524 Brief Communications and Case Reports Vet Pathol 41:5, 2004

Vet Pathol 41:524–526 (2004)

Oligodendroglioma in the Cervical Spinal Cord of a Dog

T. MAMOM, A. MEYER-LINDENBERG, M. HEWICKER-TRAUTWEIN, AND W. BAUMGÄRTNER

Abstract. A 7-year-old male castrated Yorkshire Terrier dog developed slowly progressive neurologic dis-
turbances consisting of difficulties in moving the neck, lack of proprioception, and tetraparesis 4 months prior
its death. Neurologic examination, computer tomography, and myelography resulted in the tentative diagnosis
of intramedullary cervicothoracic spinal cord lesion. At necropsy, an intramedullary cervical spinal cord mass
between C5 and C6 was noticed. Histologically, cells of this well-demarcated, nonencapsulated neoplasm were
arranged in sheaths or cords separated by a fine fibrovascular stroma. The polygonal to round tumor cells were
characterized by moderate pale, basophilic, and vacuolar cytoplasm and round to slightly oval, centrally located
nuclei with fine-stippled heterochromatin, a single nucleolus, and a very low mitotic activity. Tumor cells lacked
glial fibrillary acidic protein, vimentin, factor VIII–related, and cytokeratin antigen expression. Histologic and
immunohistochemical findings led to the diagnosis of a cervical spinal cord oligodendroglioma.

Key words: Dogs; immunohistochemistry; oligodendroglioma; spinal cord; tumor.

Intramedullary spinal cord tumors originating from neuro-
ectodermal cells have been described only rarely.1,2,4,5,9 Spinal
cord tumors in dogs have been classified according to their
location into three categories: extradural, intradural-extramed-
ullary, and intramedullary tumors.1,3,6 Most canine spinal cord
tumors are found extradurally, whereas primary intradural tu-
mors are less common.1,3,9 In a recent study of 33 spinal cord
tumors in dogs it was reported that five cases (15%) were clas-
sified as intramedullary tumors, such as two nephroblastomas,
a glioma, an astrocytoma, and a metastasis of a carcinoma.1,2
Intramedullary neuroectodermal tumors include astrocytomas,
ependymomas, and oligodendroglioma.4,5 Clinical signs are
mostly due to the space-occupying effect of the tumor.4
This report describes the histologic, immunohistochemi-
cal, and clinical findings of a spinal cord mass of a 7-year-
old male castrated Yorkshire Terrier. The animal had a 4-
month history of increasing inability to move the neck. The
dog’s condition deteriorated despite supportive treatment,
and the animal showed circling and paresis of the forelimbs.
The dog was submitted for a diagnostic work-up to the Clin-
ic for Small Animals, School of Veterinary Medicine in Han-
over, Germany. Neurologically, the animal displayed mildly

Fig. 1. Cervical spinal cord, canine oligodendroglioma. Well-demarcated intramedullary tumor (T) and compression
atrophy of the adjacent cervical spinal cord tissue between C5 and C6. Fig. 2. Spinal cord, canine oligodendroglioma.
Tumor cell proliferation and glomerular-like vascular proliferation at the periphery and reactive astrocytic response and
necrosis. N ⫽ necrosis, A ⫽ reactive astrocytic response (gemistocytes), T ⫽ tumor cells, arrow heads ⫽ characteristic
glomerular-like tufts. HE staining. Bar ⫽ 110 ␮m.

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Vet Pathol 41:5, 2004 Brief Communications and Case Reports 525

Fig. 3. Spinal cord, canine oligodendroglioma. Characteristic ‘‘honeycomb’’ cell pattern of an oligodendroglioma. HE
stain, Bar ⫽ 30 ␮m. Fig. 4. Spinal cord, canine oligodendroglioma. Area of gemistocytic astroglial differentiation and
necrosis. A ⫽ reactive astrocytic response (gemistocytes), N ⫽ necrotic area. HE stain. Bar ⫽ 30 ␮m. Fig. 5. Spinal cord,
canine oligodendroglioma. Lack of GFAP immunoreactivity of tumor cells. Note few GFAP-positive cells within the tumor
interpreted as reactive astrocytes (arrows). GFAP-specific polyclonal antibody, ABC method, slightly counterstained with
hematoxylin. Bar ⫽ 30 ␮m. Fig. 6. Spinal cord, canine oligodendroglioma. Factor VIII–related antigen expression of
glomerular-like tufts (arrows). Note lack of immunoreactivity of tumor cells. T ⫽ tumor cells. Factor VII–related antigen
specific antibody, ABC method, slightly counterstained with hematoxylin. Bar ⫽ 30 ␮m.

to moderately reduced posture reactions, neurologic deficits
of both forelimbs and hindlimbs, and hyperesthesia between
C1 and C7. Computer tomography revealed dilatation of the
lateral ventricles. The disks and bones of the spinal column
were without significant changes. The cerebrospinal fluid
was clear, and the total leukocyte and red blood cell numbers
were without significant changes. Myelography showed a
blockage before C5. Because of rapid progression of the
clinical signs and the poor prognosis, the animal was eu-
thanatized and submitted for necropsy.
Gross pathology revealed mild dilatation of the lateral
ventricles and a mild swelling of the cervical spinal cord

