Successful Resolution of Adenomyosis Associated with Recurrent Anemia and Collapse in a Southern Three Banded Armadillo (Toplypeutes matacus)
Abstract
A 10-year-old, nulliparous, female southern three banded armadillo (Tolypeutes matacus) with a history of episodes of weakness and mild anemia, was presented for acute collapse. On ultrasound, a 3x3 cm heterogeneous mass was noted caudodorsal to the urinary bladder. Exploratory laparotomy revealed an enlarged, firm uterus, and ovariohysterectomy was performed. Histopathology of the uterus revealed irregular, well-differentiated glands extending to a regular, finite, and visually-defined depth into the myometrium, and occasional hemorrhage within these glands. Microscopic findings were consistent with adenomyosis.
Adenomyosis is a common condition of multiparous women and has occasionally been reported in domestic and non-domestic species.1-6 Clinical signs in women include dysmenorrhea and menorrhagia, which may correlate with the clinical signs of recurrent mild anemia and collapse seen in this armadillo. These episodes of anemia and collapse resolved after ovariohysterectomy and the animal has remained clinically normal for 1.5 years post surgery.
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