Gross and microscopical aspects in some vascular tumors in dogs (retrospective study 2007-2019)

Abstract

The study was done on six dogs selected from the cadavers brought for necropsy at the Pathological Anatomy and Forensic Medicine Service, from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Iași, between 2007 and 2019. The dogs had ages that ranged from 7 to 13 years, were of different breeds (3 mixed breeds, 11 Amstaff, 2 Caniche) and during the necropsic exam showed macroscopical changes of the internal organs that suggested the presence of vascular tumors. The formations that we observed were nodular in shape, of different sizes, blackish-red in color, with harder consistency than the host tissues and expressed dark red blood on the cut surface. The location of these tumors differed from one case to another, being either restricted to the liver, or disseminated in the heart (right atrium), spleen, lungs, kidneys, intestine, mesenteries, omentum and central nervous tissue. The histopathological exam showed that these structures had a trabecular pattern, with either blood filled caverns of various sizes, or numerous capillaries, of different calibers, filled or not with red blood cells. The cells that lined these structures had similar characteristics with endothelial cells, being spindle shaped, sometimes with a tendency towards a circular arrangement. The anatomo-pathological diagnostic was that of vascular tumor, with a benign or malignant character, depending on the degree of cellular proliferation and mitotic index.