POST MORTEM EXAMINATION OF CAPTIVE COTTON-TOP TAMARINS

A complete necropsy should be performed on any captive Cotton-top tamarin that dies. A thorough necropsy provides data for the Cotton-top tamarin Disease Database on that species and is a means to assess the success of captive management and preventative disease programs. The following is the recommended protocol for Cotton-top tamarin, so that a complete data set can be collected on each individual.

Upon death of a Cotton-top tamarin at your institution, please submit the complete medical record (including details of the diet), results of the gross necropsy report, culture results, and results of histopathologic examination to the Cotton-top Tamarin SSP coordinator. You are encouraged to collect a duplicate tissue set in formalin to be submitted to the veterinary advisor. Assistance with histopathology may be available through coordination with the veterinary advisor and an associate pathologist.

Cotton-top tamarins have a high incidence of colon cancer (adenocarcinoma) and this species has been used as an animal model for the study of colon cancer in humans. There is a strong link between colitis and colon cancer. When providing the history of the animal, please include any episodes of colitis or diarrhea prior to death. The distal ileum and colon should be examined closely during the gross necropsy. The colonic tumors may be obvious or may present as a subtle focal constriction or thickening of the colon wall. A large portion of the distal ileum and colon should be collected in formalin for histologic examination (see collection techniques at end of document, be sure to maintain the proper tissue/formalin ratio of 10:1). Dr. Scott Terrell is interested in examining formalin fixed tissue from suspected or confirmed cases of cancer in Callitrichids.

A number of pathologists have noted on histopathology, a high incidence of iron pigment present in the liver. In order to continue to track the incidence of iron pigment accumulation, the Neotropical Primate TAG is requesting that all institutions include special stains for iron in their histopathology protocols. Sections of liver measuring 1cm³ should be saved frozen (-70 to -80F) as well.

Dr. Linda Munson at the University of California (Davis) is examining the reproductive tracts of captive female carnivores and primates. Dr. Munson would like whole reproductive tracts collected in formalin from necropsies or ovariohysterectomies. For details and submission form please see Appendix I in the table of contents.

CALLITRICHID NECROPSY PROTOCOL

Institution/owner:                                     Prosector:

Address:

Species:                                                     Animal ID:                     Studbook#:

Birthdate / age:                     Weight:

Date of death:                      Date of necropsy:

Manner of death:     Spontaneous     Euthanasia

History: (include clinical signs, circumstances of death, past history of diarrhea/colitis)

Blood or serum collected?: (Fresh or from carcass)

General condition: (Nutritional condition, physical condition)

Musculoskeletal system: (Bones, joints, muscles)

Body cavities: (Fat stores, abnormal fluids, serosal surfaces)

Hemolymphatic: (Spleen, lymph nodes, thymus)

Respiratory system: (Nasal cavity, larynx, trachea, lungs, regional lymph nodes)

Cardiovascular system: (Heart, pericardium, great vessels)

Digestive system: (Oral cavity, esophagus, small intestine, colon, liver, pancreas, mesenteric lymph nodes)

Urinary system: (Kidneys, ureters, urinary bladder, urethra)

Reproductive system: (Testis/ovary, uterus, vagina, prepuse, accessory glands, mammary glands, placenta)

Endocrine system: (Adrenal glands, thyroids, parathyroids, pituitary)

Nervous system: (Brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerves)

Sensory: (Eyes, ears)

Integument: (Skin)

FOR NEONATES

1. Fix umbilical stump and surrounding tissues
2. Look for congenital defects (cleft palate, atrial/ventricular septal defects, limbs)
3. Assess hydration and evidence of nursing (milk in stomach)
4. Determine if breathing occurred (do lungs float in formalin)

PRELIMINARY OBSERVATION / DIAGNOSES:

TISSUES SUBMITTED FOR HISTOPATHOLOGY (Yes/No?):

LABORATORY STUDIES: (List bacterial, fungal and viral cultures submitted)

ORGAN MEASUREMENTS / WEIGHTS:

Heart weight: _________________g

Left ventricular freewall thickness _________________mm

Right ventricular freewall thickness _________________mm

Interventricular septum thickness _________________mm

Liver weight: _________________g

Spleen weight: _________________g

Right kidney weight: _________________g

Left kidney weight: _________________g

Right adrenal weight: _________________g

Left adrenal weight: _________________g

Right thyroid weight: _________________g

Left thyroid weight: _________________g

Total brain weight: _________________g

Cerebellum weight: _________________g

TISSUE CHECK LIST

Preserve the following tissues in 10% neutral buffered formalin at a ratio of 1 part tissue to 10 parts formalin. Tissues should be no thicker than 1cm. Include sections of all lesions and samples of all tissue listed in this checklist. See additional tissues on neonatal checklist.

Heart ____ Trachea ____ Thyroid gland ____

Lung ____ Parathyroid ____ Thymus ____

Lymph nodes ____ Spleen ____ Liver ____

Esophagus ____ Stomach ____ Duodenum ____

Pancreas ____ Jejunum ____ Ileum ____

Cecum ____ Colon ____ Adrenal ____

Kidney ____ Urinary bladder ____ Testis/ovary ____

Uterus ____ Prostate ____ Brain ____

Skin ____ Skeletal muscle ____ Tongue ____

Diaphragm ____ Bone marrow, femur ____ Bone, rib ____

Spinal cord ____ Gall bladder ____

For neonates: Umbilical stump and associated tissues ____

ESSENTIAL FROZEN TISSUE (If organs are small, freeze what remains after collection of tissue for histopathology. Freeze one half of lesions and place remaining tissue in formalin).

Heart ____ Lung ____ Liver ____

Spleen ____ Kidney ____ Skeletal muscle ____

Adipose tissue ____ Small intestine with contents ____

Brain ____ Any lesions or suspicious tissues ____

Serum ____ Whole blood ____

Adrenal glands: If no visible lesions, submit 1 whole gland in formalin

Brain: Slice longitudinally along midline, ½ in formalin, ½ frozen

Gastrointestinal tract: Unopened cross section of esophagus, duodenum, jejunum, approximately 0.5cm in width. The duodenal cross section should include adjacent pancreas. A 5-10cm length of jejunum should be tied off unopened with string and frozen whole for future toxin analysis. The distal ileum and colon should be submitted whole. The entire distal ileum and colon should be opened longitudinally along the anti-mesenteric border (swiss role technique). Be careful not to touch or wipe the opened mucosa!

Heart: Long axis sections including atrium, valve and ventricle on both left and right

sides. Include a section of great vessels, aorta. Freeze remaining tissue.

Kidneys: Cut longitudinally and submit ½ of each kidney. Freeze remaining tissue.

Liver: Sections from 3 lobes with capsule and portion of gall bladder

Long bone / bone marrow: Submit distal femur split in ½, include growth plate

Lungs: Sections from cranial and caudal lobes on both left and right sides. Freeze 1 or more lobes.

Spleen: 1 transverse section

Lymph nodes: Cervical, mediastinal, bronchial, mesenteric, ileocecal

Pituitary: Entire gland

Reproductive tract: Entire uterus of female. One whole ovary. Entire testis cut transversely.

Sciatic nerve: 3mm section with adjacent muscle.

Tongue: Section from distal tip

Skeletal muscle: Section from thigh muscles, freeze tissue as well.

Spinal cord: Sections from cervical, thoracic, lumbar spine

Thymus: Section if present

Thyroid / parathyroid: Submit whole gland(s)

Urinary bladder: Submit whole