Page 9 - Clinical Connections - Autumn 2024

Pathology
DIAGNOSTIC LABORATORIES

DEVELOPMENT – EXOTICS PATHOLOGY

Dylan Yaffy, Lecturer in Zoo and Wildlife Pathology

xotic animal pathology is a growing Our wildlife forensic investigations,
specialisation and, having completed often focused on non-accidental injuries
E my BVetMed, Anatomic Pathology associated with blunt force or ballistic
residency and MVetMed at the RVC, I was trauma, have contributed to convictions
extremely pleased to return to take on the under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, as
new role of Lecturer in Zoo and Wildlife was the outcome in a case of mute swans
Pathology. with fractured skulls. In collaboration with
I’ve joined a large team of pathologists RVC Diagnostic Imaging, we were able
with established expertise in comparative, to visualise the fractures prior to the post
laboratory, forensic, farm and domestic mortem and then confirm their clinical
animal pathology. Following this new significance through histopathology.
appointment, the Diagnostic Labs are In another forensic investigation, the CT
seeing an increase in zoo, exotic pets and report helped us detect ballistic trauma in
wildlife submissions to its post mortem and the dorsum of a badger.
biopsy service. No animal is too small, big or To assist in meeting the requirements
obscure for our team. of the Zoo Licensing Act 1981, the
Recent interesting investigations include Diagnostic Laboratories offer post mortem
rainbow trout fry syndrome affecting a small examinations for regional zoos. These
colony of fish, a soft tissue sarcoma in a pet investigations often focus on chronic lesions
hognose snake, campylobacteriosis in a such as osteoarthritis, heart disease and
capybara from a private collection, and even chronic kidney disease, as suspected in
a digestive tract prolapse in a Madagascar recent submissions of a tiger and snow
hissing cockroach! These are some of the leopard.
biopsies and cadavers submitted to the At the other end of the spectrum, we
RVC Diagnostic Laboratories, in addition investigated the premature emergence of The joey wallaby, as mentioned (left)
to a range of exotic pet samples reviewed a wallaby joey from the marsupium, which
in conjunction with clinical pathology and identified hypothermia as the cause of death The biopsy service, which can also
ancillary diagnostic test findings. secondary to presumed intramarsupium accommodate small exotic pets, such as
As part of local wildlife disease aggression from its twin. mice, birds and fish, aims for a 72-hour
surveillance we have diagnosed a range turnaround from tissue receipt to report
of infectious and non-infectious diseases, Benefits for teaching and research release.
including leptospirosis causing icterus in All exotics species submissions to the The exotics diagnostic service also
a fox cub and cerebral haemorrhage and Diagnostic Laboratories contribute to the provides haematology, biochemistry and
a femoral fracture secondary to trauma in clinical teaching of our veterinary students cytology interpretation, in addition to a range
a barn swallow and little owl, respectively and pathology residents. They also provide of in-house microbiology and parasitology
(below). valuable data for research projects aimed tests.
at increasing our understanding of the If you are interested in learning more
diseases impacting some of our lesser about our exotic pathology service or
studied pets and other unusual zoo or wild would like to enquire about a submission,
species please contact the Diagnostic Laboratories
Thanks to a kind donation for student (Diagnosticlabs@rvc.ac.uk).
teaching, final year BVetMed students Exotic species pathology research
attending our exotics pathology practical enquiries can be sent directly to myself
had the opportunity to post mortem a 4.5m (Dyaffy6@rvc.ac.uk).
python, alongside a range of common
British wildlife. Additionally, our recent
increase in exotic feline submissions has
stimulated research into cardiomyopathies
of non-domestic cats.
The RVC post mortem service offers
a highly competitive turnaround time,
including a preliminary report within 72
working hours of examination and a final For the Diagnostic Pathology Service,
report within four to six working weeks for please call:01707 666 208
standard and forensic cases, respectively. Email:
diagnosticlabs@rvc.ac.uk

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