Retrobulbar tumors in dogs and cats: 25 cases

Twenty-five cases of retrobulbar tumors are presented and discussed. Affected animals were dogs and cats (average 10.7 years). No breed or sex predisposition was noted. The most common clinical signs were exophthalmos (84%), conjunctival hyperemia (40%), protrusion of the nictitating membrane (28%), exposure keratitis (20%) and fundus abnormalities (20%). Diagnostic tools included fine needle aspiration, radiography, ultrasonography, computed tomography and histology. Surgical treatment by orbitotomy or exenteration was combined with chemotherapy and radiotherapy in some cases. The prognosis was poor with low survival times: 1 month in cats, and 10 months in dogs, with a high rate of euthanasia (35%) at the time of diagnosis.