If you suddenly a tight knot on the thigh or on another part of his body, the fright is often great.
If the lump appears to be loose under the skin, it may be a spindle cell tumor.
Spindle cell tumors are not without problems and must be treated by a veterinarian.
This article tells you everything you need to know about this form of cancer in dogs.
What is a spindle cell tumor?
Spindle cell tumor is a slow-growing, pathologically degenerated cell growthwhose origin is on the skin or in the subcutis.
The shape of the cell is characteristic of the spindle cell tumor in dogs. It looks like a spindle and has no function like a skin cell should have.
Spindle cell tumors can become malignant and spread to neighboring tissue, i.e. muscles and organs.
Spindle cell tumors include:
- Fibrosarcoma (skin tumor)
- Myxosarcoma (tumors of the mucous membranes)
- Liposarcomas (tumors in fatty tissue)
- Leiomyosarcoma (soft tissue/muscle tumors)
- Neurofibrosarcoma (tumors of nerve cells)
- Undifferentiated sarcomas (here the origin of the tumor is unknown)
- Pleomorphic sarcoma (malignant soft tissue tumor)
When examining the tumor tissue, the pathologist can often no longer pinpoint the exact origin.
Therefore, the general term spindle cell sarcoma/tumor or soft tissue sarcoma has prevailed. Because the spindle-shaped cells can be found in all forms.
Where does spindle cell tumor appear on the dog’s body?
The spindle cell tumor can overall occur on the dog’s body because its origin is in the skin or subcutis.
Even if the origin is in the soft tissues, i.e. in the muscles, it can occur anywhere on the dog’s body.
If the spindle cell sarcoma spreads malignantly, it can also affect tendons, lymph nodes and organs.
Unfortunately, spindle cell tumors are very prone to spread and need to be treated as soon as possible.
What are the symptoms of a spindle cell tumor?
The most obvious symptom of spindle cell tumors is the growth of a tight lump on or in the skin. Occasionally the nodules are palpable, partially filled with fluid.
These knots are for the dog not painfulif they have not yet spread.
The tumor appears clearly demarcated by a pseudocapsule. However, that is deceptive. The spindle cell tumor often forms so-called microsatellites. These microscopic spurs spread to the surrounding tissue.
As the spindle cell tumor grows, it needs nutrients, which it deprives the dog of.
If the dog becomes limp, eats less and loses weight, there is an acute need for action.
Danger
Spindle cell tumors must definitely from the vet to be examined and treated!
How is a spindle cell tumor diagnosed in dogs?
The diagnosis from the veterinarian is made as far as possible via a skin biopsy or a fine needle aspirate.
With the fine needle aspirate, the veterinarian tries to pull cells out of the nodule using an empty syringe and then look at them under the microscope.
This method only makes sense if the tumor is filled with fluid. Cells can only rarely be obtained from solid tumors and this is very unpleasant for the dog.
For the skin biopsy, the dog is given a local anesthetic and a small piece of the lump is punched out.
This is then examined pathologically and assigned to a corresponding type of tumor.
Interesting
Frequently, veterinarians skip this diagnostic if the dog has a lump on its body that doesn’t belong there. This is where the treatment comes in.
What are the treatment options for spindle cell tumors?
The forms of treatment for spindle cell tumors range from surgery to chemotherapy or unfortunately also palliative care.
The first treatment option is the operation of the dog under general anesthesia.
The affected tissue is removed as generously as possible. Here it becomes clear where the tumor has grown and whether it can be completely removed at all.
The removed tissue is examined pathologically and evaluated according to the McSporran method:
- Differentiation of how closely the tumor resembles the tissue of origin
- rate of cell division
- Amount of necrotic (dead) tissue
The grade of the spindle cell tumor, i.e. its malignancy, is derived from these values.
This assessment of whether the tumor has been completely removed and whether there are already metastases in other parts of the dog’s body are decisive as to whether chemotherapy is required or «only» regular check-ups of the dog.
Chemotherapy is very weak. Everything else has no effect on the spindle cell tumor.
If the tumor has spread too much, the dog will only receive palliative care from the veterinarian.
What is the risk of developing a spindle cell tumor?
Because they can appear anywhere on the dog’s body, this type of tumor is occasionally found in some dogs.
The causes are decisive for the growth of these tumors in dogs.
Increased exposure to the sun on areas of skin that are not so densely covered with fur, certain chemicals (cigarette smoke), medicines and injuries that heal poorly can promote the occurrence.
Often, however, a dog’s genetic predisposition to spindle cell tumors is the reason why the dog develops it.
What is the prognosis for a spindle cell tumor?
The prognosis for spindle cell tumors is very carefully deliver. They tend to come back (recurrence).
Unfortunately, they also do this if the tumor has been completely removed and there are no metastases. The dog should be checked by the vet every 3 months.
If the tumor cannot be completely removed, chemotherapy should be given. Unfortunately, how well the therapy works varies from dog to dog.
If metastases have formed, chemotherapy should always be sought. However, the prognosis here is very poor.
The sooner the spindle cell tumor is discovered and treated, the better the prognosis.
Conclusion
Canine spindle cell tumor is a often malignant, slowly growing tumor.
It can form anywhere on the dog’s body. It most commonly arises from skin or subcutaneous cells.
In any case, the tumor must be treated by the veterinarian. The sooner the better.
Has your dog ever had a spindle cell tumor or is it currently being treated for it? Leave us a comment with your experiences.