Four cases of Hodgkin's disease in striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis)

Twelve of 152 striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) necropsied at the Ontario Veterinary College between 1970 and 1980 had neoplasms. Tumors occurred in one of 86 wild skunks, and 11 of 66 captive skunks. Captive skunks were primarily from one source and were older animals. Tumors in four skunks resembled those found in Hodgkin's disease of man. This diagnosis was based on the presence of Sternberg-Reed cells, the cellular pattern, and the malignant behavior of the neoplasms. In two of these skunks, a second neoplasm also was present. Other tumors diagnosed included pulmonary adenocarcinoma, pulmonary adenomatosis, undifferentiated adenocarcinoma, renal adenocarcinoma, thyroid adenoma, interstitial cell tumor, pheochromocytoma, pinealoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and spindle cell sarcoma.