MULTIPLE CUTANEOUS CAPILLARY HEMANGIOMA IN A RED PARTRIDGE (ALECTORIS-RUFA)

A 6-year-old healthy decoy red partridge (Alectoris rufa) developed ra pidly growing multiple cutaneous nodules in the dorsal aspect of the n eck. Histologically, they were distinctly exophytic growths composed o f variably-sized blood vessels often surrounded by solid masses of end othelial-like cells set in an oedematous stroma with abundant inflamma tory cells. They were diagnosed as multiple cutaneous capillary haeman giomas. These tumours have been described in chickens in association w ith viral infections and in old budgerigars, but not in partridges.