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Updated: Jun 22, 2026
Isolation and Culture of Primary Endothelial Cells from Canine Arteries and Veins
Published on: November 18, 2016
Synovial hemangioma in a dog
J Ignacio Arias1, Cristian Torres, Daniel Saez
1Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Instituto de Ciencias Clínicas, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile. joarias@uchile.cl
Objective:
To report arthroscopic diagnosis and treatment of synovial hemangioma in a dog.
Study Design:
Case report.
Animal:
Standard Poodle (8-year-old neutered male).
Methods:
A soft tissue density mass observed radiographically in the left stifle joint of a dog with a 2-month history of recurrent lameness, hemarthrosis, and a slight cranial drawer sign, was located by diagnostic arthroscopy and surgically excised via arthrotomy.
Results:
Histologic evaluation revealed tissue composed of variably sized cavernous vascular spaces filled with erythrocytes that were considered compatible with synovial hemangioma.
Conclusions:
In this dog, synovial hemangioma evident as a soft tissue mass on radiographs was associated with chronic lameness and hemarthrosis, and resolved with surgical excision.
Clinical Relevance:
Synovial hemangioma, although seemingly rare in dogs, should be considered in the differential diagnosis for nontraumatic, recurrent lameness, and unresponsive to anti-inflammatory therapy when there is a circumscribed intracapsular soft tissue mass evident radiographically together with hemarthrosis.
