Muntjac Kidney Cyst - Vet comment?

Tackleberry270

Well-Known Member
Found during a carcass inspection on a Muntjac taken last week. Noticed Kidney was an abnormal shape and firm to feel. On further inspection discovered a cyst filled with a clear liquid with white flecks inside. No other abnormalities found. It was an older Buck (6+ years old at a guess). In good shape other than the effect a well placed bullet creates so no qualms about putting into the food chain. I am presuming a parasite of some kind. Had a look at some other posts on Kidney abnormalities but thought I would add to the bank of info. Would welcome comment from the vets.


 
I'd say likely an abscess or a cyst. We see them occasionally. The rest of the kidney looks normal. No reason for rejection if other kidney and rest of carcase normal.
 
Looks like an hydatid cyst to me.was it hard? Can be dangerous if it bursts..if you find cysts like that you don't want to be cutting them. .they are normally under pressure and you don't want it in your eyes or mouth!!

Wayne
 
Thanks. Found this,

http://www.southampton.ac.uk/~ceb/Diagnosis/Vol8.htm

Apart from the liquid being a toxin I presume the actual transfer of the cyst creating parasite would be the nodules not the liquid?

I never stalk without detol antibacterial wipes these days. The cyst was under some pressure. I don't think I could have made a judgement on it without incising though as I couldn't see what it was without doing so. Luckily I wasn't over the carcass. It does prove the point about being very careful.
 
If this was a hydatid cyst, there is no danger from eating it, or it rupturing.

All tapeworms have a Primary host - with the adult tapeworm in the gut and a Secondary host - usually the cystic structure. The adult tapeworm releases eggs onto the grass. The grass is then eaten by the secondary host and forms the cyst. If the secondary host is then eaten by the primary host, the primary host becomes infected.

All of the cysts found in sheep, deer, rabbits are the cystic form of tapeworms of dogs (and fox). If we were to eat the cyst, we don't get infected because we are not the primary host. We can, unfortunately, act as a secondary host for e.g. Ecchinococcus species if we eat vegetables contaminated by dog faeces. Humans can get tapeworms from pork and beef (Taenia solum and saginata) because we are the primary host for those parasites.

There is a lot of confusion because the cysts often have full latin names e.g. Cysticercus ovis so look like they are different species. The correct terminology is the cystic stage of Taenia ovis
 
This type of lesion is quite common in roe deer where the kidneys can have one or multiple cysts inside. In rare cases the whole kidney becomes one large fluid filled cyst. It is not an abscess or a parasite but much more likely to be a congenital problem. If the other kidney is normal then the carcase is fit for consumption. However if the other kidney is affected and there was a "urine" smell on opening the abdomen - I would suggest it is in renal failure and condemn the carcase. Hope this helps

Jimmy
vet at scottishdeerproject.co.uk
 
This type of lesion is quite common in roe deer where the kidneys can have one or multiple cysts inside. In rare cases the whole kidney becomes one large fluid filled cyst. It is not an abscess or a parasite but much more likely to be a congenital problem. If the other kidney is normal then the carcase is fit for consumption. However if the other kidney is affected and there was a "urine" smell on opening the abdomen - I would suggest it is in renal failure and condemn the carcase. Hope this helps

Jimmy
vet at scottishdeerproject.co.uk

Thanks Chris/Jimmy. This type of kidney abnormality is certainly not common in the areas of the South where I have taken large numbers of roe. I would say probably less than 1 in 100. What would the white bits be? Based on your prognosis there will be a blockage somewhere between kidney and bladder?
 
had a close look! the capsule looks quite thick to me..and looks like a germinal layer, and the white bits look like scolices!...still think its hydatid cyst
 
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