Classification and behavior of canine mammary epithelial neoplasms based on life-span observations in beagles.

As part of a study of the effects of low-level radiation, 1,343 Beagles, including 671 males and 672 females, were evaluated over their full lifetime for the occurrence of mammary neoplasia; there were 139 control males and 138 control females and 532 irradiated males and 534 irradiated females. All nodules found in surgical specimens or at necropsy were evaluated histologically. The overall incidence, metastasis and recurrence rates, and contribution to mortality of mammary neoplasms were determined. Based on this unique opportunity to correlate morphologic characteristics with ultimate biological behavior of all mammary tumors in a defined canine population, we propose a histogenetically based reclassification of epithelial mammary tumors. Of the 672 female dogs, 70.8% (476) had at least one mammary neoplasm; 60.7% (408) had more than one. Two male dogs had mammary neoplasms. Of 1,639 mammary carcinomas in the 672 females, 18.7% (307) were classified as ductular carcinomas (arising from the small interlobular or intralobular ductules), whereas 80.7% (1,322) were classified as adenocarcinomas of other histogenetic origin. Of 73 fatal carcinomas, ductular carcinomas accounted for 48 fatalities (65.8%), whereas other adenocarcinomas accounted for only 20 fatalities (27.4%). Radiation had no effect on this ratio. Ductular carcinomas also had a higher rate of metastasis than did adenocarcinomas. Existing classifications of mammary carcinomas do not recognize the characteristic morphologic features, the degree of malignancy, and the prognostic importance of these ductular carcinomas. Metastasis rates did not differ between simple and complex carcinomas or between those lesions and adenocarcinomas in mixed tumors. True carcinosarcomas metastasized more frequently (100%, or 5/5) than did adenocarcinomas in mixed tumors (34.4%, or 22/64), emphasizing the importance of not lumping these tumors under the classification of malignant mixed tumors.     

Mammary cancer in the dog: a study of 120 cases.

Of the 120 cases of mammary cancer occurring in 117 female dogs (15 spayed), 2 male dogs, and 1 dog of undetermined sex, 107 (nearly 90%) were observed in dogs 8 to 15 years old. Mammary tumors occurred in nearly 14% of 875 female dogs with neoplasms. Nearly 60% of 128 neoplasms were located in the 4th and 5th mammary glands. Of the 128 cancers in these 120 dogs, 85 were classified as duct carcinoma, 38 as lobular carcinoma, 3 as malignant mixed tumor, and 2 as duct and lobular carcinomas. Most duct carcinomas originated in the epithelial cells of ducts at all levels, and a few arose in previously benign duct papillomas. The lobular carcinomas arose in alveoli and developed into progressively larger lobules. A negative factor in the development of mammary cancer is ovariectomy before or shortly after the first estrous cycle in the dog and before the age of 40 in women. In both dog and man, aging is a positive factor in the development of mammary cancer. In women, other positive factors are nulliparity and inheritance; e.g., a high rate of breast cancer in close female relatives of Jewish extraction. An epidemiologic study of breast cancer in man and dog in high-risk countries(e.g., United States) and low-risk countries (e.g., Japan) is indicated.     

Routine hematology and clinical chemistry in female dogs with benign and malignant mammary tumors

Routine hematological and serum biochemical screening was done in 61 female dogs with benign mammary tumors and 51 female dogs with malignant mammary tumors. Most parameters were not significantly different from age-matched female controls; moreover, no significant difference could be observed between animals with benign and malignant tumors. It is concluded that routine hematology and biochemistry offer little diagnostic or prognostic benefit in female dogs with mammary tumors.     

