Steatitis and fat necrosis in captive alligators.

Abstract

Steatitis and fat necrosis were identified in a group of 123 American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) kept in an enclosed pond and fed a diet of only fish for more than 10 years. All affected animals were outwardly healthy and had had no signs of disease in the period immediately before slaughter. The diagnosis was made at the time of commercial slaughter for harvest of meat and hides. Lesions consisted of firm yellow-brown masses distributed in fat tissue throughout the body. The histopathologic diagnosis was granulomatous steatitis, with fat necrosis, based on the finding of multinucleated giant cells, ceroid, and multiple foci of inflammatory cells.

• Authors: R E Larsen, C Buergelt, P T Cardeilhac, E R Jacobson
• Journal: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (J Am Vet Med Assoc) Vol. 183 Issue 11 Pg. 1202-4 (Dec 01 1983) ISSN: 0003-1488 [Print] United States
• PMID: 6643233 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Fish Oils

Topics

• Acute Disease
• Adipose Tissue (pathology)
• Alligators and Crocodiles
• Animal Feed (adverse effects)
• Animals
• Disease Outbreaks (veterinary)
• Fat Necrosis (epidemiology, etiology, pathology, veterinary)
• Female
• Fish Oils (adverse effects)
• Fishes
• Florida
• Georgia
• Male
• Necrosis (veterinary)
• Reptiles
• Steatitis (epidemiology, etiology, pathology)