Tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma in a male Lhasa Apso

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and more specifically tonsillar SCC are generally regarded as locally invasive with various rates of metastasis. A 13-year-old male Lhasa Apso was referred to the clinic with an unusual mass on his left tonsil and abnormal lumps under the tongue. The dog's food and water intake, breathing and heart rates, body temperature, capillary refill time, and blood tests were normal. A biopsy of abnormal tissue and immunohistochemical analysis were performed. Histopathological and immunohistochemical evaluations confirmed the basaloid SCC. Some treatments like surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy are used to treat a specific tumor or area of the body. However, in this particular case, chemotherapy was not administered. Considering that dogs with tonsillar cancer generally have a poor to guarded prognosis and a short life expectancy, this case was euthanized after one year with the owner's consent due to the significant tumor enlargement.