Abstract
Bladder tumors in dogs are rare, accounting for 1-2% of all cases. Most of these tumors are malignant and of epithelial origin. This study examines various surgical approaches for the complete resection of transitional cell carcinomas of the bladder, showing a recurrence rate of 60%. Surgery may be used as an emergency therapy to relieve partial or complete ureteral obstruction, but owners should be informed that it is only palliative and associated with a high likelihood of early metastasis. Cryosurgery is a local method that relies on the tissue-destructive effects of extremely low temperatures. While intrabdominal cryosurgery is common in human medicine, it is not widespread in veterinary practice. This study presents three canine oncology cases treated through conventional laparotomy and cystotomy, employing similar cryosurgical techniques. Treatments included: i) primary transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) with previous tumor freezing, cytoreduction by debulking, and base cryoablation; ii) primary TCC with cryoablation only; and iii) poorly differentiated fibrosarcoma (STBs) with tumor excision and base cryoablation. Cold diffusion was controlled through visual observation of the 0°C isotherm and simultaneous tactile palpation. Cryoablation was performed using liquid nitrogen with a portable CRY-AC 700 Brymill device, while radiofrequency ablation was carried out with an Ellman Surgitron device. Treatment was ambulatory, well-tolerated, and resulted in rapid resolution of clinical signs.