Haemato-biochemical, cytological, histopathological and immunohistochemical studies on canine mammary gland tumors

Abstract

The present study was carried out to investigate paraneoplastic syndromes along with histopathological and immunohistochemical characterization.  A total of 55 tumors cases were evaluated and about 10 canine mammary tumor cases were recorded at Veterinary Clinical Complex, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh over a period of 6 months (April 2025-September 2025). General clinical signs shown by these dogs were cancer anorexia, cachexia, inappetence, dullness, dehydration along with pigmented plaques in a few cases. Grossly, the tumor masses were predominantly cystic, nodular and solid, exhibiting a texture that ranged from soft to firm. Some of these masses were pedunculated, either solitary or affecting the entire chain of the mammary gland. Cytological analysis of mammary tumors revealed an acinar pattern of glandular epithelial cells alongside a limited number of myoepithelial cells exhibiting significant anaplasia. Hematological findings indicated the presence of anemia accompanied by neutrophilic leukocytosis, lymphocytosis, monocytosis and thrombocytopenia. Assessment of serum showed reduced levels of alanine amino transferase (ALT) and aspartate amino transferase (AST); elevated protein levels accompanied by increased gammaglobulin, along with hypoglycemia and hypocalcemia. The histopathological examination of the tumors identified simplex cystic papillary and mixed type carcinoma, tubulopapillary carcinoma, microacinar carcinoma, chondrosarcoma, fibrosarcoma, capillary hemangioma, as well as mixed mammary tumors including cystic chondrolipofibroma and hemangiochondrocystic fibrolipoma. Van Geison staining was performed for required set of tissues for differentiation of tissue origin. Immunohistochemistry was conducted with vimentin, cytokeratin for tissue differentiation, estrogen (ER) and progesterone receptor to confirm the presence or influence of hormones for tumor proliferation.