Surgical and radiotherapy treatment of a spinal cord ependymoma in a dog

A 4-year-old Beagle dog was presented for investigation of a left pelvic limb gait abnormality. Neurolocalisation indicated a lumbar (L2 to L5) spinal cord lesion. On magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), an intramedullary mass was demonstrated at L3. The mass was partially removed under general anaesthesia and a diagnosis of ependymoma was made on histological examination. The dog was treated with postoperative orthovoltage x-ray radiation (total dose; 44 Gy given in 11 fractions over a 4 week period) combined with low dose carboplatin (25 mg/m2). The dog was alive 16 months after surgery without further neurological deficits. No further tumour growth was detected on subsequent MRI evaluations.