URETHRAL OBSTRUCTION SECONDARY TO HYPERPLASIA OF SEMINAL VESICLE GLANDS IN AN INTACT MALE AFRICAN PYGMY HEDGEHOG (Atelerix albiventris)

A 4-year-old, male, intact African pygmy hedgehog was presented at the clinic with a 2-day history of weakness. Clinical examination revealed a large fluid-like mass, suspected to be the urinary bladder. The surveying ultrasound confirmed an enlarged urinary bladder with anechoic content and a small amount of floating echoic material. The patient was not able to urinate nor was it possible to place an urinary catheter. After three days he continued to be non-responding to any medical approach. The patient was prepared for explorative surgery, during which he collapsed and was declared deceased. The following autopsy revealed an extramural urethral obstruction caused by the enlarged seminal vesicle glands. The histology examination confirmed hyperplasia of the glandular epithelial cells, with focal squamous metaplasia. A focal mild perivascular inflammatory infiltrate was also present, formed mainly by lymphocytes and plasma cells with isolated macrophages and admixtures of eosinophilic granulocytes.