Dog with skull base tumor causing cough and breathing trouble

Abstract

A 7 yr old female spayed Chihuahua-terrier mix was presented for a progressive dry, hacking cough over 9 mo, with dyspnea aggravated by eating and drinking. Computed tomography of the skull revealed a large mineral attenuating mass associated with the left skull base, without intracranial involvement. A modified ventral paramedian hypophysectomy approach along the medial aspect of the left ramus was used to approach the base of the skull. Ninety percent of the mass was debulked via high-speed pneumatic burr. Histopathology was consistent with hyperostosis originating from a primary extracranial meningioma (ECM), with the tissue staining positive for vimentin and negative for cytokeratin. The patient was symptom free for 9 mo before clinical signs returned because of tumor recurrence and was euthanized 11 mo postoperation because of diminished quality of life. ECM is uncommonly reported in the dog, and to the authors' knowledge has not previously been reported with hyperostosis or located along the skull base at the level of the tympanic bulla. Additionally, although hyperostosis predominantly occurs as diffuse bone thickening adjacent to a meningioma, proliferative focal hyperostosis is uncommon. Given the findings in this patient, ECM should be considered as a differential diagnosis for osseous skull base masses.