Clinical findings, rhinoscopy and histological evaluation of 54 dogs with chronic nasal disease

Abstract

Nasal diseases are very common in dogs and rhinoscopy is often required for a definitive diagnosis. Rhinoscopy, while superficial in nature, can guide the clinician to the final diagnosis. In this study, rhinoscopy was performed on 54 dogs with symptoms of chronic nasopharyngeal disease. The endoscopic diagnosis of neoplasia or chronic nasal inflammation was validated with histological examination of pathological samples, in order to evaluate the degree of concordance between endoscopic findings and histological diagnosis. The agreement between endoscopy and histology was tested by application of Cohen's kappa coefficient. We conclude that correlation between endoscopic results and histological diagnosis, expressed by a Cohen's kappa coefficient of 0.73, is only possible with a constant cooperation between the clinician and the pathologist.

Fig. 1

View of the nasopharynx in a 10-year old male Siberian Husky. This lesion was diagnosed as cancer by the endoscopist due its invasive features, but histologic examination revealed a chronic rhinitis.

Fig. 2

View of the nasopharynx in an 11-year old male Alaskan Malamute. Histopathological examination revealed a lymphocyticplasmacytic inflammation.

Fig. 3

Bioptic specimen of canine lymphoplasmacytic rhinitis at high magnification. Lymphocytic mucosal exocytosis and submucosal infiltration of lymphocytes and plasma cells with mild hyperplasia of the surface epithelium. H&E stain, ×200.

Fig. 4

Adenocarcinoma close to the distal part of the nasal septum in a 12-year old male Corso dog.

Fig. 5

Canine nasal chondrosarcoma. Relatively well differentiated areas of hyaline cartilage separated by spindle shaped stromal cells. H&E stain, ×200.