Objectives-To reclassify canine small intestinal and cecal leiomyoma (LM) and leiomyosarcoma (LMS) into smooth muscle and gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) using histologic and immunohistochemical (IH) analysis and to report clinical findings and survival data. Study Design-Retrospective review of cases. Animals-Dogs (n ¼ 47) with small intestinal (40 LMS; 7 LM) and 25 dogs with cecal tumors (23 LMS; 2 LM). Methods-Clinical and survival data were reviewed. Tissue sections were reevaluated for lightmicroscopic malignancy criteria and examined for expression of SMA, desmin, vimentin, S-100, and CD117 (KIT) by immunohistochemistry. Results-Reclassification resulted in 2 LM, 9 LMS, 19 GIST, and 17 GIST-like tumors in the small intestine and 23 GIST and 2 GIST-like tumors in the cecum. GIST-like tumors were morphologic and IH identical to GIST but lacked KIT expression. No significant difference in survival was observed for tumor type, location, histologic, or IH characteristics; however, dogs with cecal tumors were significantly older in age, presented more commonly with intestinal perforation and peritonitis, and less commonly with weight loss. Cecal tumors had more histologic malignancy criteria than small intestinal tumors. After excision, 1 and 2 year recurrence-free periods were 80.1% and 67.2% for small intestinal and 83.3% and 61.9% for cecal tumors. Conclusion-Prognosis for intestinal tumors with histologic smooth muscle appearance is good after excision and not related to tumor type, location, histologic, or IH characteristics. Clinical Relevance-Clinical importance could not be demonstrated for reclassification, but may be for future treatment, of intestinal smooth muscle or stromal tumors. r

Abstract. Female pet dogs exhibiting either glucose intolerance alone or glucose intolerance and acromegaly were investigated. Some dogs developed the disorder(s) during dioestrus and some animals developed the disorder(s) after they were given medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA). Elevated fasting plasma glucose levels (12.3 ± 1.9 mm, mean ± sem) were accompanied by fasting hyperinsulinaemia (144 ± 21 μU/ml, mean ± sem) and drastic elevation of plasma growth hormone (GH) levels (112.6 ± 45 ng/ml, mean ± sem). An iv glucose tolerance test (IVGTT) performed on all dogs revealed non-suppressibility of GH levels and glucose intolerance. Plasma concentrations of glucose, insulin and GH during IVGTT in affected dogs differed significantly from the concentrations measured in normal dogs during the same test. MPA withdrawal and/or ovariohysterectomy (OVx-HYx) in affected animals was followed by reversal of GH levels to normal and improved glucose tolerance. Acromegaly associated soft tissue changes were also reversible after MPA withdrawal and/or OVx-HYx when GH levels had dropped. In 5 dogs which had developed diabetes during dioestrus and in which a spontaneous decrease in plasma progesterone occurred during the investigation a concomittant decrease in GH levels was observed. Plasma GH measured at different stages of pregnancy in 45 dogs was found to be elevated in one animal only. The results show that the development of spontaneous diabetes/acromegaly occurring in some female dogs is related to progestagen (progesterone/MPA) exposure and that reversal of the signs is achieved by progesterone/MPA withdrawal. The results suggest that diabetes/acromegaly in the dogs studied was caused by progesterone/MPA-evoked GH elevation. Finally, the findings also suggest that the GH axis normally not appreciably responsive to progestagen exposure in some dogs becomes and/or is paradoxically controlled by physiologic levels of endogenous progesterone or low doses of MPA.

Intestinal atresia was found in 29 animals and stenosis in five. Atresia was found in the duodenum in one pup; in the jejunum in nine calves, two lambs and one piglet; in the ileum in one pup, one lamb and one piglet; and in the colon in one foal, seven calves, one lamb, one piglet and three kittens. Stenosis was found in the duodenum of a foal, in the jejunum in two calves and one pup, and in both the ileum and the colon of a kitten. One lamb showed ileal atresia as well as ileal stenosis. We classified the atresia as type 1, membrane atresia (four cases); type 2, cord atresia (six cases); and type 3, blind-end atresia (19 cases). In the literature and our own study, atresia was found only in the small intestine in puppies, but in foals and kittens it was found only in the colon. Atresia of the colon is more common in animals than in man, but multiple atresia, frequent in man, is rare in animals.

Biopsy and necropsy files of 393 canine and 58 feline oral-pharyngeal neoplasms submitted between January 1, 1976 and December 31, 1985 are reviewed. Of these neoplasms, 62.8 YO of the canine cases and 87.9% of the feline cases were malignant. Malignant melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma and (fibro-)sarcoma were the most frequent canine malignant tumours and epulis was the most common benign tumour. In cats, squamous cell carcinoma predominated. A distinct male predominance in dogs was found for malignant melanoma, (fibro-)sarcoma and particularly for tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma. A less distinct male predominance existed for non-tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma and epulis. In cats, no sex predisposition was found at all. In dogs, as well as in cats, oral-pharyngeal tumours occur at all ages but most of the animals were older than 8 years. The most common tumour sites in dogs were the gingiva and, less frequently, the tonsils, lips and tongue. In feline cases the tongue was the most frequent tumour site, followed by the gingiva. Regarding the canine tumour types, malignant melanoma was particularly situated in the lips, buccal mucosa and tongue, squamous cell carcinoma in the tonsils and tongue and (fibro-)sarcomas in the lips. Feline squamous cell carcinoma was most frequent in the tongue. German Shepherd dogs were found to be predisposed for tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma and Cocker Spaniel, Poodle and Dachshund for malignant melanoma. The Boxer appeared to be predisposed for epulis and this tumour was also frequent in Bouvier, Poodle and, to a less degree, in Collie. Malignant melanoma and tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma showed a high percentage of metastasis. Non-tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma and (fibro-)sarcoma have a more localized malignant behaviour.

Spermatogenesis was examined in testes from 74 dogs of various breeds without clinically detected testicular disease. A modified Johnsen score system was used to determine whether spermatogenesis deteriorates with ageing. The diameter of seminiferous tubules was measured in dogs without testicular disease to examine other possible effects of ageing on tubular performance. There appeared to be no relation between age and these variables. The influence of testicular tumours on spermatogenesis was also investigated in both affected and unaffected testes. The testes of 28 dogs with clinically palpable tumours and 21 dogs with clinically non-palpable tumours were investigated. In cases of unilateral occurrence of a tumour, impairment of spermatogenesis was observed only in the affected testis of dogs with clinically detected tumours. Bilateral occurrence of tumours, whether detected clinically or non-clinically, was associated with severe impairment of spermatogenesis. The prevalence of tumours increased during ageing. Eighty-six per cent of the clinically detected and 57% of the non-clinically detected tumours were found in old dogs. Multiple types of tumour and bilateral occurrence were very common. Seminomas and Leydig cell tumours were more frequent than Sertoli cell tumours. It was concluded that spermatogenesis per se did not decrease during ageing in dogs but the occurrence of testicular tumours increased with ageing and affected spermatogenesis significantly, as reflected by a lower Johnsen score.