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College of Veterinary Medicine

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January 2013

Signalment

  • Age: Adult
  • Sex: Female
  • Breed: Nude mouse (Mus musculus) used as a sentinel

History

Mouse noted to have marked abvominal distention. BCS 1/5; QAR; hunched in cage with rough hair coat

Hematology

Hematology

Figure 2

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 3

Histologic Findings

See Figures 4-6. The heart, lungs, thymus, lymph nodes, kidneys, liver, spleen, pancreas, stomach and intestines, ovaries and uterus, adrenal glands and brain were similarly affected.

Figure 4

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 6

Questions

  1. What is a nude mouse?
  2. What is a sentinel mouse?
  3. What is your interpretation of the hemogram?
  4. Which domestic veterinary species has a normal white blood cell differential pattern similar to the mouse?
  5. What are the 4 gross abnormalities depicted in Figure 3?
  6. What tissues are depicted in Figures 4, 5 and 6, respectively?
  7. What’s your diagnosis?
  8. What is the purple globular material within vascular lumens? This is indicative of a "syndrome" that is typically diagnosed ante mortem in domestic veterinary species and humans!..what is the name of it?
    1. What other conditions is it associated with?
  9. What are 3 broad mechanisms contributing to the morbidity and mortality (had she died spontaneously instead of being euthanized) of this mouse?

Case answers