Bilateral renal metastases of nasal chondrosarcoma in a dog

Chondrosarcoma is the most common nonepithelial sinonasal neoplasm in the dog, and metastasis is considered rare. A 7-year-old Irish Setter had bilateral renal enlargement 17 months following surgery and radiotherapy for a primary nasal chondrosarcoma. Histologic evaluation revealed chondrosarcoma metastases in both kidneys. A diagnosis of nasal chondrosarcoma with bilateral renal metastasis was made. The clinical importance of this report is that routine recommendations for the evaluation of regional and/or distant metatasis in a dog with a dignosis of nasal chondrosarcoma, namely routine whole body physical examination and thoracic radiography, failed to demonstrate the presence of abdominal metatases, which ultimately led to the demise of this dog. The biologically aggressive nature of this chondrosarcoma of the nasal cavity indicates that additional information is needed before a prognosis can be reliably established for dogs with this tumor type.