texas presented to the veterinarian for a lesion on the right hip. When the lesion was shaved, a worm presented itself and was extracted. The worm was submitted to the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL), where it was identified as Dracunculus insignis. Dracunculus insignis, more…
A 3-year-old domestic short-haired cat from central Texas died shortly after arrival at a veterinary clinic. On gross necropsy, lesions were minimal; however, histologically every tissue examined demonstrated vascular occlusion with numerous intracytoplasmic schizonts within macrophages. The schizonts were approximately 40 microns in diameter and contained numerous 1-3 micron merozoites. This cat died from infection…
A small piece of carpal bone from an eight-year-old domestic short haired cat (DSH) was submitted to the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) for histopathology. The provided history stated the cat had a lytic and proliferative lesion of the “carpal bones”. An impression smear of the boney lesion was also submitted. The slides…
Bone biopsy specimens taken from an adult male castrated domestic feline were submitted to the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) for bacterial and fungal culture and histopathologic examination. The referring veterinarian stated that radiographs of the right hock and right radius and ulna indicated changes consistent with possible osteomyelitis or neoplasia. There were…
An 11-year-old, female spayed, domestic short haired cat was presented to her veterinarian for increased appetite, weight loss, and occasional vomiting. Besides a low body condition score, no overt abnormalities were identified on physical exam. A minimum database (CBC, chemistry, T4, and urinalysis) was performed at the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL). The…
An 11 year-old, spayed female, domestic longhaired cat was submitted to the Texas A&M Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) for necropsy. The clinical history mentioned depression with periodic vomiting for 2 to 3 days. The animal was given medication for the vomiting and died soon afterwards. The primary lesion observed at necropsy was marked splenomegaly; the…
The Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) detected feline calicivirus (FCV) via qPCR in three cats who live in a multi-cat household. All cats had clinical signs consistent with feline chronic gingivostomatitis (FCGS) and tested negative for feline leukemia and feline immunodeficiency viruses. Feline chronic gingivostomatitis is one of the most common clinical diseases…
A six-year-old domestic short hair (DSH) cat was examined by a veterinarian for ocular and nasal discharge, anorexia, and weight loss that had persisted for two months. Bilateral enlarged popliteal lymph nodes were found on the initial examination. Fine needle aspiration of one of the enlarged lymph nodes was performed and a digital image of…
Pulmonary toxoplasmosis was recently diagnosed in a stray, male tabby cat approximately 1-year-old. This cat was brought to a local veterinary clinic for lethargy and respiratory distress and died within 24 hours of treatment. A pneumonia was identified at necropsy and formalin-fixed samples of lung were sent to the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL)…