Clinical management of mammary carcinoma in dogs: Current scenario

Abstract

Mammary carcinoma is one of the most common skin tumors of mammary gland area in canine. Fifty cases of mammary carcinoma were reported during the period of study at Teaching Veterinary Clinical Complex and Department of Veterinary Surgery and Radiology. Eighty animals were screened for selecting fifty mammary carcinoma and these are the subjects of present study population. The prevalence of tumors across the age groups were highest among 8 to 12 years, followed by 12 years and least in dogs below 8 years. Breed wise predisposition was highest among Labrador (36.67%), followed by Spitz and German shepherd (20% each), Mongrel (10%), Dachshund (6.67%), Rottweiler and beagle (3.33% each). More cases of mammary carcinoma were malignant (70%) with metastasis to regional lymph node a common finding. Malignancy criteria were size, hardness, of the tumor and metastasis to regional lymphocenter. Axillary lymph node for 1st, 2nd mammary gland tumor and inguinal, medial iliac lymph node for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th mammary gland were common site of regional metastasis. Most of the patient had clinical stage III tumor (30%) followed by stage II (23.33%). Three cases of stage IV mammary carcinoma were recorded in which three view thoracic radiography showed nodular opacities of the thorax and confirmed as positive sign of metastasis. Histopathologically, solid mammary carcinoma, fibroadenoma, adenocarcinoma were common types of carcinomas. Malignant mammary tumor dogs had significantly (p