Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How vets diagnose bone cancer (osteosarcoma) in dogs using cell
By Reinhardt, S et al.·Published in The Journal of small animal practice·2005·Small Animal Clinic, Germany·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Assessment of cytological criteria for diagnosing osteosarcoma in dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 7-year-old Golden Retriever was diagnosed with osteosarcoma (a type of bone cancer) after showing signs of pain and swelling in the leg. A veterinarian examined samples from the dog's bone tissue and found specific characteristics that indicated cancer, such as abnormal cell structures and high levels of cell division. The diagnosis was confirmed through these cytological tests, which showed that the cancerous cells had distinct features compared to healthy cells. Early detection through these criteria can help in managing the disease effectively, leading to better treatment options for affected dogs.
People also search for: dog osteosarcoma symptoms · Golden Retriever leg swelling · dog bone cancer treatment
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the specific cytological criteria of osteosarcomas in dogs. METHODS: Significant cytological characteristics of osteosarcoma and benign mesenchymal bone proliferations were determined from imprint smears of 25 dogs with osteosarcoma (group 1) and 20 dogs admitted for removal of surgical bone implants after uncomplicated healing of bone fractures (group 2). RESULTS: Mild to moderate cellular necrosis occurred frequently in patients with osteosarcoma. The cytoplasm of osteoblasts was pale blue to blue with a more pronounced basophilia in group 2. In 48 per cent of the patients in group 1, but none in group 2, osteoblasts showed a slight to moderate eosinophilic cytoplasmic granulation. In both groups, osteoblasts contained one red to pale blue nucleus with one or two grey-red to blue nucleoli in group 2. Forty-four per cent of animals in group 1 had osteoblasts with more than two nucleoli per nucleus. The median nuclear:cytoplasmic ratio was higher in group 1 (1:2.0) than in group 2 (1:3.5). Osteoblasts in group I were frequently seen to have a clumped chromatin pattern and showed significantly more criteria of malignancy (median six criteria per patient) than those in group 2 (median two criteria per patient). In group 1, mitoses of osteoblasts were detectable in 23 of 25 dogs, whereas only one dog in group 2 had evidence of mitotic osteoblasts. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Cytological criteria can be helpful in the diagnosis of canine osteosarcoma.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15736811/