Animal Tissue Mineralization: An Overview of Disease Processes, Comparative Pathology, and Diagnostic Approaches

Calcium deposition within soft tissues is a significant pathological process, bearing significant implications for animal and human health. It is classified into four categories, including dystrophic, metastatic, idiopathic, and iatrogenic. It involves multiple molecular mechanisms. Vascular calcification includes medial artery mineralization, siderocalcinosis in equine cerebral arteries, and vitamin D-induced arterial mineralization in multiple species. Renal and urinary mineralization occurs with kidney disease, uremic gastropathy, and ethylene glycol toxicity. Calcinosis cutis is associated with renal insufficiency and systemic fungal infections and is commonly observed in dogs with hyperadrenocorticism, while calcinosis circumscripta occurs at pressure points secondarily to trauma. Multiple pathogens are responsible for soft tissue calcification; they can be zoonotic and include Mycobacterium spp., Brucella spp., Toxoplasma gondii, and Echinococcus granulosus, underscoring the translational role of veterinary medicine surveillance from a public health standpoint. In addition, the placental chorioallantois is frequently affected by idiopathic or infection-induced calcification, highlighting the convergence of metabolic dysregulation and infectious mechanisms. Tissue calcifications provide valuable insights into disease mechanisms and diagnostic challenges, with comparative pathology serving as a powerful tool to enhance our understanding of these processes from a One Health standpoint.