Long-term follow-up and post-operative computed tomography surveillance following adrenalectomy in dogs

Adrenal gland tumours in dogs have historically been associated with a guarded prognosis due to reported high perioperative mortality, recurrence and metastatic disease. More recent studies suggest improved outcomes following adrenalectomy. This retrospective study evaluated long-term outcomes and postoperative computed tomography (CT) findings in dogs undergoing adrenalectomy, focusing on the detection of recurrence, metastasis and newly developed pathology. Medical records of dogs treated with unilateral or bilateral adrenalectomy at The Animal Hospital at Murdoch University between January 2016 and February 2026 were reviewed. Inclusion criteria required preoperative thoracic and abdominal CT, histopathological diagnosis and follow-up CT at least 4 months postoperatively. Signalment, CT findings, surgical details, histopathology, postoperative CT findings and survival data were recorded. Twenty dogs met the inclusion criteria. Histopathology revealed phaeochromocytoma (8), adrenocortical carcinoma (5) and adrenocortical adenoma (7). Follow-up CT was performed at a median of 11.5 months (range 4-42 months). No local tumour recurrence was identified. New lesions detected in five dogs were confirmed as unrelated primary neoplasms = rather than adrenal metastases. Long-term follow-up was available for 16 dogs; 12 were alive at a median of 30 months after surgery, and deaths were unrelated to adrenal disease. Adrenalectomy effectively resolved primary adrenal disease in this cohort. Postoperative CT surveillance was valuable for excluding recurrence and progressive metastatic disease, and identifying unrelated, potentially treatable conditions before the onset of clinical signs, thus supporting its role in optimising long-term outcomes in dogs undergoing adrenalectomy.