“TERATOCARCINOMATOSIS” IN AN EMU (DROMAIUS NOVAEHOLLANDIAE)

An adult female emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae) with no previous abnormal clinical signs was found dead in its stall. A postmortem examination revealed carcinomatosis of unknown origin. Histopathology identified the masses as teratomas with malignant transformation by the presence of poorly differentiated tissue and dissemination throughout the coelomic cavity. We propose a new term, “teratocarcinomatosis,” for this finding. This is the first case of a reproductive tumor described in an emu and the first case of such marked spread of malignant teratomas in a bird.