Unusual presentation of an Amazon parrot (Amazonaspecies) with hepatocellular carcinoma

Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma Identified in a Zoo-Housed Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis): An Anatomopathological and Metagenomic Study

Tumors in birds can be caused by a variety of factors such as species, age, sex, virus, chemicals, and environment. In particular, tumors are a major cause of death in long-lived birds such as parrots and zoo birds. A male sandhill crane that was bred for 8 years in a zoo was diagnosed with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). At necropsy, the liver revealed a multinodular mass of variable colors, and severe cirrhosis and hemorrhages were present. Histologically, ICC was characterized by the presence of both types of ICC: small-duct type and large-duct type. Large-duct-type ICC was distinguished by the presence of multifocal biliary neoplasia, characterized by the diffuse papillary proliferation of columnar cells resembling large cholangiocytes. Small-duct-type ICC was characterized by the presence of non-mucin-producing cuboidal cells such as bile duct cells. In this case, no viral cause was identified from the metagenomic analysis and PCR of ICC; however, a contributing role of Cutibacterium sp. and E. coli identified from the metagenomics could not be excluded. This study is the first to describe the anatomopathological characteristics of ICC in the studied sandhill crane and attempts to determine its potential infectious etiology using metagenomics.

Tumors of pet birds

Neoplastic diseases are becoming more than a postmortem diagnosis due to the increasing knowledge base and improving quality of avian medicine. The expectation for better health care demands a diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy options. However, the published information regarding prognosis and therapy of specific neoplasms remains limited in avian medicine. With each case report or study that provides this information, there is an improvement in the level of care we can offer our companion avian species. This review will cover some basic information about specific tumor types and will reference the more recent reports in the avian literature. It is not intended to be all encompassing.