Cutaneous Vasoproliferative Lesions in Goats

Abstract

In a retrospective survey of caprine neoplastic disease, eight masses were diagnosed as cutaneous vascular tumors. The typical clinical presentation was a solitary raised, bleeding mass. No predilection with regard to age, breed, sex, or anatomic location was found. Reevaluation of the microscopic features of the masses resulted in diagnoses of hamartoma (2), hemangioma (4), and hemangiosarcoma (2). An endothelial cell origin was confirmed in all seven tumors tested immunohistochemically for factor VIII-related antigen. Although rarely reported, goats display a range of cutaneous vascular growth abnormalities similar to those observed in other domestic animals.