• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.168-172
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• 2022

A 10-year-old female Pomeranian weighing 2.25 kg with a history of gradual weight loss and an intraabdominal mass confirmed with ultrasonography at a local hospital was referred to the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, Jeju National University. Physical examination revealed abdominal distention. Blood analysis revealed hypoglycemia (57 mg/dL; reference range, 60-110 mg/dL). On abdominal ultrasonography, a heterogeneously hyperechoic mass measuring 7.51 × 10.6 cm was found at the level of the left kidney. Computed tomographic findings showed a unilateral left kidney mass with a 10-cm diameter and vessel contrast enhancement in the corticomedullary phase. Unilateral nephrectomy and ovariohysterectomy were performed because left ovary enlargement was observed during surgery. The renal mass was adjacent to the aorta and vena cava and attached to a portion of the small intestine, greater omentum, and left ovary. The mass was huge (12.5 × 10 × 7 cm) and was 16.5% of the body weight. Histopathological examination revealed renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and ovarian metastasis. After surgery, clinical signs improved remarkably, and serum glucose level returned to normal. As RCC is resistant to radiation and chemotherapy, the owner decided not to proceed with postoperative adjunctive therapies. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of ovarian metastasis with huge RCC in a dog.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.178-182
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• 2024

A 10-year-old spayed female Poodle was referred for blindness. On ophthalmic examination, loss of bilateral ocular pupil light reflex, visual loss, and right retinal detachment were confirmed at a local hospital. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain was performed to identify the optic nerve, optic chiasm, and brain disease. A sessile mass centered on the region of the optic chiasm was identified. The mass had iso- to hypointense on fluid-attenuated inversion recovery and T2-weighted images and mildly hypointense on T1-weighted images compared to the gray matter, with strong contrast enhancement. Peripheral edema was also identified. Computed tomography (CT) brain perfusion was performed to obtain additional hemodynamic information about the patient using a multislice CT. CT perfusion showed that the cerebral blood volume in the left temporal lobe region (13.4 ± 1.6 mL/100 g) was decreased relative to the contralateral region (19.9 ± 0.3 mL/100 g). The patient showed decreased appetite and consciousness one week after the CT scan with clinical symptoms worsened. The patient had seizure, tetraparesis, and loss of consciousness. It was euthanized one month later at the request of the owner. This report suggests that CT brain perfusion can provide additional hemodynamic information such as insufficient brain perfusion in sellar region tumor which can help assess potential complications and prognosis and plan treatment.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.78-81
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• 2001

A 12-year old female Pointer was referred to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kyungpook National University for evaluation of emaciation. The owner had noted a dysuria and dyschesia 2 months before admitting to the hospital. The patient showed anorexia, depression and mild anemia. Radiographic findings indicated the mass below the urinary bladder, which pushed the intestine up to the spine. The patient was necropsied and grossly, two large masses were found on the heart and cranial thorax. Congestive nodules of 0.5-1.5 cm in diameter were scattered on both sides of the lungs. The left ventricular wall was hypertrophied and adult heartworms were found in right atrium. A large mass, filled with blood, 9-10 cm in diameter, originated from the rectum, compressed urethra. The gall bladder was filled with bile juice and the spleen was mild atrophied. The cortex of the kidney and the intestine were congested. On microscopic observation, there were neoplastic cells forming irregular vascular channels in the lung, kidney and heart. The vascular channels contain variable amount of blood. In the lung, the cells were almost elongated and the nuclei of neoplastic cells were round or ovoid and hyperchromatized. Based on the observation, the case was diagnosed as a hemangiosarcoma.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.203-209
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• 1999

A 4-year-old female Shih-tzu with severe episcleral congestion and buphthalmos in left eye was referred to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Chonnam National University in October 1998. During two months in local veterinary clinics, the dog had been treated unsuccessfully with tarsorrhaphy and antibiotics. By history taking, cause of the glaucoma was ascertained as accidental nonpenetrated cornea trauma by owner, Ophthalmic examination revealed that the left eye was buphthalmic with severe episcleral congestion, pain and fever. The direct pupillary light response could not be evaluated in the left eye, but right eye had normal reaction. The intraocular pressure was 4.5 mmHg in the right eye and 33 mmHg in the left eye, as measured with a Schiotz tonometer, Ultrasonographic finding revealed hyperechoic vitrous body and central echofree material. The Schirmer tear test showed 20 mm in the left eye and 8 mm in the right eye. The hematologic examination revealed monocytosis. The initial medical treatment was admitted, but there was no response. Transpalpebral enucleation in the left eye under inhalation anesthesia with enflurane 1.2 vol% in oxygen was performed. The day after operation the left eye ravealed no exudate, and pain, and the systemic vital signs were normal. The prognosis is excellent.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.478-480
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• 2017

A Cocker spaniel (7-year-old, female) was presented with one week of anorexia, halitosis, oral ulcer, intermittent vomiting, acute weight loss and 3-day history of oliguria. The patient was diagnosed with acute on chronic kidney disease and pancreatitis. Hemodialysis was continued three times a week (total 7 sessions) with improved clinical signs and kidney panel, but presented with another episode of abdominal distention, respiratory distress, and large bowel diarrhea. Echocardiography revealed nearly totally occlusive thrombus in the cranial vena cava, as well as a right atrial mass of approximately $2cm{\times}1cm$. The patient was treated with catheter removal, thrombolysis and anticoagulation therapy with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator. During anticoagulation therapy, size of atrial thrombus was not changed and heart function was not improved after treatment. Since clinical signs were deteriorated, the patient was euthanized by owner's request. Catheter-related giant thrombus in right atrium is a rare complication and treatment guideline for atrial thrombus does not exist. This case is first report of hemodialysis catheter-induced thrombus in Korea.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.299-303
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• 2017

