The role of SOX-10 in identifying nodal metastasis in canine malignant melanoma.

Diagnosing early nodal metastases in canine malignant melanoma is challenging due to the morphological similarities between nodal melanophages and neoplastic melanocytes, and the limitations of conventional immunohistochemical markers like melan-A, which only labels a subset of tumor cells and requires tissue bleaching. This retrospective study investigated the utility of the immunohistochemical marker SOX-10, a nuclear transcription factor, in identifying metastatic cells in lymph nodes (LNs) from dogs with oral, labial, or digital malignant melanoma undergoing regional or sentinel lymphadenectomy. The analysis included 49 LNs from 27 dogs with oral (n = 10), labial (n = 9), and digital (n = 8) melanoma.

Dose and Duration of Upfront Steroid Administration Have no Prognostic Impact in Dogs With Multicentric Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma.

Steroids provide rapid clinical improvement in dogs with multicentric diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). However, their use before chemotherapy can induce chemoresistance and compromise diagnostic yield due to increased apoptotic cells. This retrospective study assessed the impact of steroid dose and duration on flow cytometry (FC) diagnostic yield and clinical outcomes in dogs with DLBCL subsequently treated with chemotherapy.

Brain Metastases From Solid Cancers in 58 Dogs.

Brain metastases (BM) represent an unmet medical need in human medicine, and they are poorly documented in dogs. The aim of this multi-centre retrospective study was to report the clinical characteristics, primary solid cancer histology, advanced imaging findings, treatment modalities and potential prognostic factors in dogs with presumed BM that occurred either at the time of initial diagnosis or during follow-up. BM diagnosis was established through either imaging studies or histologic examination of specimens obtained during necropsy.

Serum Lactate Dehydrogenase as a Potential Prognostic Biomarker in Dogs With Appendicular Osteosarcoma.

In human medicine, serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) is a well-established prognostic marker in osteosarcoma, reflecting tumour burden. This study evaluates serum LDH as a prognostic biomarker in dogs with histologically confirmed appendicular osteosarcoma undergoing a complete staging work-up. Fifty-two dogs with osteosarcoma were prospectively enrolled, and LDH levels were assessed at diagnosis, prior to any treatment.

Left atrial thrombosis in a dog with advanced myxomatous mitral valve disease.

An 11-year-old Cavalier King Charles spaniel with a previous diagnosis of preclinical myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) was presented with respiratory distress and abdominal distension. Lung edema and ascites were diagnosed. Echocardiography revealed a progression of the MMVD as it was associated with a moderate enlargement of the left-sided cardiac chambers and an atrial septal defect (ASD).