Penile Varicose Vein in Akita inu, 7-Year-Old Dog: A Clinico-Pathological Study

Abstract

Penile varicose veins are a rare lesion described in human medicine. A seven-year-old intact Akita inu male dog presented with a red penile neoformation. It was further referred for a specialist andrological examination. During the visit, ultrasonography of genital apparatus and cytology of the penile lesion were performed. A suspected neoformation of vascular origin was observed on ultrasonography. Cytology was inconclusive as composition of the sample revealed blood elements only. The neoformation was surgically removed and the excised sample was submitted for the histological examination, which revealed an anomalous varicose dilatation of the venous vascular structures. In human medicine, varicose veins are part of the spectrum of chronic venous disease and include spider telangiectasia, reticular veins, and true varicosities. Reports of penile localization of varicose veins is rare in human medicine and, to the best of our knowledge, it has never been reported in veterinary medicine.