Surgical management of a metastatic vertebral tumour originating from a mammary adenocarcinoma in a dog

Abstract

An 11-year-old spayed female Toy Poodle presented with acute tetraparesis. A small subcutaneous mass was found in the right trunk region, and the magnetic resonance revealed a compressive spinal cord lesion due to an irregular bone proliferation at the third cervical vertebra. After surgical resection of the vertebral lesion, the neurological symptoms improved, and the patient could walk on her own. The excised vertebral and subcutaneous masses were diagnosed as a mammary adenocarcinoma on the histopathological examination, with Ki-67 and HER-2 immunohistochemistry staining. This case report highlights the importance of defining the primary tumours of metastatic vertebral tumours and the necessity of palliative surgery to improve the patient’s quality of life.