Ectopic thymic carcinoma in the nasopharynx of a Golden Retriever

An eleven-year-old, male, neutered Golden Retriever was referred for a chronic history of stertorous breathing, inspiratory stridor and mucopurulent discharge from the left nostril. A computed tomographic (CT) scan of the head, neck and thorax revealed a nasopharyngeal mass causing bone lysis of the hard palate. There were no signs of local or distant metastatic disease. Nasopharyngoscopy confirmed a large mass, occluding the entire nasopharynx. Histopathologi cal analysis of the biopsies was indicative of a chronic inflammatory polyp. The mass was surgi cally removed through a ventral approach to the nasopharynx. Histopathological examination of the mass identified it as a thymic carcinoma arising from ectopic thymic tissue. The dog recov ered well but died of unknown causes one year later.