Anyone seen this before - muntjac intestine

willie_gunn

Well-Known Member
From a muntjac doe shot this morning - no other signs of disease or injury, all lymph nodes ok:

IM001358.jpg


Texture-wise it was a bit grainy.

willie_gunn
 
What are you seeing as abnormal? You have the jejunum round the outside with their mesentry with the spiral colon overlaying it?
 
Sorry, I wasn't being clear. I am talking of the bright pink tissue from the spiral colon outwards. In this particular muntjac that tissue was semi-rigid and had what I can only describe as a granular texture. It was different enough to be remarkable. Here is another picture that may be clearer:

IM001357.jpg


willie_gunn
 
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Sorry, I wasn't being clear. I am talking of the bright pink tissue from the spiral colon outwards. In this particular muntjac that tissue was semi-rigid and had what I can only describe as a granular texture. It was different enough to be remarkable. Here is another picture that may be clearer:

IM001357.jpg


willie_gunn
I've looked at this again and it still looks like fat infiltration into the mesentery (the thin sheet that hold the intestines in place). I'm making the assumption however, that the pink colour is blood from the gralloch. If you say it is granular, it could be some form of lymphatic infiltration - like a tumour. If it is an older doe, then that would be more likely than in a younger one.
 
I've looked at this again and it still looks like fat infiltration into the mesentery (the thin sheet that hold the intestines in place). I'm making the assumption however, that the pink colour is blood from the gralloch. If you say it is granular, it could be some form of lymphatic infiltration - like a tumour. If it is an older doe, then that would be more likely than in a younger one.

Buchan

Thank you. That may well be the case. Yes, the pink colour is blood from the gralloch. 'Granular' is the best way that I can describe it - it just felt 'gritty' when held between the fingers. The doe wasn't that old and was acting perfectly normally. Having shot, or seen shot, well in excess of 100 muntjac I've just not seen anything like this before. It would be easy just to dispose of the gralloch and not bother asking, but there's always something new to learn with deer, so many thanks for the reply.

willie_gunn
 
Buchan

Thank you. That may well be the case. Yes, the pink colour is blood from the gralloch. 'Granular' is the best way that I can describe it - it just felt 'gritty' when held between the fingers. The doe wasn't that old and was acting perfectly normally. Having shot, or seen shot, well in excess of 100 muntjac I've just not seen anything like this before. It would be easy just to dispose of the gralloch and not bother asking, but there's always something new to learn with deer, so many thanks for the reply.

willie_gunn

Hi Willie, Considering the number of muntjac you've seen, it probably wasn't fat! However, if it was tumour, I'd have expected the doe to be in poorer condition. There is an intestinal tumour of sheep that can look like this. We'll never know without a section of the tissue being analysed. Scotland, having a sensible attitude to animal health, have a scheme through Edinburgh Uni to collect samples like this and find out what is around. England - not a chance; I've asked.
How well do you know your local vets? You could get them to submit sections of tissue like this to the VLA, but you'd have to pay (about £40). The SAC lab is cheaper (£28) and other labs are available...
 
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