Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with belly fluid caused by internal mast cell tumor
By de Souza, M L et al.·Published in Acta cytologica·2001·Departments of Clinics and of Animal Reproduction and Radiology, Brazil·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Peritoneal effusion in a dog secondary to visceral mast cell tumor. A case report.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
An 8-year-old spayed female Siberian husky was brought to the vet with fluid in her abdomen, known as peritoneal effusion, which was caused by a visceral mast cell tumor. This type of tumor can sometimes spread beyond the skin, where it was previously diagnosed seven months earlier. Tests showed that the fluid contained cancerous mast cells, indicating a more aggressive form of the tumor than initially thought. It's important for pet owners to understand that mast cell tumors can behave unpredictably, affecting the dog's prognosis and treatment options.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND: Mast cell tumor, one of the most common skin tumors in dogs, may also be found in visceral sites (mainly spleen and liver). When a visceral mast cell tumor is present, neoplastic mast cells may be found in any effusion secondary to the tumor. Therefore, the diagnosis may be made by cytologic analysis of the effusion. CASE: An 8-year-old, spayed, female Siberian husky presented with a peritoneal effusion secondary to a visceral mast cell tumor. Seven months earlier, the dog had presented with a cutaneous nodule diagnosed as a well-differentiated mast cell tumor. The peritoneal fluid was classified as a transudate. Numerous neoplastic mast cells were found in the effusion. Although the mast cell tumor presented with characteristics of the well-differentiated tumor, its biologic behavior was that of a malignant tumor. CONCLUSION: Care should be taken to evaluate the prognosis of mast cell tumors in dogs since their biologic behavior is extremely variable.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11213512/