Gangliosidoses in cats

Abstract

Two 3-month-old, male, domestic short hair, cats of the same litter were presented to the small animal teaching hospital with the clinical sign of head tremor for 2 weeks. Three months later, the clinical sign had worsened. Both kittens had loss of balance and showed intention tremor. Physical examination revealed hypertelorism, depressed bridge of the nose and back pain. Radiography showed shortened cervicothoracic vertebral bodies. Both kittens died at 8 and 9 months of age, case no.1 and 2 respectively. Both carcasses were submitted for necropsy. Both brains were grossly normal. The costal cartilages of both cats were deformed into an ‘S’ shape with normal cartilage consistency. The histopathology showed swollen neurons with multiple intracytoplasmic fine eosinophilic granular substance, leading to the diagnosis of lysosomal storage disease. The periodic acid-Schiff’s (PAS) and Luxol fast blue (LFB) staining were positive and transmission electron microscopy revealed membranous cytoplasmic bodies and zebra bodies in the neurons. With the combination of clinical and pathological examination, gangliosidoses was diagnosed. This is the first report of Gangliosidoses in domestic short hair cats in Thailand.