Anatomical Characteristics and Background Lesions in Laboratory British-shorthair Cats

Abstract

Objective To investigate anatomical characteristics and background lesions in laboratory British-shorthair cats (BSCs) through gross and histopathological examination, and provide effective basis for the research and application, standard establishment and market promotion of this experimental animal. Methods Gross system dissection and histopathological examination were performed on 14 adult BSCs (half male and half female), and the histological characteristics and background pathological data were collected and analyzed. Results The body weight and organ index of spleen of BSCs was higher in males than females (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), the organ coefficients of brain and thymus in BSCs were lower in males than females (P < 0.05). The anatomical structure of testicles, heart, thyroid gland and tentorium of BSCs is different from that of rodents and canine. Furthermore, histopathological examinations revealed that the structures of heart, pancreas, spleen in BSCs differed from two experimental animals mentioned above. In addition, there were multiple hepatic cell vacuolar degeneration in BSCs (9/14), and occasional renal, brain and lymphoid tissues were also found in some animals. Conclusion There were six differences in body weight, and organ-coefficient of spleen, thymus, and brain in BSCs, while the hepatocyte phospholipidosis of liver and background lesion in BSCs were found.

Keywords

• british-shorthair cat
• gross autopsy
• histopathological examination
• anatomic characteristic
• background lesion