HEAD TUMORS IN DOGS

1. CANINE EOSINOPHILIC GRANULOMA

EOSINOPHILIC ULCER - oral eosinophilic granuloma - linear

- dogs can develop, like cats, eosinophilic granuloma
- it can occur in many breeds - it is most often found as a family disease in
Siberian Huskies

- ETIOLOGY = partially unknown, possibly viral as in cat or immunoallergic,

because the lesion responds to corticosteroid therapy
- the lesions are located on the sides of the tongue
- appear as single / multiple plaques, frequently ulcerated, covered by
yellow - brown exudate
- by scraping, numerous eosinophils are highlighted
- the typical lesions - on the sides of the tongue , on its ventral side , on the soft
palate
- it manifests itself as a chronic, ulcerated lesion, located at the muco-cutaneous
junction of the lips
CLINICAL
- well-defined lesion, red-brown, superficially ulcerated, with edges obvious
- the dimensions are variable (from a few mm to a few cm)
- it is located - tongue, upper lip
- occasionally gums, palate, pharynx
- by licking it can spread to the skin, neck, back , abdomen

The diagnosis of certainty - histopathological examination

- microscopically, an inflammatory reaction is evident at the periphery of the
ulcer, rich in neutrophils towards the center of the ulcer and in cellular
elements mononuclear cells (plasmocytes and mast cells) at the periphery
- eosinophils are abundant only in some cases

- the clinical examination must be completed by biopsy or fine needle

aspiration
EOSINOPHILIC PROLIFERATIVE GINGIVITIS OF THE SIBERIAN HUSKY BREED
 EOSINOPHILIC ULCERATIVE STOMATITS (Chronic ulcerative stomatitis)
- it is complicated by eosinophilic granulomas and eosinophilic pharyngeal ulcers
- the breed with the highest frequency = Cavalier King Charles Spainel
CLINICAL SIGNS - swallowing problems
- snoring while breathing - cough during and after meals
- reduced appetite - difficulty in mastication
- lesions are characterized by a granuloma or by a plaque formed in the
oral cavity, usually on the soft palate - can heal
spontaneously
TREATMENT
- cortisone medication - usually a glucocorticoid injection has a long-lasting effect
duration (Depomedrol)
- most lesions resolve with 1-2 injections
- prednisolone - dose of 0.5-1.0 mg/kg every 12 hours for 7 days, then the dose is
halved for another 2-3 weeks
- the therapy is associates with hypoproteic and hypoallergenic diet , internal
deworming and external, antibiotic therapy with Cyclosporine, the cytostatic
Chlorambucil or cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin associated with steroid hormones
- other treatments - doxycycline and alpha interferon
 2.PEMPHIGUS VULGARIS - the particular form of vesicular stomatitis
with evolution acute or chronic, which affects dogs and cats
- oral lesions precede skin lesions
- biopsy diagnosis - is based on the presence of vesicles produced by
acantholysis and - is confirmed by immunofluorescence tests that highlight
autoantibodies (IgG) and complement in the intercellular spaces of the
epithelium
3.PYOGENIC GRANULOMA - reddish excrescence - bluish localized gingival
- the morphological substrate = highly vascularized granulation tissue, a whose
appearance it is associated with local irritations or dental extractions

4. GINGIVAL VASCULAR HAMARTOMA = congenital anomaly

- it consists in the exaggerated growth of the mature periodontal tissue
- it is a benign lesion, located especially on the adjacent mandibular gum
incisors
- has the appearance of a pink-reddish, lobulated excrescence, several centimeters
in diameter, often pedicled
 5. SALIVARY GLAND CYST - SUBLINGUAL RANULA
- sublingual, mandibular and very rarely parotid location
- they are characterized by dilation of the excretory ducts of the
sublingual gland and of the Warthon channel
- they have the appearance of a fluctuating , painless formation that protrudes
in the parotid, laryngeal and submandibular regions

- Etiology
- they are ,,born,, by obliteration of secretion excretion channels, like o
the consequence of inflammatory processes, wounds, contusions, stomatitis,
salivary stones, causing retention of saliva
- the secretion that collects compresses the glandular acini and expands the
walls, organizing in a cyst with a secretory membrane
 6. SUBLINGUAL RANULA
- results from an inflammatory process of the gallbladder that leads to obstruction
excretory canal, to the formation of a retention cyst in the form of a dilations and
which can cause atrophy of the gland
- it develops on the gland, descends in the region suprahyoid, crosses the
genioglossus and geniohyoid muscles and develops in the side upper part of
the neck near the larynx, a subcutaneous cyst with the tendency to descend in the
submandibular region
SYMPTOMS
- in the case of the sublingual cyst, it is observed during the examination of
the oral cavity on the floor of the oral cavity, between the frail of the tongue
and the molar arch, the presence of a mobile, ovoid, grain-sized formation
pea up to the size of a hen's egg
- when it increases in volume, prehension, mastication and swallowing
disorders appear

