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Malignant Histiocytosis, Histiocytoma
Histiocytosis is a general name for a group of syndromes. These syndromes all include an abnormal increase in the number of certain immune cells, called histiocyte cells. Histiocyte cells include monocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells.
The abnormal increase in the number of certain immune cells may form tumors, which can affect various parts of the body. Certain breeds, such as Bernese Mountain Dog, are particularly prone to a malignant skin condition called cutaneous histiocytosis which resembles malignant histiocytosis of man (also called disseminated histiocytic sarcoma). This condition occurs most commonly in dogs between three to eight years of age. Dogs develop red plaques or nodules in the skin (1 to 5 cm diameter). The lesions seem to wax and wane and appeared in new sites, regardless of treatment. Other lymph nodes, liver, spleen, and central nervous system are also frequently involved in which case dogs often develop systemic (affecting the whole body) histiocytosis.
with marked chemosis.
An affected individual often presents with weight and appetite loss, lethargy, labored breathing, anemia, coughing and conjunctivitis.
Diagnosis & Treatment
Diagnosis is made by visual examination and biopsy. The disease course is characterized by remissions and relapses not clearly influenced by conventional therapeutic measures. In systemic histiocytosis, treatment with glucocorticoids and cytotoxic immunosuppressive drugs may help in the mildest cases. Histiocytosis does not respond well to chemotherapy, and the condition is usually fatal.
Histiocytoma
Benign cutaneous histiocytoma is skin tumor with a round, raised, hairless, and often red appearance. This type of histiocytomas is the proliferation of epidermotropic Langerhans cells and most often occurs in young dogs between 1 and 3 years old.
Some histiocytomas will shrink and eventually disappear following topical treatment with corticosteroid drugs. Treatment for benign and for solitary and non-numerous multiple nodules include surgery, electrosurgery and cryotherapy, usually with excellent prognosis.
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