Clinical features and pathology of transmissible venereal tumour in dogs in Kenya

Abstract

In the small animal clinic of the University of Nairobi in Kabete, during four years 70 dogs (1% of adult cases) had transmissible venereal tumour. In all cases the tumours were removed by electrocautery. Two to five months after the operation 15 (22%) were presented with relapses; 13 were again operated on, and four of these again had a relapse after 2-7 months; after a third operation two had a further relapse. The clinical symptoms and gross and histological lesions are described. Two cases of extragenital localization were observed (lip and nasal cavity). Metastases occurred in two cases in the inguinal lymph nodes. All cases in which tumour thrombi were seen histologically in the lymph vessels of the submucosa or subcutis had relapses after about 3 months.