Hypertrophic feline muscular dystrophy: diagnostic overview and a novel immunohistochemical diagnostic method using formalin-fixed tissue

This paper describes a case of hypertrophic feline muscular dystrophy (HFMD) in the UK. The cat under investigation died unexpectedly following routine vaccination, and postmortem investigation revealed myopathy, particularly affecting the diaphragm as well as multiple skeletal muscles. The right lung lobes were also partially collapsed and this was considered secondary to the effect of the muscular dystrophy. Pathological and immunohistochemical findings are described, macroscopic and microscopic findings are compared with other recorded cases in the literature and a diagnostic overview of HFMD is given. Possible causes of death are also discussed and a novel immunohistochemical method of demonstrating dystrophin deficiency using formalin-fixed tissue is described.