An epidemiologic study of canine multiple primary neoplasma involving the female and male reproductive systems

The significance of canine multiple primary neoplasms involving the reproductive system and one or more additional anatomic sites was evaluated using data from the Alameda and Contra Costa County Animal Tumor Registry. Among the registry's data base of 35 015 histologically confirmed tumors, both sequential and simultaneous occurrences of histologically distinct benign and malignant tumors were identified. Retrospective analysis demostrated that there was a decreasing risk gradient for multiple tumors of the reproductive systems. The intact female had the highest risk followed in order by the spayed female and all male dogs. The incidence-based analyses also indicated a strong predilection for development of multiple tumors within both the female and the male reproductive systems. A four- to five-fold increase in observed numbers of mammary tumors and other histologically distinct reproductive tumors was found. Benign and malignant mammary tumors were strongly associated in their occurrence, and dogs with benign mammary neoplasms had a three-fold increased risk for subsequent development of histologically different malignant mammary tumors. These quantitative results were consistent with observations in man for malignancies and provide additional evidence that multiple primary malignant and benign neoplasms of the female and male reproductive systems are biologically associated.     

Histologic, immunohistochemical, and clinical features of 27 mammary tumors in 18 male dogs

Twenty-seven mammary tumors from 18 male (3 intact, 15 neutered) dogs were collected. The average age at diagnosis was 9.2 years (range, 2-14 years). Seven of the dogs were Cocker Spaniels. Five dogs had multiple mammary tumors. All tumors were benign. Twenty-six were simple adenomas with mixed acinar and papillary patterns. The acinar pattern was predominant in 17 cases. One adenoma was complex with a prominent myoepithelial component. The myoepithelial component of 25 of the 25 tumors was immunohistochemically positive for calponin and p63. In the cases for which relevant clinical information was available, there was no reported history of obesity, testicular tumors, or sex hormone therapy. Surgery was the only reported treatment for these tumors. Only 1 dog was reported to have developed an additional mammary tumor. None of the dogs for which case outcome was known died or was euthanatized as a result of mammary tumor. Although uncommon, mammary tumors do occur in male dogs. Although mammary tumors may be quite cellular, the presence of an intact myoepithelium, which can be demonstrated with immunohistochemistry for calponin and p63, indicates benignancy, as the clinical behavior documents.     

Correlation between the histopathological diagnosis by AgNOR count and AgNOR area in canine mammary tumors

Background: Mammary tumors are the most common type of tumor in female dogs. The histopathological diagnosis is usually made by a hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining of the tumor, which then requires a pathologist's judgment for assessment of malignancy. The purpose of this study was to investigate an alternative silver staining of some argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions (AgNOR) for improving the diagnostic accuracy with mammary tumors.
Hypothesis: There is a correlation between the histopathological diagnosis by AgNOR count and AgNOR area in canine mammary tumors.
Animals: Seventy-three canine mammary tumors from 33 female dogs.
Materials and Methods: The AgNOR staining was evaluated retrospectively in 73 canine mammary tumors with a parallel HE staining as a "Gold Standard." Both a quantitative manual counting method and a qualitative computerized morphometric method were tested.
Result: The result from both methods indicated a clinically relevant difference in the mean values of the AgNOR in the following 4 categories: malignant, benign, hyperplastic, and normal mammary tissue. The counting method was superior, with 89% of the cases given a correct diagnosis of a malignant or a nonmalignant canine mammary tumor. The 2 methods were then compared to test their ability to classify the tumors correctly. Again, the counting method was the most reliable method, with a sensitivity of 80% and a specificity of 76% when the upper 50% of the AgNOR counts were presumed malignant.
Conclusion and Clinical Importance: The results indicated that an AgNOR test could be an aid to pathologists as a prognostic indicator or to assist them in deciding between a benign or a malignant diagnosis in questionable cases.     

Expression of class II beta-tubulin by proliferative myoepithelial cells in canine mammary mixed tumors