An 11-year-old neutered male Maltese presented for radiation therapy for nasal transitional cell carcinoma. Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) was provided for the owner's request. Clinical signs improved 6 days after radiation therapy. Adverse effects including alopecia and pigmentation on the facial region were observed at 21 days after radiation therapy. The first follow-up computed tomography (CT) 96 days after SBRT revealed that the nasal tumor had decreased by 60.63% compared with the pre-treatment volume. Clinical signs related with the tumor reassigned 151 days after SBRT, and the second follow-up CT revealed tumor relapse. The patient was died 238 days after SBRT due to tumor relapse. SBRT showed a good tumor control effect with relatively mild radiation toxicity relative to other radiation therapy modalities, in accordance with a previous study. Further studies are needed to establish an effective treatment protocol, such as total dose, fractional dose, and inter-fractional period, in canine malignant nasal tumors.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.43-46
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• 2017

A 10-year-old, spayed, female Cocker Spaniel was referred to our hospital with a history of a cough and dyspnea. The patient was tentatively diagnosed with a chemodectoma based on clinical features evident on echocardiography and computed tomography. Metronomic chemotherapy utilizing toceranib phosphate as well as medications for congestive heart failure were administered. During the period chemotherapy was administered (nine months from the time of diagnosis), clinical improvement was noted without the development of any adverse effects. However, clinical signs recurred after chemotherapy was discontinued at the owner's request. When the patient was reevaluated via computed tomography, it was found that the size of the mass had increased. The patient developed severe dyspnea secondary to recurrent pleural effusion and was euthanized 65 days after clinical signs reappeared. A necropsy was performed and the patient was definitively diagnosed with a chemodectoma based on histopathologic and immunohistochemical analysis. This case report describes the clinical application of metronomic chemotherapy with toceranib phosphate, which is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, in the treatment of a chemodectoma. We propose that this treatment may improve the quality of life and result in a prolonged survival time compared to treatment with medications for congestive heart failure alone.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.219-224
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• 2019

The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and effects of a soy lecithin-based supplement on the general health, skin condition, and blood lipid levels of dogs. Twenty-five, healthy, privately-owned dogs were enrolled in the study. Oral supplementation was administered for 8 weeks in the treatment group. Evaluation items included a thorough physical examination, owner responses to a questionnaire, blood analysis (CBC, CRP, serum chemistry, lipid profile). The results showed a significant improvement in amount of exercise, water intake, skin exfoliation in the treatment group (P < 0.05) but no significant changes in the other evaluation items, including no significant changes in blood component results following administration of the supplement. Most dogs well tolerated the treatment, and there were no serious adverse events. We suggest that soy lecithin has potential as a nutraceutical for the positive effect of general health condition such as activity and skin condition. Further studies are needed to establish the appropriate dose level and administration frequency of soy lecithin in dogs.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.129-131
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• 2019

A 15-year-old intact Yorkshire terrier was presented with anorexia, lethargy, and a pale mucous membrane. A physical examination one year ago revealed right testis mass and subcutaneous petechia. Blood work revealed severe thrombocytopenia and mild anemia, and no abnormalities were found in serum chemistry or ultrasonography. The preoperative serum estrogen concentration was moderately elevated. The enlarged testis was surgically removed. A well-encapsulated mass composed of polyhedral or round with abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm containing fine granular or vacuolation were found in a histological examination of the removed tissue. The nuclei of tumor cells were round, and mitotic figures were low but neoplastic cells showed a mild invasive tendency to adjacent tissues with contained neoplastic cell emboli in one lymphatic lumen. A diagnosis of a malignant Leydig cell tumor was made. The patient recovered from surgery uneventfully, but his condition worsened despite repeated transfusions and supportive therapy, and he was euthanized according to the owner's decision. Leydig cell tumor should be included in estrogen toxicity associated with testicular mass.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.66
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• pp.379-387
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• 2023

Dog owners seek treatment when their pets develop cancer. IMMUNIES is traditional herbal medicine-based figment made of 10 natural herbs, designed to maintain host immune function. The major component of IMMUNIES is Dendropanax morbiferus. This clinical pilot study monitored the toxicity and efficacy of IMMUNIES. Four senile dogs with spontaneously occurring mammary and liver cancers were enrolled in this study and treated orally daily for 3 months, and their blood/urine biochemical profiles were examined each month. IMMUNIES was well tolerated during the treatment period. Blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, and C-reactive protein levels decreased in all four dogs, whereas red blood cells and hematocrit were within the normal range. IMMUNIES also changed the expression of several molecular targets in the anticancer pathway, such as pro-NAG-1, p53, and cyclin D1. Although the tumors did not completely respond to IMMUNIES, the biochemical profiles and clinical examination showed a stabilized cancer status for 3 months. Thus, IMMUNIES was found to be safe and well-tolerated in the dosage range tested and exhibited cancer antiproliferative activity in canine cancer. Future studies should address other potential benefits of IMMUNIES, including correlative assessments of immune function, quality of life, and owner satisfaction.