ULTRASONOGRAPHIC IDENTIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF SPLENIC NODULAR LIPOMATOSIS OR MYELOLIPOMAS IN CHEETAHS (ACINONYX-JUBATUS)

A total of 44 live cheetahs were examined sonographically between 1989 and 1994, Seventeen of these animals originated from 4 European facil ities, the other 27 cheetahs were examined in 3 facilities in Namibia, Evaluation of the cheetahs included a clinical examination, abdominal ultrasound, and complete blood work, Splenic myelolipomas were diagno sed sonographically in 11 cheetahs, In 7 cheetahs the diagnosis was co nfirmed at necropsy, Nine of the 14 cheetahs in Europe had myelolipoma s in the spleen, while in the African cheetahs there were only 2 anima ls with myelolipomas, Histologically these lesions were characterized by fatty nodules, A more fitting term of Nodular Lipomatosis of the sp leen is therefore suggested, Ail cheetahs with nodular lipomatosis of the spleen, had concurrent chronic diseases at necropsy. An indicator function of splenic nodular lipomatosis for chronic disease and/or str ess is possible.