TITLE:
Pathologic Alterations of Canine and Feline Adrenal Glands
AUTHORS:
Nadja Herbach, Kirstin Wiele, Ulrike Konietschke, Walter Hermanns
KEYWORDS:
Adrenal, Histology, Dog, Cat
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Pathology,
Vol.6 No.3,
July
11,
2016
ABSTRACT: The aim of the study was to determine the
frequency and age-dependency of adrenal changes in dogs and cats, which were
dissected between 2004 and 2006 at the Institute of Veterinary Pathology, LMU
Munich. The adrenal glands of 101 dogs and 159 cats were dissected free from
adjacent tissue, weighed, lamellated perpendicular to its longitudinal axis and
were embedded in paraffin and plastic for histologic inspection. Ageing cats
most frequently showed accessory cortical nodules in the capsule, cortex and medulla,
pigment deposition and shock bodies. The appearance of accessory cortical
nodules and pigment deposition were linked to the age of the cats and that of
shock bodies was linked to infectious diseases. Inflammatory alterations were
rare and neoplastic changes were not observed. In dogs, the most frequent
alterations were accessory cortical nodules in the capsule, cortex and medulla
and circulatory disturbances and there was a significant linkage of the
appearance of cortical nodules and pigment deposition and age. Metabolic,
inflammatory and tumorous diseases were rarely observed in the dogs examined.
In summary, cats and dogs show similar incidental alterations of the adrenals.
Clinical relevant adrenal lesions such as atrophy or primary neoplasia were rarely
diagnosed.