Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Case Reports
. 2021 May;24(3):301-307.
doi: 10.1111/vop.12875. Epub 2021 Feb 22.

Choroidal neuroendocrine neoplasia in a dog

Danica R Lucyshyn  1 , Kelly E Knickelbein  2 , Steven R Hollingsworth  1 , Christopher M Reilly  3 , Kelsey D Brust  1 , Lance C Visser  4 , Rhonda Burge  2 , Jennifer L Willcox  1 , David J Maggs  1
Affiliations
Free article
Case Reports

Choroidal neuroendocrine neoplasia in a dog

Danica R Lucyshyn et al. Vet Ophthalmol. 2021 May.
Free article

Abstract

Objective: To report onset and progression of clinical signs of a neuroendocrine neoplasm (NEN) presumed metastatic to the choroid in a dog.

Animals studied: A 7.5-year-old female spayed German shepherd dog mix referred for advanced imaging and evaluation of a subretinal mass in the right eye.

Procedures: Procedures performed included general physical and ophthalmic examinations; ocular, orbital, and abdominal ultrasonography; thoracic radiographs; cranial magnetic resonance imaging; serologic testing for infectious agents; analysis of hematologic as well as serum and urine biochemical parameters; echocardiography; electrocardiography; cytologic assessment of lymph nodes; and histopathology and immunohistochemistry of the enucleated globe.

Results: Examination and imaging identified a pigmented mass within and expanding the superior choroid. Following enucleation, a choroidal NEN with tumor emboli in scleral blood vessels was diagnosed by histopathologic assessment and confirmed by immunohistochemical labelling. Despite extensive and repeated diagnostic testing over many months, a putative primary site was not identified until 19 months after the initial ocular signs were noted. At that time, a heart-base mass and congestive heart failure were highly suggestive of a chemodectoma.

Conclusion: This comprehensive report of a NEN presumed metastatic to the choroid in a dog suggests that ocular disease can be a very early and solitary sign of NEN in the dog.

Keywords: carcinoid; chemodectoma; congestive heart failure; immunohistochemistry; metastasis; retinal detachment.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

REFERENCES

    1. Dubielzig RR. Ocular neoplasia in small animals. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 1990;20(3):837-848.
    1. Labelle AL, Labelle P. Canine ocular neoplasia: a review. Vet Ophthalmol. 2013;16(Suppl 1):3-14.
    1. Bandinelli MB, Viezzer Bianchi M, Wronski JG, et al. Ophthalmopathologic characterization of multicentric or metastatic neoplasms with an extraocular origin in dogs and cats. Vet Ophthalmol. 2020;23(5):814-827.
    1. Willis AM, Wilkie DA. Ocular oncology. Clin Tech Small Anim Pract. 2001;16(1):77-85.
    1. Bellhorn RW. Secondary ocular adenocarcinoma in three dogs and a cat. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1972;160(3):302-307.

Publication types