7. PAROTID GLAND CYST IN DOGS

- can be the size of a chicken egg or larger, which it goes down to Viborg’s
trunk
- it is slightly adherent to the surrounding tissues
Diagnosis - clinical signs, on the size of the cyst , the place where it is located
- the differential diagnosis is made against:
- cysts of the thyroid gland
- abscesses - have purulent content + symptoms specific to inflammation
(pain, tumor, rubor and calor)
PROGNOSIS
- favorable in the sublingual gland cyst
- reserved in the submandibular one

TREATMENT
- and in the sublingual gland cyst - total surgical ablation (cystectomy)
- can be done - under local anesthesia - infiltrations with Procaine,
Xylin
- under general anesthesia

- in the submaxillary cyst - by total anesthesia

I . benign tumors:
- epithelial covering – papillomas
- glandular epithelium – polyps
- adenomas - simple, cystic, polymorphous
- mesenchymal - fibroma, hemangioma, chondroma, osteoma

II . malignant tumors:
- covering epithelium - squamous cell carcinoma, mucodermoid,
undifferentiated
- secretory epithelial - malpighian, papillary, adenocystic adenocarcinomas

- mesenchymal: fibrosarcoma, angiosarcoma, osteosarcoma,

chondrosarcoma, mastocytoma, reticulosarcoma, malignant melanoma,
nervous (neurinoma, neuroblastoma, meningioma)
PAPILLOMATOSIS
= group of neoplastic diseases expressed by benign epithelial
proliferation at the level of the oral mucosa
- recognizes a generally viral etiology in young dogs - juvenile
form
- the form of senile papillomatosis with skin damage having
physical determinism, respectively prolonged exposure to UV
radiation in old dogs.

a. JUVENILE PAPILOMATOSÍA ( VIRAL )

- benign, pedicled, conopidiform epithelial tumor produced by
PaPoVa- viruses
- is diagnosed in bulls, horses, dogs and rabbits
- in dogs the lips, tongue, palate, pharynx and epiglottis are affected
- papillomas - initially unique, later multiple
- initially pedicled, later sessile and conopidiform
- can have the following locations:
- on mucous membranes: gingival, labial and lingual mucosa in youth
- cutaneous in elderly animals and certain breeds: poodle, boxer, Great Dane.

papilloma single ( localized ) – stage I – pedicled

- stage II – sessile
!!! papillomatosis (generalized) – stage I – with isolated papillomas
- stage II – with papillomas confluent
SOLITARY AND PEDICLED JUVENILE GINGIVAL PAPILLOMA
JUVENILE LABIAL PAPILLOMATOSIS
TREATMENT OF JUVENILE PAPILLOMAS
- differentiated according to the clinical form:
- papilloma unique (localized) –– is excised through cautery or practiced _
excision surgery wide 3-5 cm diameter incision , in slice of watermelon

- treatment after – antibiotic , immunomodulators

- papillomatosis (generalized) – it is excised with the scalpel or the

thermocautery young pedicled papillomas (rich in virus) under anesthesia
generous / local
- it 's practice autoimmunization through following technique : the tumors are
powdered in a mortar sterile, mix with 10 ml physiologically serum, it is
centrifuged , it is sampled supernatant in which add 1 ml of gentamicin 10%
and administer 2 ml / day subcutaneous, 5 days
b. SENILE PAPILOMATOSIS

- affects animals over 7 years old

- can have epithelial localization on the head, cervical, thoracic , mammary
gland (abdominal inguinal) or umbilical with extension to the pouches
testicular

- and ultraviolet rays are involved in

 OCULAR TUMORS
a. ORBIT TUMORS
- primary tumors - Osteosarcoma
- Fibrosarcoma
- Adenoma
- Adenocarcinoma
- secondary tumors - Lipoma
- Squamous cell carcinoma
- Nasal adenocarcinoma

- primary tumors can appear - in the bony walls of the orbit

- in its soft tissues
- they metastasize with difficulty, but are often locally invasive
- secondary tumors form in the orbit
- either by metastasis
- or by local extension from the nasal cavity, cranial cavity, oral cavity or skin
 - they appear in adult dogs, the average age being 8 years
- without sex or breed predilection
- they are less common in cats, but they remain a main cause of orbital problems
- average age of appearance in felines = 9 years
- Both in dogs, as in cats, over 90% of orbital tumors = malignant
- primary tumors predominate in dogs, and secondary tumors in cats.

