Congenital Teratoma in a crossbred Jersey calf

Teratomas are unique neoplastic conditions in different animal species including humans, by virtue of their origin from multiple germinal layers. A condition of congenital teratoma was observed in a 3 days old crossbred Jersey female calf. Clinically, a round growth was noticed on dorsal aspect of the neck and it was removed surgically under local anaesthesia. Upon incision, the growth revealed multiple cavities within the whitish stroma surrounded by a tough capsule. Histopathological evaluation revealed areas of different tissue components viz. stratified and simple epithelium lining the cavities, respiratory tissue with bronchial components of cartilage and mucosa, nervous tissue with nerve fibres and choroid plexus, few vascular elements of small blood vessels and dense connective tissue with leucocyte infiltration. Based on the presence of tissues that arise from multiple germ layers, the current case was diagnosed as a case of congenital teratoma.