Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Puppy with brain vascular tumor and seizure fluid test results
By Williams, Marjorie J et al.·Published in Veterinary clinical pathology·2023·Department of Pathobiology and Population Medicine, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: CSF from a puppy with a cerebral vascular hamartoma.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 9-week-old puppy was brought in for severe seizures and had a dome-shaped head, raising concerns about fluid buildup in the brain (hydrocephalus). Scans revealed a mass in the brain and signs of bleeding. Tests on the fluid around the brain showed high levels of certain cells and proteins, indicating ongoing bleeding. A biopsy of the mass confirmed it was a vascular hamartoma, a type of abnormal blood vessel growth. While the puppy's condition was serious, understanding the bleeding and its cause could help in managing similar cases in the future.
People also search for: puppy seizures treatment · hydrocephalus in puppies · vascular hamartoma in dogs
Abstract
A 9-week-old puppy with refractory seizures and a dome-shaped head presented to the Mississippi State College of Veterinary Medicine Specialty Center for suspected hydrocephalus. Computerized tomography (CT) findings included transtentorial herniation and an intra-axial mass with dystrophic mineralization. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis revealed an increased nucleated cell count of 1100/μl (RI < 5/μl), erythrocyte count of 2.2 × 10/μl, and markedly increased microprotein of 1939 mg/dl (RI < 30 mg/dl). On cytologic examination of the CSF, numerous erythrophagocytic, and hemosiderin-laden macrophages were observed, which indicated chronic active hemorrhage. Many neutrophils, macrophages, and lymphocytes that contained numerous intracytoplasmic, pleomorphic, bright yellow crystals were observed. Considering the ongoing hemorrhage, the crystals were presumed to be hematoidin. A biopsy with histopathology was performed on the intra-axial mass, and the results were consistent with a vascular hamartoma. We speculate that the formation of these crystals was related to the ongoing hemorrhage associated with the vascular hamartoma. Identification of these crystals may be useful to aid in the identification of chronic hemorrhage associated with vascular malformations or lesions within the central nervous system.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35974430/