Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with pituitary granular cell tumor causing blindness and seizures
By Barnhart, K F et al.·Published in Veterinary pathology·2001·Department of Pathobiology, United States·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 We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above.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: Symptomatic granular cell tumor involving the pituitary gland in a dog: a case report and review of the literature.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 12-year-old Labrador Retriever was brought in with symptoms including sudden blindness, seizures, weakness, and changes in behavior. After a thorough examination and tests, the vet found a granular cell tumor affecting the dog's pituitary gland and surrounding areas. Unfortunately, the dog did not survive, as the tumor was discovered during a necropsy. Granular cell tumors like this are rare in dogs, and this case highlights the serious impact they can have on a pet's health.
People also search for: dog seizures and blindness · Labrador Retriever pituitary tumor · dog behavioral changes and weakness
Abstract
A granular cell tumor involving the pituitary gland, optic chiasm and ventral pyriform lobes was discovered in a 12-year-old Labrador Retriever. Clinical signs included acute blindness, seizures, ataxia, weakness, and behavioral changes. The diagnosis was established by histopathologic and ultrastructural examination of neoplastic tissues collected at necropsy. Granular cell tumors involving the central nervous system are well documented in humans but rarely have been described in dogs. The location of the neoplasm and the clinical symptoms seen in this dog closely parallel those of a rare syndrome in humans commonly described as symptomatic parasellar or pituitary granular cell tumors. The cell of origin for these tumors is still highly debated, and attempts to characterize human granular cell tumors through immunohistochemistry have produced conflicting results. An immunohistochemical profile of this neoplasm revealed focal positive staining for vimentin with a lack of staining for neuron-specific enolase, glial fibrillary acidic protein, S-100, and synaptophysin. All neoplastic cells were strongly positive with the periodic acid-Schiff reaction.
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/11355666/