SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA IN CHINCHILLAS: A REVIEW OF THREE CASES

The authors describe 3 cases of squamous cell carcinoma in chinchillas. The neoplasms were diagnosed by histological examination. All 3 animals were older than 15 years and had ulcerative skin masses involving one or more limbs. Automutilation was present in all 3 cases, and the owners noticed the masses when they were already of significant size (2 to 5 cm in diameter). All 3 animals were euthanized within 2 months after the first presentation. Papillomavirus polymerase chain reaction assay were performed on all 3 tumors, but did not find papillomavirus DNA in the samples. Practitioners should consider squamous cell carcinoma as the potential cause of ulcerative skin lesions and automutilation in aged chinchillas. Neoplasms are generally considered to be rare in this species, and this is the first description of squamous cell carcinoma in chinchillas to the authors' knowledge. Copyright 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.