Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with multiple myeloma and two types of abnormal antibodies
By Ramaiah, Shashi K et al.·Published in Veterinary clinical pathology·2002·Department of Physiological Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Biclonal gammopathy associated with immunoglobulin A in a dog with multiple myeloma.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 10-year-old neutered male Airedale Terrier was brought in because he wasn't eating, was losing weight, and was limping. The vet diagnosed him with multiple myeloma, a type of cancer affecting the bone marrow, after finding abnormal cells in his blood and bone. He was treated with two different chemotherapy regimens, which helped reduce some symptoms temporarily, but he eventually showed signs of illness again. Sadly, after about six months, his condition worsened, and he was euthanized. A post-mortem examination confirmed the diagnosis and revealed additional complications.
People also search for: dog weight loss and limping · Airedale Terrier cancer treatment · multiple myeloma in dogs
Abstract
A 10-year-old neutered male Airedale Terrier was evaluated for inappetance, weight loss, and lameness. Multiple myeloma was diagnosed based on bone marrow plasmacytosis, multiple lytic bone lesions, and hyperglobulinemia with a clonal gammopathy on serum protein electrophoresis. Splenic plasmacytosis, and retinal lesions consistent with hyperviscosity syndrome also were found. Temporary responses to 2 different chemotherapy protocols (melphalan and prednisone, and cyclophosphamide and prednisone) were seen, with remission of clinical signs and a decrease in the biclonal gammopathy but no resolution of the splenic mass. Eventual return of clinical signs led to euthanasia at 175 days postdiagnosis. Necropsy examination confirmed multiple myeloma involving bone marrow and spleen, and glomerulonephritis. An immunoglobulin-A (IgA) gammopathy was demonstrated by immunoelectrophoresis; biclonality was ascertained by immunofixation electrophoresis. The clonal components consisted of intact Ig with heavy chain of the alpha class and light chain of an undetermined class. To our knowledge, this is the first report of undimerized biclonal gammopathy in a dog caused by a single heavy chain class involving IgA.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12040490/