Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cryotherapy treatment for benign skin tumors in awake dogs
By Angileri, Martina et al.·Published in Veterinary Dermatology·2019·San Marco Veterinary Clinic and Laboratory Via Dell'Industria 3 35030 Veggiano Italy, Italy·View original on Crossref →
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 We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above.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: Cryotherapy to treat benign skin tumours in conscious dogs
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 25 dogs with benign skin tumors, like sebaceous neoplasia and follicular cysts, underwent cryotherapy using a liquid nitrogen spray while they were awake. Most dogs needed just one or two sessions, and about 57% of the tumors completely resolved, while others shrank significantly. However, some dogs experienced pain during the treatment, and in one case, a tumor actually got worse, leading to a diagnosis of a more serious condition. Overall, cryotherapy was found to be a safe and effective option for treating these benign skin issues in dogs.
People also search for: dog skin tumor treatment · cryotherapy for dogs · benign skin lesions in dogs · dog skin cysts removal · dog skin problems treatment
Abstract
BackgroundCryotherapy can be used to treat benign skin lesions without general anaesthesia. This technique has only been described in anaesthetized dogs.ObjectiveTo describe the feasibility, safety and efficacy of cryotherapy to treat benign skin tumours in conscious dogs.AnimalsTwenty‐five client‐owned dogs with 52 skin tumours diagnosed as benign sebaceous neoplasia (46) or follicular cysts (six).Methods and materialsCryotherapy was performed in conscious dogs using a liquid nitrogen spray technique with a handheld spray‐release system. If needed, cryotherapy was repeated every three to four weeks until complete cure was achieved or for a maximum of eight treatments. Effectiveness and adverse effects were recorded.ResultsResolution was obtained for 29 of 52 lesions (57%) with a median number of one to two cryotherapy sessions. Eighteen of 52 (35%) lesions shrank to <0.1 cm. In one case, the tumour enlarged after cryotherapy, and histopathological examination of the excisional biopsy revealed an apocrine gland carcinoma. Pain and discomfort during the treatment were the most common adverse effects (33%).Conclusions and clinical importanceIn the present study, cryotherapy was possible in conscious dogs and proved to be effective to cure or reduce the size of benign sebaceous tumours and follicular cysts. The procedure is safe but the degree of pain during the treatment needs to be further investigated. Worsening of the lesion after cryotherapy suggests the need for surgical removal and histopathological examination.
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 Crossref: https://doi.org/10.1111/vde.12804