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526 Brief Communications and Case Reports
between C3 and C6. No significant macroscopic findings
were observed in other organs. Tissue samples were fixed in
10% buffered formalin, routinely processed, and embedded
in paraffin. Four-micron-thick paraffin sections of various
organs including the spinal cord were cut and stained with
hematoxylin and eosin and selected slides for luxol fast blue
to detect myelin sheaths. For immunohistochemistry anti-
bodies specific for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP: 1 :
800), vimentin (1 : 15), cytokeratin (1 : 100), factor VIII–re-
lated antigen (1 : 200), and the avidin–biotin–peroxidase
complex method with 3,3-diaminobenzidine-tetra-hydro-
chloride-dihydrate were used.1
After formalin fixation a round to oval, 0.3- to 0.8-cm-
diameter, intramedullary mass, which compressed the central
canal was noticed on cross sections of the cervical spinal
cord between C5 and C6 (Fig. 1). This well-circumscribed
mass was surrounded by compressed spinal cord tissue and
exhibited focal areas of hemorrhages.
Histologically, this cell-rich, well-demarcated, nonencap-
sulated tumor occupied about two thirds of the spinal cord
and compressed the central canal. The tumor consisted of a
homogeneous cell population arranged in sheaths or cords
with a fine vascular stroma, areas of multifocal necrosis,
hemorrhages, and glomerular-like tufts (Fig. 2). The round
tumor cells were characterized by a moderate amount of a
pale basophilic cytoplasm, a round to slightly oval nucleus
with fine-stippled heterochromatin, and an inconspicuous
single nucleolus (Fig. 3). No mitotic figures were observed.
Gitter cells and multifocal dystrophic calcifications were fre-
quently observed within areas of necrosis and hemorrhages.
Randomly distributed gemistocytes within the tumor and at
the periphery of the areas of necrosis were found frequently
(Fig. 4). Microcystic areas with accumulation of a pale ba-
sophilic mucinous-like material were seen within the neo-
plasm. At the periphery of the tumor, narrow bands of com-
pressed gray and white matter were observed. Spinal cord
segments cranial from the neoplasm displayed mild periven-
tricular malacia, congestion, multifocal hemorrhages, and
distortion of the ventral median fissure. No significant his-
tologic findings were detected in the remaining spinal cord,
brain parenchyma, and other organs.
Tumor cells were negative for GFAP, vimentin, cytoker-
atin, and factor VIII–related antigen. GFAP- and factor VIII–
related antigen immunoreactions were found in reactive as-
trocytes, including gemistocytes and endothelial cells of the
glomerular-like tufts, respectively (Figs. 5, 6). The few
GFAP-positive cells within the tumor mass with the mor-
phology of gemistocytes were interpreted as secondary as-
trocytic responses due to tumor-induced tissue damage.
Based on the histologic and immunohistochemical findings
the neoplasm was diagnosed as an oligodendroglioma.
Common sites of canine oligodendrogliomas in dogs are
the white and gray matter of the cerebral hemispheres and
rarely brain stem and spinal cord.4 This neuroectodermal tu-
mor has been frequently reported in brachycephalic breeds
such as Boxers, Bulldogs, and Boston Terriers.4,7 According
to our literature search, a spinal cord oligodendroglioma has
been reported so far only in a 5-year-old Dachshund dog. In
the latter, histology revealed a mucinous variant of this type
of tumor in the spinal cord.8 Oligodendrogliomas, usually
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Vet Pathol 41:5, 2004
well demarcated, commonly extended into ventricular spaces
and occur in dogs older than 5 years and are more often
found in males than in females.4,7 Similarly, in this case a
subependymal origin of the tumor can be assumed, and the
tumor also extended into or obliterated the spinal canal.
A benign and malignant (anaplastic) oligodendroglioma can
be distinguished in domestic animals according to the new
World Health Organization classification of tumors of the ner-
vous system.5 In this case, tumor cells were well differentiated,
and the tumor was classified as a benign oligodendroglioma.
Dystrophic calcifications, hemorrhages, and necrosis have
been reported for most canine oligodendrogliomas.4 Micro-
vascular proliferation is an other characteristic feature of this
tumor. Similarly, prominent neovascularization has been de-
scribed for high-grade astrocytomas.5,7 Renin and platelet-de-
rived growth factor produced by neoplastic astrocytes and
vascular endothelium have been implicated as mediators that
might trigger vasculogenesis.7 Multifocal microcystic areas
and accumulation of mucinous-like material as observed in
this case are also frequent findings in oligodendrogliomas.4,7,8
To summarize, neurologic disturbances and severe ataxia
correlated well with the anatomic location of this rare spinal
cord oligodendroglioma.
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank Mrs. B. Behrens, P. Grünig, and
K. Rohn for excellent technical and photographic support.
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Request reprints from Prof. Wolfgang Baumgärtner, Institut
für Pathologie, School of Veterinary Medicine Hannover,
Bünteweg 17, D-30559 Hannover (Germany). E-mail:
wolfgang.baumgaertner@tiho-hannover.de.