Benign mammary mixed tumors in dogs resemble human salivary pleomorphic adenomas with regard to their histogenesis, including the occurrence of cartilaginous or bony metaplasia as well as the expression pattern of cytoskeletal proteins in proliferative myoepithelial cells. Recently, a monoclonal antibody specific for class II beta-tubulin has been developed. The epitope it recognizes was determined to be the heptapeptide Glu-Glu-Glu-Glu-Gly-Glu-Asp, which is the common sequence found among the canine, rat, mouse, and human class II beta-tubulin-specific regions. We carried out immunohistochemical studies on mammary mixed tumors obtained from three female dogs using this the monoclonal antibody. The antibody to class II beta-tubulin reacted intensely with proliferative myoepithelial cells in canine mammary mixed tumors, whereas staining was barely detectable in normal myoepithelial cells surrounding alveoli and alveolar ducts within the tumor and adjacent normal tissue. Proliferative myoepithelial cells also expressed vimentin, but alpha-smooth muscle actin (alphaSMA) staining was barely detectable. Immunoblot analysis showed that class II beta-tubulin and vimentin were expressed in myoepithelial cell lines prepared from the three mammary mixed tumors. On the other hand, only one cell line, which was negative for alphaSMA, produced cartilage-specific type II collagen. These results suggest that class II beta-tubulin could be a new molecular marker of proliferating myoepithelial cells in canine mammary mixed tumors and that differential expression of cytoskeletal components is associated with cartilaginous metaplasia of proliferative myoepithelial cells in mixed mammary tumors.     

Comparison of the histological changes in the dog after treatment with the progestins medroxyprogesterone acetate and proligestone

Abstract

Administration of progestins in the dog may result in overproduction of growth hormone, suppression of the hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenocortical axis, and insulin resistance. In this paper we present a comparison of the histological findings in control dogs and dogs treated with either medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) or proligestone (PROL).

Depot preparations of MPA or PROL were administered (SC) at 3‐week intervals in two groups of seven ovariohysterectomized beagle dogs, after which three dogs of each group were killed. After a 6‐month period without hormone treatment during which recovery was studied, the remaining dogs received five additional injections at the same interval and were subsequently killed. Tissue samples of four intact female beagle dogs served as controls.

Progestin treatment resulted in atrophy of the adrenal cortex. In both MPA‐ and PROL‐treated dogs, the thickness of the combined zona fasciculata and reticularis was significantly smaller than in control animals. In the mammary glands of progestin‐treated dogs there were well developed alveoli and normal ducts adjacent to foci of hyperplastic ductular epithelium. Five dogs in each treatment group had developed benign mammary tumours which varied from simple tubular and papillary adenomas to benign complex and mixed tumours, whereas no mammary tumours were observed in the control animals. In each treatment group, steroid‐induced hepatopathy was observed in the liver of three dogs. Vacuolation of the cells of the islets of Langerhans and the epithelium of the intercalated ducts was present in two dogs of each treatment group and was only observed after the second series of progestin administrations. Incidental findings included chronic pyelonephritis, aspecific dermatitis, and mucinous dysplasia of the gall bladder. No abnormalities were found in sections of spleen, lung, brain, or pituitary gland.

There were no significant differences in the frequencies of the various abnormalities between MPA‐ and PROL‐treated dogs. Our findings correspond with the clinical and biochemical results after treatment of dogs with MPA and PROL. The high incidence of mammary tumours might be associated with our recent finding that in the dog progestins induce ectopic production of growth hormone in the mammary gland. The dog might be a good model for further studies on hormonally induced breast cancers.     

GH-producing mammary tumors in two dogs with acromegaly

Two intact female dogs were admitted for growing mammary tumors. They had symptoms of acromegaly including weight gain, enlargement of the head, excessive skin folds, and inspiratory stridor. Serum concentrations of growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), and insulin were elevated in the two cases. From these findings, both dogs were diagnosed with acromegaly. In case 1, the GH, IGF-I, and insulin levels subsided after removal of the focal benign mammary tumors and ovariohysterectomy. In case 2, those levels subsided after removal of only focal mammary carcinoma. In both cases, immunohistochemical investigations for GH were positive in the mammary tumor cells but not in the normal mammary glands. We concluded that GH-producing mammary tumors caused the present acromegaly.     

