Canine gastrointestinal tract tumours: a restrospective study of 74 cases

Abstract

The aim of our study was to investigate histopathologically the incidence of gastrointestinal tract tumours in dogs in the Czech Republic in relation to their age, sex and breed. In total, 29 gastric and 45 intestinal tumours from 3827 gastrointestinal tract biopsies were investigated. The average age of dogs with gastric lymphoma, adenocarcinoma, and other mesenchymal tumours was 7.3 years, 9.5 years, and > 10 years, respectively. Breed predisposition to adenocarcinoma was evidenced in the Belgian Shepherd and Leonberger, to lymphoma in the Doberman (P < 0.01). The most frequent site of adenocarcinoma was antrum pyloricum (66.7%); lymphomas involved gastric wall diffusely. The average age of dogs with intestinal adenoma, adenocarcinoma, lymphoma, leiomyoma or leiomyosarcoma and carcinoid was 7.5, 8.5, 8.5, 12, and 14 years, respectively. The age predisposition to intestinal adenoma and lymphoma was 7–8 years (P < 0.01) and to adenocarcinoma 7–8 years (P < 0.05); mesenchymal tumours occurred at the age of 11–12 years (P < 0.01). Breed predisposition to intestinal adenoma was evidenced in the Pug, Leonberger and English Setter (P < 0.01), to adenocarcinoma in the English Setter (P < 0.01) and Hovawart (P < 0.05), to lymphoma in the Doberman and Hovawart (P < 0.05). The most frequent site of occurrence of intestinal tumours was the colorectal region. The study revealing breed, sex and age predisposition to gastrointestinal tumours in dogs has not been described yet in the literature.