Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Chihuahua with brain tumor lived nearly a year after surgery
By Hidari, Kyosuke et al.·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association·2025·From Neuro Vets Animal Neurology Clinic, Japan·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 We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above.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: Long-Term Survival of Primary Intracranial Histiocytic Sarcoma Through Surgical Resection and Low-Dose CCNU.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 5-year-old chihuahua was brought to the vet because he was less active and having focal seizures. After imaging tests, the vet suspected a brain tumor, which was confirmed as histiocytic sarcoma after surgery. The dog received a low-dose chemotherapy treatment called CCNU after the surgery, and for nearly a year, there were no signs of the tumor coming back. Unfortunately, the dog passed away 359 days after the surgery, but the treatment helped prolong his life and manage the condition effectively during that time.
People also search for: chihuahua seizures treatment · dog brain tumor surgery · CCNU for dog cancer · low-dose chemotherapy for dogs · dog histiocytic sarcoma survival rate
Abstract
A 5 yr old chihuahua presented to our clinic with a complaint of decreased activity and focal seizures. Based on the findings of MRI and computed tomography, a primary brain tumor originating from the right frontal lobe region was suspected. Surgical resection was performed, and a diagnosis of histiocytic sarcoma was made via histopathological examination and immunohistochemical staining. Low-dose 1-(2-chloroethyl)-3-cyclohexyl-1-nitrosourea (CCNU) (45 mg/m2 every 4-5 wk) was started postoperatively, and no apparent recurrence was found on two MRI scans until the patient's death on day 359. We hypothesized that long-term survival might be achieved in dogs with solitary histiocytic sarcoma of the central nervous system with no metastatic lesions at diagnosis by combining local treatment with CCNU. We also suggested that CCNU may effectively suppress the recurrence of histiocytic sarcoma, even at low doses.
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/39761568/