The first Cytological evaluation of external ear canal in long eared and brandt hedgehogs

Subject Areas : Journal of Comparative Pathobiology

غزل Aftab ¹ (Department of clinical science, science and research branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran)
فرنوش Arfaee ² (Department of clinical science, science and research branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran)
احمد Asghari ³ (Department of clinical science, science and research branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran)
تقی Zahrai salehi ⁴ (Department of Microbiology, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran)

Received: 2022-12-07 Accepted : 2023-02-17 Published : 2023-02-17

Keywords: Long eared hedgehog, Brandt hedgehog, Otitis externa, Cytology,

Abstract :

Ear inflammation and infection is a common finding in different species of hedgehogs. Cy-tology is the first and most reliable way to diagnose this disease. However, no study has been done on the normal criteria of ear cytology of any hedgehog species. In this study, for the first time, ear cytology was investigated in two breeds of healthy long-eared and Iranian Brandet hedgehogs, in order to find normal values. 20 long-eared hedgehogs (10 males and 10 females) and 20 Brandt's hedgehogs (10 males and 10 females) were examined in this study. Anesthesia was done with ketamine and diazepam and according to the protocol for hedgehogs. After confirming the complete health of the ears, cytological sampling was done from bothears and three slides were prepared for each ear. Yeasts were the most common findings seen in the ears of the examined hedgehogs. Rod bacteria were not seen in any of the examined slides. Gram-positive cocci, squamous cells without nuclei and squamous cells with nuclei were the most common cases, respectively. Normal ear cytology in hedgehogs is very similar to normal dog and cat ear cytology.

References:

1. Williams D, Adeyeye N, Visser E. Ophthalmological abnormalities in wild European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus): a survey of 300 animals. Open Veterinary Journal. 2017;7(3):261-7.


2. Ghaffari MS, Hajikhani R, Sahebjam F, Akbarein H, Golezardy H. Intraocular pres-sure and Schirmer tear test results in clinically normal Long‐Eared Hedgehogs (Hemiechi-nus auritus): reference values. Veterinary Ophthalmology. 2012;15(3):206-9.


3. Hoefer HL. Hedgehogs. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice. 1994;24(1):113-20.


4. Zacharopoulou M, Guillaume E, Coupez G, Bleuart C, Le Loc'h G, Gaide N. Causes of Mortality and Pathological Findings in European Hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) Ad-mitted to a Wildlife Care Centre in Southwestern France from 2019 to 2020. Journal of Com-parative Pathology. 2022;190:19-29.


5. August JR. Otitis externa: a disease of multifactorial etiology. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice. 1988;18(4):731-42.


6. Rosychuk RA. Management of otitis externa. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice. 1994;24(5):921-52.


7. Fraser G, Withers A, Spreull J. Otitis externa in the dog. Journal of Small Animal Practice. 1961;2(1‐4):32-47.


8. Tater KC, Scott D, Miller Jr W, Erb H. The cytology of the external ear canal in the normal dog and cat. Journal of Veterinary Medicine Series A. 2003;50(7):370-4.


9. Ginel PJ, Lucena R, Rodriguez JC, Ortega J. A semiquantitative cytological evalua-tion of normal and pathological samples from the external ear canal of dogs and cats. Veteri-nary dermatology. 2002;13(3):151-6.

10.       Mendelsohn C, Rosenkrantz W, Griffin CE. Practical cytology for inflammatory skin diseases. Clinical techniques in small animal practice. 2006;21(3):117-27.