Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Surgery outcomes for spinal nerve tumors in 18 dogs
By Deacon, Jonathan et al.·Published in Frontiers in veterinary science·2025·Moorview Referrals, United Kingdom·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 We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above.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: Canine spinal peripheral nerve sheath tumours in 18 dogs (2014-2023): surgical management and long-term outcomes.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Eighteen dogs with spinal peripheral nerve sheath tumors (PNST) were treated surgically after showing symptoms like chronic pain, limping, and weakness. The surgeries aimed to remove the tumors, and the results showed that dogs with complete tumor removal (R0 margins) had significantly longer survival times compared to those with incomplete removal (R1 margins). On average, dogs with complete removal lived about 841 days after surgery, while those with incomplete removal had a much shorter average of 346 days. Overall, the study suggests that surgery can greatly improve comfort and survival for dogs with these tumors.
People also search for: dog spinal tumor symptoms · dog limping and weakness · PNST surgery outcomes · dog pain management after surgery · dog tumor removal recovery time
Abstract
Spinal peripheral nerve sheath tumours (PNST) commonly manifest as chronic pain, lameness, and paresis in dogs, and these conditions typically prove resistant to medical management. These tumours present significant surgical challenges due to their anatomical location and the complexity of achieving complete margins whilst minimising post-operative morbidity and complications. This single-centre retrospective study evaluated surgical outcomes in 18 dogs with histologically confirmed PNST treated between 2014 and 2023, examining the effectiveness of both amputation and compartmental resection approaches. An analysis revealed an overall median survival time (MST) of 326 days (range: 28-1,374 days), with three patients remaining alive at study conclusion. Notably, patients achieving R0 proximal margins demonstrated significantly better outcomes with longer overall survival times (range: 311-1,374 days, mean 841 days, median 850 days) compared to those with R1 margins (range: 28-1,357 days, mean 346 days, median 217 days). These findings demonstrate that surgical interventions, particularly when achieving non-infiltrated proximal margins, can provide meaningful improvements in both patient comfort and survival time for dogs affected by PNST.
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/41104282/