犬常见肿瘤流行病学调查及组织病理学诊断

为探讨犬常见肿瘤的发病规律，试验收集哈尔滨地区2016-2017年宠物医院部分犬肿瘤病例71例，采用组织病理学方法对犬肿瘤进行病理学诊断，并对患病动物的品种、性别、年龄、发生部位和饮食情况与肿瘤发生关系进行统计分析。结果显示，71例确诊肿瘤病例中，恶性肿瘤28例，包括鳞状上皮细胞癌3例，基底细胞癌5例，乳腺癌14例，淋巴瘤2例，肾母细胞瘤、精原细胞癌、生殖细胞癌、侵袭性血管黏液瘤各1例；良性肿瘤43例，包括良性乳腺肿瘤15例，纤维瘤10例，平滑肌瘤5例，乳头状瘤和精原细胞瘤各3例，造釉细胞瘤、耵聍腺瘤、脂肪瘤、结节样增生、性索间质细胞瘤、颗粒细胞瘤、肛周腺瘤各1例。上述病例中，乳腺和皮肤是犬肿瘤的高发部位，分别占全部患犬的40.8%和34.0%；患病犬年龄1~16岁不等，平均发病年龄为9.1岁，7岁以后是肿瘤的高发期，中老年犬仍为主要发病群体，但低龄犬发病数量上升；各品种犬均可发生肿瘤，其中杂种犬发病率最高，其次是贵宾犬和京巴犬，且主要为乳腺肿瘤；饮食习惯主要以剩饭剩菜类和肉拌饭类为主，分别占患犬总数的39%和30%；部分肿瘤类型与犬的性别、是否绝育有关，如乳腺肿瘤多发生于未绝育的老年母犬。本研究结果为犬肿瘤的流行病学及诊断提供了参考依据，对犬肿瘤的预防和诊断有一定的借鉴意义。     

Serum alkaline phosphatase isoenzyme activities in canine malignant mammary neoplasms with and without osseous transformation

BACKGROUND: Increased serum activity of total alkaline phosphatase (TALP) has been found in dogs with mammary neoplasms, especially malignant mixed tumors. We hypothesized that the bone isoenzyme of alkaline phosphatase (BALP), a specific indicator of osteoblastic activity and bone formation, may contribute to increased TALP in dogs with mammary neoplasms with osseous transformation. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare serum TALP, BALP, and other ALP isoenzyme activities in dogs with mammary malignant neoplasms with and without osseous transformation. METHODS: Twenty-one female dogs with malignant mammary neoplasms were compared with 21 clinically healthy, age-matched female control dogs. Physical, clinicopathologic (including preprandial and postprandial serum bile acids, ACTH stimulation, and low-dose dexamethasone suppression tests), radiographic, and ultrasonographic examinations were performed on all dogs with tumors to assess coexisting conditions. On the basis of histologic examination of excised tumors, dogs were further classified as having epithelial (n = 11) or mesenchymal/mixed (epithelial-mesenchymal) (n = 10) neoplasms, the latter of which had histologic and radiologic evidence of bone formation. Serum TALP, BALP, liver alkaline phosphatase (LALP), and corticosteroid-induced alkaline phosphatase (CALP) activities were measured using biochemical methods. RESULTS: Dogs with malignant mammary tumors had significantly higher (P < .05) median serum TALP (170 U/L), BALP (59 U/L), LALP (49 U/L), and CALP (24 U/L) activities, compared with control dogs (81, 32, 37, and 5 U/L, respectively). Significantly higher activities of BALP and LALP were found in dogs with epithelial neoplasms; whereas, only CALP activity was higher in dogs with mesenchymal/mixed neoplasms. There was no significant difference in TALP or isoenzyme activitities between epithelial and mesenchymal/mixed groups. CONCLUSION: BALP activity is increased in some dogs with malignant mammary tumors but does not account for the increase in TALP in dogs with neoplasms that have osseous transformation.     

