ABSTRACT
Spontaneous regression of primary malignant bone tumors is rare but has been reported in the human literature. To the authors' knowledge, spontaneous regression of primary bone tumors in dogs or cats has not been reported. Osteosarcoma (OSA) is the most common primary bone tumor in humans, and it has been reported that the incidence of OSA is 40 to 50 times greater in dogs than humans. In this report, high-grade OSA was diagnosed in biopsy specimens obtained from 4 dogs that subsequently underwent spontaneous regression without tumor-specific treatment. Osteosarcoma in dogs has characteristics similar to that of OSA in humans.
Subject(s)
Bone Neoplasms/veterinary , Dog Diseases/diagnosis , Lameness, Animal/diagnosis , Neoplasm Regression, Spontaneous , Osteosarcoma/veterinary , Animals , Bone Neoplasms/diagnosis , Bone Neoplasms/pathology , Bone Neoplasms/therapy , Dog Diseases/pathology , Dog Diseases/therapy , Dogs , Female , Male , Osteosarcoma/diagnosis , Osteosarcoma/pathology , Osteosarcoma/therapyABSTRACT
Granulomatous enteritis caused by Mycobacterium avium was diagnosed in a pet ferret evaluated for anorexia, vomiting, and diarrhea. Delayed gastric emptying was identified during barium sulfate contrast radiography. A constriction in the duodenum, which was an area of granulomatous inflammation on histologic examination, was surgically removed. After removal of this lesion, the ferret did well for 8 months, but clinical signs returned. At a second surgery, a nodule was removed from the pylorus. The ferret died 2 weeks later. At necropsy, granulomatous inflammation, with acid-fast organisms, was found in the pylorus, small intestine, mesenteric lymph nodes, liver, and spleen. Mycobacterium avium was isolated from specimens of liver and spleen. Ferrets can develop clinical disease caused by M avium, and infected ferrets may pose public health threats.