DIAGNOSIS
- the main clinical sign = exophthalmia
- other associated signs: chemosis (edema of the conjunctiva)
- epiphora
- wide palpebral fissure
- keratitis (inflammation of the cornea)
- secondary orbital tumors starting from the nasal passages can be associated
with nasal signs - sneezing
- epistaxis
- nasal discharge
- facial deformities
 - most orbital tumors progress slowly and painlessly, but they can also be associated
with pain due to local compression or inflammation
= the presence or absence of pain does not provide a diagnostic clue

- a detailed ophthalmic examination is needed

- infiltrations that include the cranial nerves ( II ; III; IV; VI; and the ophthalmic
branch of nerve V) can lead to blindness
- diminution of pupillary reflexes
- abnormal position and mobility of the eyeball
- ultrasonography - a first step in the diagnosis of orbital tumors
- the extent cannot be precisely specified
- depth
- the edges of the tumor
- ultrasonographically guided fine needle aspiration under general
anesthesia allows cytological diagnosis
- radiography - helpful when the tumor invades the bone
- should include the orbit, nasal and paranasal sinuses, and maxilla
- MRI, CT
b.TUMORS OF THE APPENDICES OF THE EYEBALL

- Boxers, Collies, Cocker Spaniels, Springer Spaniels - dog breeds with a

predilection for eyelid neoplasia
- Beagle, Siberian Husky and English Setter
- elderly dogs, females, possibly German Shepherds and large dogs in
general are predisposed to melanomas of the conjunctiva

- sebaceous gland adenomas and adenocarcinomas, papillomas and

melanomas represent the majority of eye neoplasms in dogs, and a substantial
part of these tumors are histologically benign but malignant in clinical evolution

- Adenocarcinomas of the third eyelid gland

- well differentiated , with mitotic appearance irregular and infiltrative
growth a - can mimic the prolapse of the nictitating membrane (cherry eye)
c. MESENCHIMAL MALIGNANT TUMORS OF THE EYEBALL APPENDICES
- histiocytomas affect the eyelids of middle-aged dogs
- benign adenomas, melanomas tend to affect older dogs.
- hemangioma and hemangiosarcoma - benign or malignant vascular tumors
appear as masses in the vascular spaces, in the bulbar conjunctiva.

- melanic thumors (melanocytoma-benign form, melanoma-malignant form)

- ocular melanomas - location at the marginal limit of the eyelid,
conjunctiva, in the anterior uvea, at the level of the ciliary processes
- tumor lesions can be accompanied by glaucoma and/or uveitis
- malignant melanoma - the most common type of tumor on the mucous
membranes of the head in dogs
- the incidence - seems to be higher in males, over the age of 5
- especially in breeds with pigmented oral mucosa and colored hair
- thus the more frequently affected breeds - terriers, cockers and shepherds. - after
extirpation, the neoplasm recurs, and lung metastases are frequent and appear very
early compared to other types of cancer
d. EYELID TUMORS
- often in dogs and very rarely in cats
- usually affect dogs over 9 years old, with the exception of viral papilloma
- most = benign
- the most common : - sebaceous gland adenoma (60%)
- benign melanoma (17%) - squamous papilloma (11%)
- they can also be malignant: malignant melanoma, histiocytoma, lymphoma, basal cell
tumor
- most invade locally, with the exception of malignant melanoma, which can metastasize
- in cats, most are malignant
Clinical signs
- the sebaceous gland adenoma arises from the Meibomius glands
- it appears as a formation on the edges of the eyelids, which can be confused with a
papilloma
- a differential diagnosis is made because inflammation of the Meibomius gland
under the palpebral conjunctiva can be observed on the inside of the eyelid
- associated with ocular discomfort due to corneal irritation that can lead to keratitis or
corneal ulcers
e. INTRAOCULAR TUMORS
- can be primary and secondary
- the most common types of primary tumors
- uveal melanoma
- iridociliary epithelial tumor
- other primary tumors less common in carnivores
- sarcoma (only in cats)
- medulloepithelioma - glioma
- hemangioma of the ciliary body
- the most common secondary tumor = lymphoma
Uveal melanoma = the most common primary tumor
- arises from the anterior uveal tract (iris and ciliary body)
- usually in adult animals
- more often found in Labrador Retrievers and Persians
- in dogs anterior uveal melanomas = usually benign, 5% can metastases
- benign melanomas can also cause local infiltrations
- anterior uveal melanomas in cats = very aggressive, with local infiltrations and
UVEAL MELANOMA WITH EXOPHTHALMOS AND SECONDARY GLAUCOMA (BOXER WITH HYPERPIGMENTED SKIN )
uveitis neoplastic
Palpebral mastocytoma