24例20种犬肿瘤的病理组织学观察

对犬的皮脂腺瘤、肛周腺腺瘤、肛周腺癌、毛基质瘤、间叶性软骨肉瘤、腺样型基底细胞上皮瘤、囊样型基底细胞上皮瘤、水母样型基底细胞上皮瘤、混合型基底细胞上皮瘤、基底鳞状细胞上皮瘤、甲状腺腺瘤、肥大细胞瘤、组织细胞瘤、乳腺良性混合瘤(软骨腺瘤)、乳腺良性混合瘤(肌上皮腺瘤)、恶性肌上皮细胞瘤、乳腺恶性混合瘤(癌肉瘤)、汗腺囊性增生、汗腺腺瘤、汗腺癌等20种24例肿瘤(良性肿瘤14种,恶性肿瘤6种)作了详细的病理组织学描述。     

Spontaneous Renal Tumors Suspected of Being Familial in Sprague-Dawley Rats

Spontaneous renal tubule tumors (RTTs), with a distinctive morphological phenotype, were present in three Sprague-Dawley rats, 1 male and 2 females, out a total of 120 animals of each sex from untreated and placebo control groups in a 2-year carcinogenicity study. One female had one carcinoma, adenoma and hyperplasia, and the other female had five adenomas and many hyperplastic lesions; the male case had one carcinoma. From these cases, a biological continuum of hyperplasia, adenoma and carcinoma could be recognized. The tumors were present in the renal cortex and appeared as solid lobulated growths with occasional central necrosis. The lobules were divided by a small amount of fibrovascular tissue. Occasionally the larger tumors contained a cystic area. Tumor cells appeared distinctive and exhibited variable amounts of eosinophilic/amphophilic and vacuolated cytoplasm. Nuclei were round to oval with a prominent nucleolus. Mitotic figures were uncommon, and no distant metastasis was noted. The tumors were seen as multiple and bilateral lesions in two animals and had no apparent relationship to chronic progressive nephropathy (CPN). Foci of tubule hyperplasia were also noted to contain the same type of cellular morphology. The morphological and biological features of these 3 cases resembled the amphophilic-vacuolar (AV) variant of RTT that has been posited to be of familial origin. This is a report of spontaneous familial renal tumors in Sprague-Dawley rats from Japan.     

Canine mammary gland tumors

An understanding of the known biologic facts of this disease and methodical evaluation of the individual patient are necessary prerequisites for outlining rational courses of therapy for dogs afflicted with mammary tumors. Because of the common occurrence of multiple tumors arising at various stages of development simultaneously and the heterogeneity of histology of the complex (mixed tissue types) tumors, presurgical biopsy is recommended only in cases in which mast cell tumor or anaplastic carcinoma is suspected. Although investigative work is being performed regarding the efficacy of chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and immunotherapy, surgery still remains the mainstay in treatment of this condition. No one surgical procedure fits the needs of all patients, although it seems logical to remove as much breast tissue as is reasonable in each circumstance owing to the multicentric nature of the disease. Ovariohysterectomy has not been demonstrated to be of value in treatment of dogs with mammary tumors, but it is a markedly effective method of preventing mammary tumors if it is performed before puberty; it is moderately effective if performed before the dog is 21/2 years of age.     

Immunohistochemical characterization of canine hyperplastic hepatic lesions and hepatocellular and biliary neoplasms with monoclonal antibody hepatocyte paraffin 1 and a monoclonal antibody to cytokeratin 7.

Immunostaining with monoclonal antibody (MoAb) hepatocyte paraffin 1 (Hep Par 1) and an MoAb to cytokeratin 7 (CK7) was performed on 105 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded canine hyperplastic and neoplastic hepatic lesions. Hep Par 1 was detected in 12/12 hyperplastic nodules, 17/17 hepatocellular adenomas, and 37/40 hepatocellular carcinomas. The staining was disseminated, granular, and cytoplasmic. This antibody did not react with normal or neoplastic biliary epithelium. Other hepatic tumors or tumors metastatic to the liver did not bind Hep Par 1 except one metastatic intestinal carcinoma. MoAb to CK 7 stained all hyperplastic biliary epithelium and benign cholangiocellular tumors (5/5) and 14/18 cholangiocellular carcinomas. One hepatocellular carcinoma had cells positive for both Hep Par 1 and CK 7. Liver was the only normal tissue tested that reacted with MoAb Hep Par 1. Only five nonhepatic tumors (one adrenocortical carcinoma, one interstitial cell tumor of the testis, one melanoma, and two salivary adenocarcinomas) of 277 tumors tested had focal/multifocal staining for Hep Par 1. Prolonged fixation did not alter the staining with Hep Par 1. We conclude that Hep Par 1 is a specific and sensitive marker for canine hepatocellular tumors and allows distinction between hepatocellular and biliary neoplasms.     

