engleski

Metastasing scapular osteosarcoma in brown bear (Ursus arctos)

Osteosarcomas are the most common primary neoplasm of the appendicular skeleton in dogs and cats but are rare in other animal species. Only few reports of osteosarcoma in the Ursidae family can be found in scientific literature. In this study, a case of metastasing scapular osteosarcoma in a brown bear (Ursus arctos) is described. A male 18-years and 8 month-old brown bear (Ursus arctos) born and housed in a Zagreb Zoo developed a tumescence on the left scapular region. Clinical diagnosis was trauma. A tumescence enlarged gradually. One month later, the animal was submited to surgery. Subcutaneous mass weighting 11 kg was removed. The mass was composed of coagulated and uncoagulated blood admixed with small bone fragments. A part of the mass was submitted for histopathological examination which revealed only hematoma within the submitted sample. One month after the first surgery, locall recurrence occured. Second surgery was performed when complete destruction of scapular bone was noted. Due to a poor prognosis, the bear was euthanized and necropsy was performed. At necropsy, a large friable mass measuring 61x60x22 cm was present in the left scapular and left lateral thoracic region that completely destroyed the scapular bone. On the cut surface the mass was predominantly brown-red in colour with gray-white partly friable and partly hard areas. There were cyst like spaces filled with blood. Similar masses were disseminated throughout the lung. Tissue samples from described mass and other representative parenchymal organs were submitted for histopathological examination. Histopathological examination revealed osteosarcoma (compound form) of scapula with metastases to the lung. Histological appearance of the metastases was similar to the primary tumor. In conclusion, bone tumors are rare in ursids and this is the first recorded case of metastasing osteosarcoma in bears in Croatia.

brown bear ; scapula ; osteosarcoma ; metastases ; lung

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