Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with rare spinal cord tumor causing paralysis in neck area
By R.O. Chaves et al.·Published in Arquivo Brasileiro de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia·2016·View original on DOAJ →
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Original publication title: Gemistocytic astrocytoma in the spinal cord in a dog: a case report
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 9-year-old mixed-breed dog was brought in for worsening weakness and trouble walking, showing signs of not being able to use all four legs. The veterinarian found that the dog had a rare type of tumor in the spinal cord called a gemistocytic astrocytoma, which was confirmed through imaging and later examination after the dog passed away. Unfortunately, due to the severity of the tumor, the dog did not recover. This case highlights the importance of recognizing neurological symptoms in pets and seeking veterinary care promptly.
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Abstract
ABSTRACT This paper reports a case of a rare variant of the cervical spinal cord astrocytoma diagnosed in a dog with progressive neurological signs, initially asymmetrical, not ambulatory tetraparesis, segmental reflexes and normal muscle tone in all four limbs and absence of pain upon palpation of the cervical spine. Myelography revealed attenuation of the ventral and dorsal contrast line in the third region of the fifth cervical vertebra. At necropsy intramedullary cylindrical mass that stretched from the third to the sixth cervical vertebra, which replaced all the gray matter of the spinal cord was observed. In the histological study, there was the replacement of the substance by neoplastic cells mantle arranged loosely. The cells were large and slightly rounded. The eosinophilic cytoplasm was well defined, sometimes forming processes interconnecting cells. The nucleus was eccentric, round, oval or kidney-shaped, and the nucleolus was evident. Thus, the microscopic changes observed in the cervical spinal cord were consistent with gemistocytic astrocytoma.
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Search related cases →Original publication on DOAJ: https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-4162-8586