Notable cases at the National Wildlife Health Center are highlighted here in the Pathology Case of the Month Series.
Wildlife pathologists at the National Wildlife Health Center routinely investigate the causes of wildlife mortality events in the United States as part of our diagnostic services. The pathologists examine carcasses to verify species and condition, collect and process photographic and radiographic images, conduct detailed necropsies, collect appropriate samples for histological preparation, and collect and submit appropriate tissue samples for diagnostic laboratory evaluation. Necropsy findings, histopathology, and laboratory test results are interpreted by pathologists to infer cause of death.
Learn more about NWHC necropsy and pathology capabilities.
For additional data and information on wildlife mortality events, visit WHISPers.
Pathology Case of the Month
- August 2024: Black band disease in a Mountainous Star Coral
- July 2024: Sarcocystosis in a Sea Otter
- June 2024: “Square-eared anomaly” in a Little Brown Bat
- May 2024: Acanthocephaliasis in a Western Gull
- April 2024: Canine Distemper in a Raccoon
- March 2024: Mergibacter septicus (Bisgaard Taxon 40) in Wisconsin Gulls
- February 2024: Cutaneous nematodiasis in a Little Brown Bat
- January 2024: Mycobacteriosis in a Cooper’s Hawk
- December 2023: Acute Tissue Loss in an Elkhorn Coral Colony
- November 2023: Glioblastoma multiforme in a Mexican Wolf
- October 2023: Amyloidosis in a Mallard Duck
- September 2023: Snake Fungal Disease in an Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake
- August 2023: Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease in a Boulder Brain Coral Colony
- July 2023: Blastomycosis in a Timber Wolf
- June 2023: Filariasis in a Common Grackle
- May 2023: Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1 in a Fisher
- April 2023: Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in a Bald Eagle
- March 2023: Herpesvirus in a Great-horned Owl
- February 2023: Parvovirus in a Common Raccoon
- January 2023: Esophageal Impaction by Soybeans in Canada Geese
- December 2022: Eustrongylides sp. in a Pacific loon
- November 2022: Intestinal Coccidiosis in a Brazilian Free-tailed Bat
- October 2022: : Calodium hepaticum (syn. Capillaria hepatica) in a Muskrat
- September 2022: Cerebral Trematodiasis in a Bottlenose Dolphin
- August 2022: Anticoagulant Rodenticide Exposure in a Bald Eagle
- July 2022: Winter Mortality of Crows Caused by Orthoreovirus sp. in American Crows
- June 2022: Sphaeridiotrema globulus in a Trumpeter Swan
- May 2022: Wisconsin River Bald Eagle Syndrome
- April 2022: Severe Perkinsea Infection in a Green Frog
- March 2022: Fungal Encephalitis in a European Starling
- February 2022: Riemerella anatipestifer in a Northern Shoveler
- January 2022: West Nile virus infection in an Eastern Gray Squirrel
- December 2021: Histomoniasis in Wild Turkeys
- November 2021: Shark Bite in a Northern Sea Otter
- October 2021: Salmonellosis in Red Crossbills and American Goldfinches
- September 2021: Rhabditida lung worm in a California Newt
- August 2021: Chondroma in a Sandhill Crane
- July 2021: Schistosomiasis in a Raccoon
- June 2021: Dracunculus insignis in a Raccoon
- May 2021: Pox in a Wild Turkey
- April 2021: Avian Tuberculosis in an Exotic Duck
- March 2021: Demodecid mites in a Big Brown Bat
- February 2021: Aspergillosis in Mallard Ducks
- January 2021: Hypertrophic Osteopathy Associated with Canine Heartworm Disease in a Red Wolf
- December 2020: Bordetellosis in an Eastern Gray Squirrel
- November 2020: Sarcocystosis in a Northern Pintail Duck
- October 2020: Tularemia in a Mountain Cottontail
- September 2020: Rabbit hemorrhagic disease in a Desert Cottontail
- August 2020: Trematodiasis in Mallard Ducks
- July 2020: Sarcoptic Mange in a Timber Wolf
- June 2020: Wellfleet Bay Virus Disease in a Common Eider
- May 2020: Lead poisoning in a Canada Goose and two Bald Eagles
- April 2020: Macrorhabdus ornithogaster in a Zebra Finch with thyroid hyperplasia
- March 2020: Ranavirus in Foothill Yellow-legged Frogs
- February 2020: Tyzzer’s Disease in Muskrats
- January 2020: Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in a Gyrfalcon
- December 2019: Electrocution of a Great-Horned Owl and a Eurasian Collared-Dove
- November 2019: Snake fungal disease in a Black Racer snake
- October 2019: White-nose syndrome in Little brown and Northern long-eared bats
- September 2019: Strychnine poisoning in a Mourning Dove
- August 2019: Avian cholera in a Ross’s Goose
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Diagnostic Services
Notable cases at the National Wildlife Health Center are highlighted here in the Pathology Case of the Month Series.
