PANCREATITE ACUTA EMORRAGICA-NECROTIZZANTE ASSOCIATA A LIPIDOSI IN UNA CIVETTA DELLE PALME (PARADOXURUS HERMAPHRODITUS)

A 4-year-old, female asian palm civet (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus) was found dead by the owner, which referred the animal was apparently healthy in the morning of the same day. The animal lived in a closed enclosure with a male. The diet consisted mainly in dry cat food, with two times per week raw egg, and rarely chicks, mice and rats. At necropsy, large amount of adipose tissue were found in the subcutis and in the peritoneal cavity. Most of the pancreas appeared red, translucent. Hepatomegaly, discholoration of the liver were evident, with multifocal areas of degeneration, characterized by white nodular lesions. Histologically, the pancreas showed severe interstitial and perilobular necrosis and extensive haemorrhages, with separation of the interstitium, mild reactive inflammation at the periphery of the pancreatic lobules. Duct system, endocrine pancreas, and centrilobular parenchyma were spared. In these remaining portions of pancreatic parenchyma, scattered single or small clusters of round cells, with large clear cytoplasm and central hyperchromatic nuclei (lipidic macrophages) were found. The presence of these cells and lipidic accumulation also within the acinar cells was confirmed by red oil staining on freezed sections. Liver showed multifocal foci of vacualr degeneration, lipidic accumulation, sometimes associated to hepatocyte necrosis. On the basis of the histological diagnosis of acute severe haemorrhagic-necrotizing pancreatitis associated with pancreatic lipidosis and hepatic degeneration and lipidosis possible causes are discussed.[...]