Niemann-Pick Disease in a Poodle Dog

A 5-month-old minature Poodle dog had widespread cytoplasmic vacuolation of neurons in the central nervous system and foamy macrophages in the lung, spleen, renal lymph node, liver, adrenal gland and intestine. Concentric membranous cytoplasmic inclusions were seen in the neurons of the central nervous system by electron microscopy. There was no sphingomyelinase in the brain tissue. Sphingomyelin and cholesterol were increased in brain, kidney and liver. A diagnosis of Niemann-Pick Disease was based on absence of sphingomyelinase activity, as well as on histologic, histochemical and chemical findings.