HEMANGIOSARCOMA

Article written by Dr. MaryDee Sist, DVM

SALUKI HEART HEMANGIOSARCOMA — partial outline of the presentation given at the annual meeting of the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians, Nov. 2000 by Tom Bell DVM PhD, Pathologist, Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory, Michigan State University and MaryDee Sist DVM, Saluki Health Research

HEMANGIOSARCOMA (HSA)

  • Is a highly malignant tumor of cells lining the inside of blood vessels
  • Appear as blood filled cysts
  • Readily spread via the blood stream
  • Sites ~ skin 33%, spleen 29%, heart (CHSA) 7%, other 31%
CARDIAC HEMANGIOSARCOMA (CHSA)

  • Occurs in the right atrium of the heart
  • Has a poor long-term prognosis
  • Is not amenable to surgical removal
  • Metastasizes to the lungs, liver and spleen
  • Reported to make up 46% of cardiac tumors*
CHSA AND HSA INCIDENCE AT MSU, ANIMAL HEALTH DIAGNOSTIC LAB

  • HSA ~ 0.86% of all biopsy/necropsy (659/77,883) samples 1990-99
  • CHSA ~ 0.073% (56/77,883)
  • CHSA ~ 0.087% (633/729,265) National VMDB 1982-95*
SALUKI HEART PATHOLOGY STUDY

  • Initially cardiomyopathy was the concern
  • Hearts were requested from sudden death dogs
  • 55 Saluki hearts were examined as of June, 2000
  • 31% of the Saluki hearts received had CHSA (17/55)
MSU CHSA BREED DISTRIBUTION

  • Saluki (17/55) = 30.9%
  • Golden Retriever (119/5196) = 0.023%
  • German Shepherd (37/2796) = 0.013%
  • Labrador Retriever (47/5159) =0.009%
  • Boxer (16/2033) = 0.008%
  • Both VMDB* and MSU data suggest SALUKI breed susceptibility to tumor induction
  • VMDB* data suggests breed resistance (Pomeranian, Pug, Jack Russell and Cocker)
ADDITIONAL FINDINGS IN THE SALUKI HEART PATHOLOGY STUDY

  • 47% had one or more form of cancer
  • 58% had myxomatous mitral valve degenerative changes
  • 47% had narrowing of the small arteries in the heart
  • 5% had congenital tricuspid insufficiency
  • 5% had mineralization of the aorta
  • 2% had congenital mitral insufficiency
  • 2 dogs had cardiomyopathy
*National Veterinary Medical Data Base (VMDB) from Ware & Hopper, J Vet Intern Med 1999

By actively soliciting owner submissions of Saluki hearts, it is apparent that we have uncovered an alarming incidence of cancer in our breed. Saluki Health Research continues to finance this study and is exploring various avenues of further investigation.