Intratracheal ostechondroma in an old dog – a case report

Abstract

Primary tracheal neoplasms are uncommon in dogs and cats. Affected animals are generally middle-aged or older, except those that develop osteochondromas. Clinical signs are consistent with upper airway obstruction, most often including cough, intolerance to exercise, breathing difficulty and cyanosis. Diagnosis is usually achieved with a simple radiographic evaluation, while the tracheoscopy allows direct visualization and sampling of the lesion. Neoplastic lesions should be differentiated from other structures such as foreign bodies and polyps. This article reports the case of a 15-year-old female German Shepherd that had a one-year history of progressive dyspnea and cough. Survey radiography helped disclose a mass, but the definite diagnosis was achieved by means of a tracheoscopy followed by biopsy and histopathological exam of the tumor.