Primary haemangiosarcoma of the tibia in a dog: clinical and pathological findings

Abstract

A 2-year-old male neutered Doberman was presented with a 2-week history of progressive right hind limb lameness and a firm swelling on the right proximal tibia. Medio-lateral radiograph of the stifle joint revealed an osteolytic lesion of the proximal tibia, with extensive cortical and periosteal changes and soft tissue swelling. Fine needle aspiration (FNA) of the lesion was performed as well as tissue biopsy. Cytological examination revealed a spindle cell proliferation, and histological examination was supportive of haemangiosarcoma, which was confirmed by immunohistochemistry using an anti-factor VIII antibody. The patient underwent right hindquarter limb amputation with coxo-femoral disarticulation. Histological examination of the amputated leg revealed infiltration of the fibrous and muscular tissue adjacent to the stifle joint. The patient received three intravenous doxorubicin treatments once every 3 weeks. The owner reported that the patient was euthanized 9 months after first diagnosis. Haemangiosarcoma should be considered as a differential diagnosis for osteolytic bone lesions. A thorough staging and adjuvant chemotherapy should be advised in patients with monostotic disease due to the high metastatic rate.