Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
What is your diagnosis? Shoulder mass in a dog with lameness.
- Journal:
- Veterinary clinical pathology
- Year:
- 2009
- Authors:
- Boes, Katie et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology · United States
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A male Golden Retriever, whose exact age is unknown, was brought to the vet because he was losing weight and having increasing trouble using his left front leg. During the exam, the vet found a solid mass on his left shoulder, and imaging tests showed some bone damage and other masses in his abdomen. Tests on samples taken from the masses indicated a type of cancer called neuroendocrine neoplasia, which can spread to other parts of the body. Sadly, the dog was euthanized, and further examination confirmed that he had a pheochromocytoma, a rare tumor that had spread to multiple areas, including the bones.
Abstract
An adult castrated male Golden Retriever of unknown age was presented with a history of weight loss and progressive left thoracic limb lameness. On physical examination, a solid mass was palpated on the left scapula that had areas of lysis on radiographs and an area of cortical bone loss on ultrasound. Hepatomegaly, abdominal distension, and numerous intra-abdominal soft tissue masses were also found. Fine-needle aspirates of the scapula and several abdominal masses contained numerous free nuclei mixed with fewer individualized, intact cells that were round in shape and rarely formed small sheets. The cells had high nuclear to cytoplasmic ratios, central nuclei, coarsely stippled chromatin, 1-2 prominent nucleoli, and basophilic cytoplasm with indistinct cell borders. The cytopathologic interpretation was neuroendocrine neoplasia, either metastatic or multicentric. The dog was subsequently euthanized and based on gross and histologic findings at necropsy, a diagnosis of pheochromocytoma with multiple metastases was made. The neoplastic cells stained positive with Grimelius stain and were immunoreactive for synaptophysin and chromogranin A. Pheochromocytomas are rare tumors in dogs and uncommonly undergo distant metastasis, especially to bone.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19490568/