The aim of this study was to perform a retrospective study of cutaneous neoplasms diagnosed in dogs. The evaluation was established by analyzing the diagnostic files at the Veterinary Pathology Sector, UFRGS, Brazil, over a 6-year period (2002 to 2007). During this period a total of 1869 (37.3%) skin samples were obtained from 5016 different tissue samples of dogs submitted for examination. Among the referred skin samples, 1002 were from dogs with the diagnosis of cutaneous neoplasia and 15 dogs exhibited more than one type of skin tumor, what amounted to a total of 1017 (20.3%) cutaneous tumor samples. Results confirmed 50.5% (514/1017), 45.1% (459/1017), and 3.9% (40/1017) of respectively mesenquimal, epithelial, and melanocytic origin. Mast cell tumor was the most frequent neoplasia, diagnosed in 228 cases (22.4%), and was followed by squamous cell carcinoma (7.5%), lipoma (7.3%), perianal gland adenoma (7.1%), and trichoblastoma (5.8%). Purebred dogs such as Cocker Spaniel, Boxer, Poodle and German Sheepdog were the most representative breeds affected by various neoplasms. The data obtained, compared to data from previous studies, emphasize the variables breed, age and sex related to some skin tumors, and reinforce the importance and prevalence of different types of skin tumors in dogs.
Cutaneous neoplasms; dogs
