• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
• /
• v.31 no.5
• /
• pp.466-468
• /
• 2014

Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is characterized by multiple cysts within the renal parenchyma and is a common heritable disease in humans, dogs, and cats. However, a few cases of PKD have been described in captive pygmy hippopotamuses. Bilateral PKD was observed in a 33-year-old, 198-kg female pygmy hippopotamus during its necropsy in Seoul Zoo on 15 January 2013. The diagnosis of PKD was confirmed by gross findings and histopathological examination. One kidney was slightly enlarged, and the lower portion of other kidney contained a large cyst filled with light yellow, watery fluid. Both kidneys had numerous, variably sized fluid-filled cysts of 2 to 20 mm in diameter. Considerable portions of the renal cortex and medulla were replaced by cysts. Microscopic inspection showed that the cysts were lined with low cuboidal to flat epithelial cells. The present case report of PKD in a pygmy hippopotamus is the first in Korea.