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Multiple organ metastasis of an aortic body tumor in a boxer
J M Gliatto1, M A Crawford, T G Snider
1Department of Veterinary Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge 70803.
Insights
A Boxer dog developed a heart-base mass, diagnosed as an aortic body tumor (extra-adrenal paraganglioma). This rare canine tumor metastasized widely throughout the body, including vital organs.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Pathology
- Canine Oncology
- Comparative Pathology
Background:
- A 9-year-old male Boxer presented with syncope and cardiac arrhythmias.
- Radiographic findings revealed a significant heart-base mass.
Observation:
- The dog was euthanized due to progressive clinical deterioration.
- Histologic and ultrastructural analyses were performed on the heart-base mass.
Findings:
- The tumor was identified as a chemodectoma, originating from the aortic body (aortic body tumor, extra-adrenal paraganglioma).
- Metastatic disease was confirmed in multiple organs, including lungs, myocardium, spleen, liver, kidneys, and dura mater.
Implications:
- This case highlights the aggressive nature and metastatic potential of aortic body tumors in dogs.
- Understanding the pathology and metastatic patterns of such tumors is crucial for canine oncology and comparative medicine.
- The findings contribute to the knowledge base of rare cardiovascular tumors in animals.
Abstract:
A 9-year-old sexually intact male Boxer with a history of multiple episodes of syncope and various cardiac arrhythmias was determined radiographically to have a large mass in the heart-base region and was subsequently euthanatized upon worsening of clinical signs. Histologic and ultrastructural examination of tissue from the heart-base mass indicated that the tumor was most likely a chemodectoma derived from the aortic body (aortic body tumor, extra-adrenal paraganglioma). Macroscopic and/or microscopic evidence of metastasis of the tumor was seen in the lungs, myocardium, spleen, liver, kidneys, and dura mater over the cerebellum.