Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with chest tumor and bone cancer causing breathing trouble
By Di Tommaso, Morena et al.·Published in Acta veterinaria Scandinavica·2015·Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Italy·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Invasive pleural malignant mesothelioma with rib destruction and concurrent osteosarcoma in a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 7-year-old Dachshund was brought to the vet because it had been limping on its left hind leg for 10 days. The vet suspected osteosarcoma (a type of bone cancer) and performed surgery to remove part of the pelvis, confirming the diagnosis afterward. During the exam, a hard mass was found on the dog's chest, which later caused breathing problems. After further tests showed fluid in the chest and damage to a rib, the dog underwent another surgery to remove the mass, affected rib, and part of the lung. Unfortunately, this was diagnosed as an invasive pleural malignant mesothelioma, a serious cancer affecting the lining of the lungs.
People also search for: dog limping · Dachshund osteosarcoma treatment · dog breathing problems chest mass · pleural mesothelioma in dogs
Abstract
A 7-year-old Dachshund was clinically examined because of a 10-day history of lameness in the left hind limb. On the basis of radiological and cytological findings, an osteosarcoma of the left acetabular region was suspected. The dog underwent a hemipelvectomy and osteosarcoma was diagnosed by subsequent histopathological examination. An immovable subcutaneous mass was noted on the left chest wall during the physical examination and non-septic neutrophilic inflammation was diagnosed by cytology. Forty days later, the dog showed signs of respiratory distress with an in-diameter increase of the subcutaneous mass up to 4 cm. Thoracic radiography and ultrasonography revealed pleural effusion and a lytic process in the fourth left rib. Furthermore, ultrasound examination revealed a mixed echogenic mobile structure with a diameter of around 2 cm floating within the pleural fluid of the left hemithorax close to the pericardium. The dog underwent surgery for an en bloc resection of the subcutaneous mass together with the fourth rib and the parietal pleura. Moreover, the left altered lung lobe, corresponding to the mobile structure detected by ultrasound, was removed. Based on cytological, histopathological, and immunohistochemical examinations, an invasive epithelioid pleural malignant mesothelioma was diagnosed.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26625859/