Orbital neurofibrosarcoma in a dog

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Comparative Oncology
• Ophthalmology

Background:

• Retrobulbar masses can cause significant ocular and neurological signs in dogs.
• Fibrosarcoma is a malignant tumor of connective tissue that can occur in various locations.
• Rapidly progressive exophthalmos necessitates prompt diagnostic investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report a case of canine retrobulbar fibrosarcoma with extensive intracranial invasion.
• To highlight the diagnostic challenges and clinical course of such aggressive tumors.
• To discuss the implications for palliative care and prognosis in similar cases.

Main Methods:

• Clinical presentation of a young dog with unilateral exophthalmos.
• Diagnostic imaging including ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (FNA) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
• Histopathological diagnosis of fibrosarcoma and assessment of tumor extent.

Main Results:

• Ultrasound-guided FNA confirmed fibrosarcoma of the retrobulbar mass.
• MRI revealed extensive tumor invasion into the brain, pons, brainstem, orbit, and trigeminal nerve.
• The dog experienced rapid neurological deterioration despite palliative therapy.

Conclusions:

• Canine retrobulbar fibrosarcoma can exhibit aggressive behavior with rapid intracranial spread.
• Advanced imaging is crucial for staging and determining treatment options.
• Palliative care may be elected in cases of extensive tumor invasion and poor prognosis.