276 



NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA 68 



Fur preening was also inadequate. The animal, in general, ap- 

 peared to be in poor condition. 



Necropsy. — The liver appeared fibrous and spotted with various 

 shades of brown and reddish inflammation. In three places the 

 omentum adhered abnormally to the liver and there were numerous 

 abnormal adhesions between the lobes of the liver. Yellowish scar 

 tissue surrounded the areas of adhesion. The spleen appeared ab- 

 normal, exhibiting a somewhat opaque whitish scum over one 

 side. Linear indentations crisscrossed this surface. Specimens were 

 preserved in AFA solution, then transferred to 70 percent alcohol. 

 A large abscess surrounded the root of the lower right canine 

 tooth. Considerable osteolysis of the jaw had occurred around the 

 root of the tooth forming a hole in the bone which measured 

 10 X 8 X 7 mm. Other organs appeared normal to gross examina- 

 tion. 



Dr. Jensen's analysis : 



Hemopoietic system: Histopathology : Spleen: Parenchyma is diminished 

 while capsule and trabeculae are abundant. These changes indicate atrophy 

 from unknown cause. The periphery of some central arterioles contain a 

 homogenous acidiphilic substance which may be amyloid [starch-like]. 



Liver : Many lobules show fatty metamorphosis in central zones. This change 

 is not uniform. 



Although Dr. Jensen gave no diagnosis in this case, it was ap- 

 parent that this animal was moribund. It would appear that toxins 

 from the infected jaw may have caused the fatty degeneration 

 and sclerosis of the liver. 



The results of a necropsy of another otter was similar but no 

 localized infection was found: KWK 59-85, adult female, weight 

 371/2 lb. (17 kg.), collected 27 March 1959, found dead well above 

 high-tide line in sleeping position. The liver appeared swollen and 

 fibrous with considerable yellowish discoloration, scar tissue, and 

 abnormal adhesions to the diaphragm and intestines. Peripheral 

 blood vessels of the liver and intestines were turgid. The otter had 

 bled from the rectum before death. 



Malignancy 



On 22 October 1957, a young adult female sea otter (B-12-57), 

 weighing 42 lb. (19 kg.), was found dead on a rock well above 

 high-tide line at Amchitka. A necropsy revealed abnormal tissue 

 growth in the viscera and a quantity of dark, apparently bloody 

 fluid in the coelom. Externally in other respects the animal ap- 

 peared normal. 



Dr. D. V. Brown, then Associate Professor of Pathology, Uni- 