Evaluation of serum haptoglobin and C‐reactive protein in dogs with mammary tumors

Background: In veterinary medicine, there is increasing interest in measuring acute phase proteins as a tool in the diagnosis and monitoring of neoplastic diseases. Although mammary neoplasms are the most common type of cancer in dogs, acute phase proteins have not been extensively evaluated in dogs with mammary tumors. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate serum haptoglobin (Hp) and C‐reactive protein (CRP) concentrations in the dogs with mammary tumors and assess their potential association with malignancy. Methods: A retrospective study of dogs with mammary tumors was performed. Serum concentrations of CRP and Hp were determined in healthy control dogs (n=20) and dogs with mammary tumors before surgery (n=41). Mammary tumors were grouped as carcinomas (n=24), fibrosarcoma (n=1), malignant mixed tumors (n=7), benign mixed tumors (n=6), and adenomas (n=3). CRP and Hp concentrations were compared in dogs with different tumor types and were also compared based on tumor size, lymph node infiltration, skin ulceration, fixation to underlying tissue, and time between tumor identification and removal. Results: Hp concentration was significantly (P<.043) higher in dogs with mammary tumors (median 2.03 g/L, range 0.09–2.94 g/L) compared with controls (1.38 g/L, range 0.08–3.00 g/L), but the range of values overlapped considerably. CRP concentration was higher in dogs with carcinomas (4.70 mg/L, range 0.63–128.96 mg/L) vs controls (2.11 mg/L, range 0.25–6.57 mg/L) (P=.0008) and in dogs with ulcerated skin (14.8 mg/L, range 5.7–128.9 mg/L, n=3) compared with those without ulceration (2.4 mg/L, range 0.11–30.3 mg/L, n=38) (P=.048). Conclusions: Serum Hp and CRP do not appear to have value in diagnosing or predicting malignancy of mammary tumors in dogs. Higher CRP concentrations in dogs with mammary carcinoma suggest a role for inflammation in this tumor type.     

CONTRAST-ENHANCED ULTRASONOGRAPHY FOR CHARACTERIZATION OF CANINE FOCAL LIVER LESIONS

In six normal beagles and 27 dogs with spontaneous focal or multifocal liver lesions, contrast-enhanced ultrasonography using Sonazoid^® was performed. Sonazoid^® is a newly developed second-generation contrast agent with the ability to be used for real-time contrast imaging along with parenchymal imaging. An appropriate protocol for the evaluation of all three phases (arterial, portal, and parenchymal) was established based on the results for normal beagles. By evaluation of the echogenicity of hepatic nodules during the arterial and parenchymal phases it was possible to differentiate malignant tumors from benign nodules with very high accuracy. In 15 of 16 dogs diagnosed as malignant tumors, nodules were clearly hypoechoic to the surrounding normal liver during the parenchymal phase. Additionally, malignant tumors had different echogenicity compared with the surrounding normal liver during the arterial phase in 14 of 15 dogs. In the portal phase, there were no characteristic findings. Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography with Sonazoid^® appears to improve the characterization of canine focal and multifocal hepatic lesions.     

The Prognostic Significance of Angiogenesis in Canine Mammary Tumors

The purpose of the study was to determine if neovascularization, a measure of angiogenesis, is correlated with metastasis of mammary tumors in dogs. Forty-six paraffin-embedded tissue blocks of benign and malignant canine mammary tumors obtained from 42 clinical cases at the Iowa State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital were retrieved from the archives of the Department of Veterinary Pathology. Of the dogs with malignant tumors, cases with and without lymph node metastasis were chosen. Neovascularization was quantified by light microscopy on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections of canine mammary tumors using an avidin biotin immunoperoxidase assay for factor VIII-related antigen. Mean microvessel counts for each group were statistically evaluated using analysis of variance. The mean number of microvessels was highest in the malignant tumors of dogs with lymph node metastasis (44). This number was significantly different from the mean number of microvessels in the benign tumors (28; P = .03) and a trend occurred toward higher microvessel counts in malignant tumors with lymph node metastasis versus malignant tumors of dogs without metastasis (32; P = .1). No significant difference was found between the number of microvessels found in malignant tumors without metastasis versus benign tumors. The trend toward higher microvessel counts in mammary tumors that have metastasized supports the premise that angiogenesis may be an independent and significant prognostic indicator in dogs with malignant mammary tumors, as it is in women with breast cancer.     