Wildlife pathologists at the National Wildlife Health Center routinely investigate the causes of wildlife mortality events in the United States as part of our diagnostic services. The pathologists examine carcasses to verify species and condition, collect and process photographic and radiographic images, conduct detailed necropsies, collect appropriate samples for histological preparation, and collect and submit appropriate tissue samples for diagnostic laboratory evaluation. Necropsy findings, histopathology, and laboratory test results are interpreted by pathologists to infer cause of death.
Learn more about NWHC necropsy and pathology capabilities.
For additional data and information on wildlife mortality events, visit WHISPers.
Pathology Case of the Month
- August 2024: Black band disease in a Mountainous Star Coral
- July 2024: Sarcocystosis in a Sea Otter
- June 2024: “Square-eared anomaly” in a Little Brown Bat
- May 2024: Acanthocephaliasis in a Western Gull
- April 2024: Canine Distemper in a Raccoon
- March 2024: Mergibacter septicus (Bisgaard Taxon 40) in Wisconsin Gulls
- February 2024: Cutaneous nematodiasis in a Little Brown Bat
- January 2024: Mycobacteriosis in a Cooper’s Hawk
- December 2023: Acute Tissue Loss in an Elkhorn Coral Colony
- November 2023: Glioblastoma multiforme in a Mexican Wolf
- October 2023: Amyloidosis in a Mallard Duck
- September 2023: Snake Fungal Disease in an Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake
- August 2023: Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease in a Boulder Brain Coral Colony
- July 2023: Blastomycosis in a Timber Wolf
- June 2023: Filariasis in a Common Grackle
- May 2023: Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1 in a Fisher
- April 2023: Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in a Bald Eagle
- March 2023: Herpesvirus in a Great-horned Owl
- February 2023: Parvovirus in a Common Raccoon
- January 2023: Esophageal Impaction by Soybeans in Canada Geese
- December 2022: Eustrongylides sp. in a Pacific loon
- November 2022: Intestinal Coccidiosis in a Brazilian Free-tailed Bat
- October 2022: : Calodium hepaticum (syn. Capillaria hepatica) in a Muskrat
- September 2022: Cerebral Trematodiasis in a Bottlenose Dolphin
- August 2022: Anticoagulant Rodenticide Exposure in a Bald Eagle
- July 2022: Winter Mortality of Crows Caused by Orthoreovirus sp. in American Crows
- June 2022: Sphaeridiotrema globulus in a Trumpeter Swan
- May 2022: Wisconsin River Bald Eagle Syndrome
- April 2022: Severe Perkinsea Infection in a Green Frog
- March 2022: Fungal Encephalitis in a European Starling
- February 2022: Riemerella anatipestifer in a Northern Shoveler
- January 2022: West Nile virus infection in an Eastern Gray Squirrel
- December 2021: Histomoniasis in Wild Turkeys
- November 2021: Shark Bite in a Northern Sea Otter
- October 2021: Salmonellosis in Red Crossbills and American Goldfinches
- September 2021: Rhabditida lung worm in a California Newt
- August 2021: Chondroma in a Sandhill Crane
- July 2021: Schistosomiasis in a Raccoon
- June 2021: Dracunculus insignis in a Raccoon
- May 2021: Pox in a Wild Turkey
- April 2021: Avian Tuberculosis in an Exotic Duck
- March 2021: Demodecid mites in a Big Brown Bat
- February 2021: Aspergillosis in Mallard Ducks
- January 2021: Hypertrophic Osteopathy Associated with Canine Heartworm Disease in a Red Wolf
- December 2020: Bordetellosis in an Eastern Gray Squirrel
- November 2020: Sarcocystosis in a Northern Pintail Duck
- October 2020: Tularemia in a Mountain Cottontail
- September 2020: Rabbit hemorrhagic disease in a Desert Cottontail
- August 2020: Trematodiasis in Mallard Ducks
- July 2020: Sarcoptic Mange in a Timber Wolf
- June 2020: Wellfleet Bay Virus Disease in a Common Eider
- May 2020: Lead poisoning in a Canada Goose and two Bald Eagles
- April 2020: Macrorhabdus ornithogaster in a Zebra Finch with thyroid hyperplasia
- March 2020: Ranavirus in Foothill Yellow-legged Frogs
- February 2020: Tyzzer’s Disease in Muskrats
- January 2020: Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in a Gyrfalcon
- December 2019: Electrocution of a Great-Horned Owl and a Eurasian Collared-Dove
- November 2019: Snake fungal disease in a Black Racer snake
- October 2019: White-nose syndrome in Little brown and Northern long-eared bats
- September 2019: Strychnine poisoning in a Mourning Dove
- August 2019: Avian cholera in a Ross’s Goose
Below are other science projects associated with this project.