Author: Madison

Prussian blue (or Perl’s stain) is used to highlight 𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧. On H&E, there are several brown pigments that can look similar, so special stains are needed to distinguish them.

𝐒𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐨𝐜𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐬 is a parasitic infection caused by a protozoal parasite, 𝐒𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐨𝐜𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐬. The prevalence of this parasite approaches 100% in cattle, sheep and horses, which is nuts!

GMS stands for 𝐆𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐢’𝐬 𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐫. This stain is primarily used to highlight 𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐢.

Today’s path rounds are on 𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐚 𝐭𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐬! 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐭?𝐅𝐥𝐞𝐚 𝐭𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐬 are a common tapeworm species affecting dogs and cats….

Acid-fast staining is a special technique used to identify certain types of bacteria that do not stain with Gram stain.

𝐌𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐢𝐝𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐬 is a tropical disease affecting primarily Southeast Asia and northern Australia. It causes 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐜 disease, meaning it affects multiple organ systems.

𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐬 are swallowed objects that are very long and thin, such as string or strips of cloth. Like other foreign bodies swallowed by animals, they can block normal flow of food through the intestinal tract.

The Warthin-Starry stain highlights certain types of 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐦-𝐧𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 bacteria (see last week’s post on Gram stains!) that don’t absorb Gram stain.

𝐎𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 is accumulation of 𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞 (fat) to an excessive level. This is actually the most common nutritional issue in pets! It is estimated that up to 30% of dogs and cats are obese.

𝐌𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐬 are tumours of the 𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬, which are the fibrous layers covering the brain. Although these tumours are technically benign, they compress the brain causing pretty significant damage!