Vol.1 No.4 July-Sep 2014 ISSN : 2321-6387 Shanlax International Journal of Veterinary Science 6 Cytological and Pathomorphological Studies on Basal Cell Carcinoma in Skin of New Zealand White Rabbit D. Basheer Ahamad*, S.Azmi, Shilpa Sood**, S. Sivaseelan*** and B. Puvarajan* *Veterinary College and Research Institute, TANUVAS, Orathanadu 614 625. Tamil Nadu, India **Sher-e Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu, R.S.Pura. 181 102. Jammu, India ***Veterinary College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Namakkal, Tamil Nadu, India Abstract An adult male New Zealand White rabbit showed firm, whitish yellow neoplastic growth with necrotic foci. Based on cytological examination, the neoplastic growth was diagnosed as epithelial cell in origin with vesicular nucleus with anisokaryosis. The histopathological examination revealed the palisading neoplastic basaloid cells were showing solid, uniform with hyperchromatic and or vacuolated in appearance formed islands with abundant eosinophilic homogeneous ground substances and it was diagnosed as basal cell carcinoma. Key words: Rabbit, Basal cell carcinoma, Cytology, Histopathology Introduction Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is a distinct undifferentiated low-grade malignant epithelial tumors of skin. Basal cell tumours are made up of almost entirely of basal cells (Moulton, 1999). It is common in the cat, uncommon in the dog and rare in all other domestic animals including rabbits (Goldschmidt et al., 1998; Goldschmidt and Hendrick, 2002). The tumor cells are nevertheless able to invade and destroy the surrounding tissue (Buechner et al., 1997) unlike those seen in the dog and cat, which are found in the thorax, head and neck (Walder and Gross, 1992; Goldschmidt et al., 1998; Goldschmidt and Hendrick, 2002). Basal cell carcinomas are the result of sun damage to the skin. Basal cell carcinomas enlarge slowly and steadily and can invade neighboring tissue, like the eye, but they usually do not spread to distant parts of the body (metastasize). A basal cell tumor has been already reported in domestic animals such as buffaloes (Sadana et al., 1978) dog (Roberts et al., 1986; Seiler, 1982), cats (Jorger, 1988)), wildlife Indian lion (Brown and Davis, 1972), the DeBrazza monkey (Fisher and Robinson, 1976), the Virginia opossum (Toft II et al., 1973), the African lion (White, 1975), and the Japanese monkey (Yanai et al., 1995). Cape clawless otter (Nakamura et al., 2002) and blue-fronted Amazon parrot (Tell et al., 1997). One malignant basal tumor case has been reported in a Djungarian hamster (Nakao et al., 1999) and Variable squirrels (Callosciurus finlaysoni floweri) (Kesdangsakonwut et al., 2003). The haired skin of the thorax, head and neck are the predilected sites. These tumors are locally invasive but in a few cases they form metastases and can recur (Goldschmidt et al., 1998; Goldschmidt and Hendrick, 2002; Walder and Gross, 1992). It is also recorded in eye lid (Roberts et al., 1986) ear (Nayak et al., 1989). However no literature was available about the BCC in neck region of rabbit. Materials and Methods A 3 year-old male New Zealand White rabbit carcass was presented for post mortem examination with the history of severe dysponea and anorexia for 4 days before death and had a progressive skin mass with an open wound in the dorsal part of neck area for the last three months. A complete necropsy was performed. Samples of the skin growth was collected for cytological examination by Leishman staining and for histopathological examination tissues from various locations were collected and fixed in 10% buffered formalin, embedded in paraffin and stained with H&E staining. Results and Discussion Grossly, the subcutaneous mass in the dorsal portion of neck area was 5.35 x 3.65 cm in size, firm in consistency, whitish yellow in color and had multiple necrotic foci on its cut surface with foul smelling. * Email: dbahamad@gmail.com