Abstract

Transmissible venereal tumors (TVTs) are widely distributed canine tumors of the external genital tract that are coitally transmitted. Primary occurrence of oral and nasal TVT in dogs is extremely uncommon, despite instances of secondary occurrence. A nondescript male dog, aged seven, was brought to University veterinary hospital Kokkalai with a three-day history of bilateral epistaxis, sneezing, facial deformities, and hyporexia. Clinical examination revealed open mouth breathing, submandibular lymphadenopathy, and a friable, cauliflower- like mass extending over the soft palate in the oral cavity. Diffuse osteolytic changes in the nasal conchae and turbinates were observed on radiography. Cytological examination of the nasal swab revealed the presence of large number of round to oval cells with basophilic cytoplasm containing distinct intracytoplasmic vacuoles and prominent nucleoli, suggestive of TVT. The dog received weekly injections of vincristine sulphate intravenously at a dose of 0.7 mg/m2 for four weeks, and complete tumor remission was attained. In conclusion, intranasal TVT should be considered as a differential in dogs exhibiting persistent symptoms of sneezing, nasal discharge, dysponea, and recurrent epistaxis.

Keywords : Neoplasia, Epistaxis, Vincristine Sulphate, Dog, Nasal TVT