Polyglucosan body disease in a mixed-breed dog

Abstract

AIM: To describe the histopathology of a previously unrecorded canine disease and deduce the cause of the lesions.

METHODS: Formalin-fixed tissues were processed into paraffin wax and epoxy resin for light and electron microscopy of variously stained sections of liver, brain, heart muscle and kidney.

RESULTS: Periodic acid Schiff (PAS) -positive bodies in liver and myocardium were typical of a polyglucosan body disease. Neurons contained coarse granular material that stained similarly to the polyglucosan bodies.

CONCLUSION: The nature, distribution and histochemistry of lesions observed are consistent with a putative diagnosis of Glycogen storage disease type IV, an inherited metabolic defect associated with a deficiency of glycogen-branching enzyme not previously reported in dogs.

KEY WORDS:

• Polyglucosan body
• glycogen storage
• type IV
• dog