Veterinary teratology has developed originally with the object of protecting livestock and companion animals from congenital anomalies. Studies of animals with congenital anomalies, however, are now expected to contribute to medical knowledge of the analogous human disorders. The present review schemes out an outline of the more important congenital anomalies of domestic animals. Fetal damages caused by viral teratogens are emphasized, because enormous losses result from several viral infections such as Akabane disease (arthrogryposis and hydranencephaly syndrome) of cattle and sheep in Japan and Australia. Congenital metabolic diseases, such as mannosidosis of Angus cattle in Australia and New Zealand, are also described with emphasis, because they might be useful models of human diseases. As genetic, structural, functional and ecological features in domestic animals are quite different from those of men and rodent laboratory animals, some characteristics of veterinary teratology are suggested. It seems that studies on congenital anomalies in domestic animals represent a significant support for researches in human teratology.