Pathologic Factors Affecting Postsplenectomy Survival in Dogs

The apparently high prevalence of splenomegaly in dogs, along with the surgical accessibility of the spleen, results in a relatively large number of splenectomies in dogs in clinical veterinary practice. Splenic nodular lesions are widely considered to be indicative of hemangiosarcoma and thus a disease that is ultimately fatal. This study correlates the results of complete pathologic evaluation and classification of 500 spleens obtained by splenectomy with survival information for each dog. Among the spleens examined, 257 of 500 (51.4%) were classified nonneoplastic and 241 (48.2%) were neoplastic; 2 (0.4%) were unclassified. Miscellaneous non-nodular splenomegaly accounted for 46 of 257 (18%) of the nonneoplastic lesions; nodular splenomegaly accounted for 206 of 257 (79%) of nonneoplastic splenic lesions and was composed of lymphoid hyperplastic nodules and associated hematomas, hyperplastic lymphoid nodules alone, or hematomas with no apparent underlying cause. Nodular neoplastic diseases of the spleen were divided among benign tumors (11.5%) and a variety of primary sarcomas. Hemangiosarcoma made up 51% of splenic malignancies but accounted for less than 25% of the spleens evaluated. Survival of dogs with hematomas associated with nonneoplastic conditions of the spleen was markedly different from that in dogs with hemangiosarcoma-associated hematomas, even though most could not be effectively differentiated on gross inspection. Two month postoperative survival was 83% for dogs with nonneoplastic-related hematomas, whereas only 31% of dogs with hemangiosarcoma, with or without associated hematomas, were alive after 2 months. Twelve-month survival times were 64% and 7%, respectively. An overall postsplenectomy survival rate of 52% was based on the number of dogs surviving for a minimum of 6 months postoperatively.     

Mammary duct ectasia in dogs: 51 cases (1992-1999)

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical and pathologic characteristics of mammary duct ectasia in dogs. DESIGN: Retrospective study. ANIMALS: 51 dogs with mammary duct ectasia. PROCEDURE: Information regarding body condition, history, number and location of affected mammary glands, appearance of lesions, surgical treatment, nonsurgical treatment, and evidence of recurrence or development of mammary neoplasia was obtained from surveys sent to referring veterinarians. Results of information from examination of histologic sections and referring veterinarians were evaluated for all mammary duct ectasia biopsies performed between 1992 and 1999. RESULTS: Duct ectasia was the primary diagnosis in 51 of 1,825 (2.8%) mammary biopsy specimens and comprised 48% of nonneoplastic mammary diseases. Affected dogs were evenly distributed over a range of 1 to 13 years of age, with a mean age at the time of diagnosis of 6.1 +/- 3.1 years. All dogs were female (31 sexually intact, 20 spayed); 10 of 26 had whelped. Duct ectasia was described as nodular (26 dogs), cystic (13), and multiglandular (11) and located in caudal (31) more often than cranial (14) or middle glands (10). Ectasia recurred in 3 dogs. One dog had a history of previously excised mammary adenocarcinoma; another subsequently developed mammary carcinoma. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Duct ectasia affected mature, sexually intact and spayed female dogs over a wide age range. Certain breeds were affected more commonly than expected. Increased risk for mammary neoplasia was not evident. Duct ectasia should be considered as a cause for mammary enlargement, especially in young dogs or when its cystic nature is evident. Mastectomy is usually curative, and neoplasia should be ruled out in dogs with ectasia.