Outcomes of prostate artery embolization in dogs with prostate cancer

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Risk of recurrent lower urinary tract infection and bacterial prostatitis (BP) after prostate artery embolization in dogs diagnosed with concurrent BP and prostatic carcinoma (PC) is unknown. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: To report short- and long-term outcomes of dogs with PC and BP undergoing prostatic artery embolization (PAE). ANIMALS: Six clients owned dogs with a concurrent diagnoses of BP and PC that subsequently underwent PAE and had a minimum follow-up of 4 months after PAE. METHODS: Medical records of 6 dogs diagnosed with PC and BP and treated with PAE were retrospectively reviewed. Physical exams, clinicopathologic and imaging results, procedural details, and short- and long-term outcome data were evaluated. RESULTS: Prostatic carcinoma was diagnosed via imaging findings (6/6), cadet-B-Raf protein (BRAF) testing (3/6), ultrasound-guided aspirates (2/6), and cystoscopic biopsy (1/6). BP was diagnosed based on clinical signs (6/6), imaging (6/6), urinalysis and positive urine culture (6/6), and concurrent positive prostatic wash cultures (2/6). All dogs received antibiotics based on urine culture and sensitivity testing (UCS) for a median of 7 weeks (range 2-13) before PAE. Two dogs had positive UCS at the time of PAE. One dog developed a prostatic abscess and 2/6 had positive UCS after PAE. Median survival was 13 months (4.5-17), and no dog died from infection. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Urinary tract infection, BP, or a combination of both occurred in a minority of dogs undergoing PAE in this cohort and were not life-limiting complications. In dogs, concurrent BP and PC should not prevent treatment with PAE.