Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with left forelimb lameness had lung tumor mimicking nerve tumor
By Ferreira, A J A et al.·Published in The Journal of small animal practice·2005·Centro de Investigaç·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Small-cell carcinoma of the lung resembling a brachial plexus tumour.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 6-year-old female German Shepherd was brought in for chronic lameness in her left front leg, along with signs of Horner's syndrome (drooping eyelid and constricted pupil) and sensory loss in her left leg. X-rays showed a mass in her chest, which was confirmed to be a lung tumor using MRI. Unfortunately, the tumor was found to be a small-cell carcinoma, and the dog did not survive. This case highlights how lung tumors can cause symptoms that mimic other conditions.
People also search for: dog lameness left leg · German Shepherd Horner's syndrome · lung tumor in dogs · small-cell carcinoma in dogs
Abstract
A small-cell carcinoma of the lung was identified in a six-year-old female German shepherd dog with a history of chronic lameness of the left forelimb, Horner's syndrome and sensory deficits on the caudal portion of the left forelimb below the elbow. A mass, the exact location of which was difficult to ascertain, was identified during radiographic examination of the thorax. It was easily identified, using magnetic resonance imaging, as an apical tumour of the left lung with dorsal extension and involvement of paraspinal structures, such as spinal nerve roots C8 to T1 and the sympathetic trunk. Postmortem examination confirmed a mass in the left apical lobe of the lung, compatible with a diagnosis of small-cell carcinoma by histopathology and immunohistochemistry. This clinical presentation is similar to Pancoast syndrome described in humans.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15971899/