Large granular leukemia with concurrent central nervous system and articular infiltration in a cat()

A 2-year-old female domestic shorthair cat was referred with a 2 month history of lethargy, weight loss, recurrent hyperthermia and polyarthropathy despite prednisolone. Upon physical examination, the cat showed apathy, hyperthermia, multiple appendicular joint pain and swelling. The CBC showed severe macrocytic normochromic non-regenerative anemia and thrombocytopenia. A population of immature large granular lymphocytes (LGL) was noted on blood smear. Abdominal ultrasonography revealed enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes (LNs), hyper echoic liver and splenomegaly. Cytology of fine needle aspirate of synovial fluid, spleen, liver, enlarged abdominal LNs and bone marrow supported a diagnosis of LGL leukemia with concurrent articular infiltration. A COP-based protocol was initiated with L-asparaginase (400 UI/kg intramuscularly) and prednisolone (1 mg/kg/day orally). However, the cat presented 1 week later with obtundation and paresis, indicating the involvement of the central nervous system (CNS). LGL were also observed on cerebrospinal fluid analysis. Histologic examination noted LGL in the spleen, liver and LNs. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) yielded negative results for both B- and T-cells thus suggesting NK-cells. The diagnosis was LGL leukemia with concurrent articular and CNS involvement. Articular infiltration with LGL is rarely reported in small animals, whereas CNS involvement was previously only suspected in a cat at necropsy.