Effectiveness of ovariohysterectomy on feline mammary fibroepithelial hyperplasia treatment

Abstract

Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of ovariohysterectomy (OVH) on feline mammary fibroepithelial hyperplasia (FMFH) treatment, as well as the influence of previous injectable progestin on clinical signs and treatment of FMFH. Methods Seventy-nine female cats diagnosed with FMFH between 2014 and 2018 were included. The animals were distributed as follows: (1) treated only with OVH (TA) or OVH plus antiprogestin (TB); and (2) no administration (G1) or previous administration (G2) of injectable progestin before FMFH diagnosis. Data regarding clinical signs of FMFH, occurrence of persistent mammary growth after OVH, and time until complete remission of FMFH post-surgery were recorded and evaluated. Results Mastectomy was not performed in any cat during the study. TA was adopted in 71/79 (89.9%) cases, with 42/71 (59.2%) from G2 and 29/71 (40.8%) from G1. TB was adopted in 8/79 (10.1%) cats, all from G2. Total remission of FMFH was observed in 73/79 (92.4%) cats, with six animals from G2 having died (n = 6/79 [7.6%]). The time until complete remission of FMFH was higher ( P <0.0001) in cats from G2 than from G1. Moreover, animals from G2 had a higher percentage of persistent mammary growth after OVH ( P <0.001) and a tendency to higher mortality ( P = 0.052) compared with G1. Conclusions and relevance Previous treatment with injectable progestin may result in a more complex clinical presentation of FMFH. Ovariohysterectomy is a good treatment option for FMFH when there is no interest in breeding the queen. Treatment with antiprogestin is recommended, especially if persistent mammary growth is detected after OVH.

Feline breeding and pregnancy management: What is normal and when to intervene

“…44 ovariohysterectomy is effective if the condition is caused by endogenous progesterone production, but additional treatment with a progesterone receptor blocker may be needed in cats treated with exogenous progestins, due to persisting high progestin concentrations even after removal of the ovaries. 45 M e d i c a l t r e a t m e n t s d u r i n g p r e g n a n c y The risk for the fetuses should be considered before any medical treatment during pregnancy.…”

“…44 Ovariohysterectomy is effective if the condition is caused by endogenous progesterone production, but additional treatment with a progesterone receptor blocker may be needed in cats treated with exogenous progestins, due to persisting high progestin concentrations even after removal of the ovaries. 45…”

“…Beta-lactam antibiotics (penicillins and cephalosporins) are considered the safest to use during pregnancy. They inhibit bacterial cell wall synthesis, are not toxic to eukaryotic cells and will also not concentrate on the fetal side of the placenta, as they are weak acids 45. Drugs that should be avoided during pregnancy include tetracyclines (may disrupt fetal bone and tooth development), aminoglycosides (associated with ototoxicity and nephrotoxicity) and trimethoprim-sulphonamides (eg, may cause neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia, cleft palate and cardiovascular defects) 46,47.…”

Intraoperative and early postoperative pain in cats that underwent ovariohysterectomy using a spay hook: a randomised, masked, experimental study

“…Ovariohysterectomy (OHE) is the surgical removal of the ovaries and uterus [ 1 ] and has been reported as the most common elective surgery in small animal practice [ 2 ]. This surgery can be used as a treatment for female genital diseases in dogs and cats, such as pyometra or uterine/ovarian neoplasia [ 1 , 3 , 4 ] and feline mammary fibroepithelial hyperplasia [ 5 ]. However, elective surgical sterilisation, aimed at population control or prevention of diseases associated with the reproductive system, is the most common indication for OHE in dogs and cats [ 1 , 3 ].…”

Feline Mammary Fibroepithelial Hyperplasia in a Pregnant Persian Cat: A Case Report

“…It's a rapid onset, benign, progesterone-associated fibroglandular proliferation of ductal epithelium and stroma of the mammary gland resulting in enlargement of one or more mammary glands without covering peripheral lymph nodes (Vitasek and Dendisova, 2006;Ucmak et al, 2011). It is hypothesised that progesterone is the important trigger for the development of FMFH, whether the source in endogenous or externally applied synthetic progestins (Kucukbekir et al, 2020;de-Melo et al, 2020). The prevalence of this mammary condition tends to be lower in areas where most cats are neutered prepubertally (Voorwald et al, 2021).…”