Novel treatment of recurrent abdominal lymphatic malformations in a dog

Abstract

An 8‐month‐old neutered male border collie mix was presented for abdominal distension, lethargy and vomiting. Computed tomography revealed a large, lobulated, fluid‐filled cystic mass within the abdomen. Following subtotal surgical resection and histopathology, a diagnosis of lymphangioma (lymphatic malformation) was made. Five months postoperatively, a recurrence of the lymphatic malformation was diagnosed. Multimodal therapy was instituted consisting of subtotal surgical resection, electrochemotherapy, sclerotherapy and radiation therapy. Ten months postoperatively and 7 months post‐radiation therapy, the dog remained without recurrence of clinical signs, and the lymphatic malformation was reduced in size. The combination of surgical resection, electrochemotherapy, sclerotherapy and radiation therapy seemed to be safe therapeutic options for abdominal lymphangiomas and may aid in medium‐term disease control.