Canine mammary anaplastic carcinoma with concurrent aorto-iliac thrombosis in a dog: a case report

Abstract

An 11-year-old, 6.75 kg, spayed female Maltese dog was referred for evaluation of a recurrent mammary gland tumour (MGT) after recent lumpectomies. We performed a regional mastectomy, and the mammary gland tumour was diagnosed as a mammary anaplastic carcinoma. On the 11th postoperative day, the dog presented with a one-day history of lethargy and left hind limb weakness. Increased D-dimer level and two-dimensional and Doppler ultrasonography revealed a unilateral aorto-iliac thrombus. Although prompt thrombolytic drug administration by intravenous infusion was recommended, the owner did not consent to further examination and treatment due to the side effects, and the patient died 24 h after it was diagnosed with arterial thrombosis (AT). This is the first report of a canine mammary anaplastic carcinoma with concurrent arterial thrombosis in a dog. These results suggest that cancer malignancy-induced hypercoagulability should be considered in the differential diagnosis of arterial thrombosis.