A nephrotic-like syndrome with an associated mesangio-proliferative glomerulopathy in a cow

A 3-year-old Limousin cow was admitted to the University of Georgia Teaching Hospital with a history of chronic weight loss and diarrhea of more than 1 year's duration. Clinical laboratory findings included proteinuria and hypoproteinemia and were suggestive of a nephrotic-like syndrome. Necropsy findings included generalized edema of the visceral organs and diffuse red glistening foci on the capsular and cut surfaces of the cortex of both kidneys. Microscopically, the kidney had hypercellular and hypersegmented glomeruli, focal glomerulosclerosis, periglomerular fibrosis, and tubular nephrosis. The glomerular hypercellularity was confirmed by electron microscopy to be due to increased mesangial cells.