Osteochondromatosis in lovebirds (Agapornis fischeri)

Abstract

The present work describes the radiographic and anatomopathological findings of osteochondromatosis in the skeleton of a female lovebird (Agapornis fischeri), approximately three years old, with a history of apathy, difficulty in breathing and feeding, and inability to fly. Macroscopically, expansive multinodular enlargements of varying sizes and degrees of hardness were observed in the sternum, skull, right radiocarpal joint, ulna, humerus, ribs, and vertebrae. On post-mortem radiographic examination, the nodules showed varying degrees of radiopacity. Microscopically, the neoplastic nodules were almost always located on the cortical surface of the affected bones and were composed of a layer of chondrocytes in different phases of differentiation, predominantly hypertrophic and well differentiated. Adjacent to the neoplastic cartilaginous tissue was the osteoid matrix or mature, mineralized trabecular bone tissue formed by endochondral ossification. Within the neoplasm, hematopoietic tissue and adipose tissue were observed among the trabecular bone tissue. Based on radiographic, macro, and microscopic characteristics, the diagnosis of osteochondromatosis was made.