Acute lymphocytic leukemia in a six-month-old western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla)

A 6-mo-old hand-raised male western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorill a) was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia based on complete blood co unt and bone marrow cytology. Clinical signs of the disease were pyrexia, a bdominal distention, splenomegaly, and lethargy. Acute lymphocytic leukemia has rarely been reported in this species, and therapy was based on human o ncologic protocols. Remission induction chemotherapy resulted in complete c learing of leukemia cells from the bone marrow. Consolidation and maintenan ce chemotherapy followed. Therapy was facilitated by the use of an infusion port for i.v. treatments and an indwelling lumbar catheter for intrathecal therapy. Side effects associated with chemotherapy were inappetence, moder ate alopecia, pancytopenia resulting in sepsis, and bleeding tendency. in s pite of initial success, the leukemia reappeared 120 days into treatment. T he gorilla was euthanized 7 days later when respiratory distress developed. Intensive care by the animal staff was a key factor in the treatment of th is gorilla.