DoHyeon Yu

Feline extramedullary plasmacytoma (EMP) is an uncommon plasma cell neoplasm typically regarded as biologically benign; however, its clinical behaviour may be heterogeneous. This case report describes an aggressive gingival EMP in a 14‐year‐old neutered male Turkish Angora cat, characterised by alveolar bone lysis and cytologically confirmed regional lymph node metastasis in the absence of systemic features consistent with multiple myeloma. Histopathological examination revealed an infiltrative round cell neoplasm with high mitotic index, and strong diffuse MUM‐1 immunoreactivity confirmed the diagnosis. As complete surgical excision was declined, and tumour regrowth occurred after repeated radiation therapy, electrochemotherapy (ECT) was selected for local tumour control. Bleomycin (15,000 IU/m ² IV) was administered before pulse delivery, and three ECT sessions were performed at weekly intervals. The tumour volume decreased by more than 70%, which was consistent with a partial response, and only mild self‐limiting local adverse effects were observed. No systemic toxicity was observed. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report describing the use of ECT for feline gingival EMP. This case highlights the potential biological heterogeneity of feline EMP and suggests that ECT may provide short‐term local tumour reduction and palliation when complete surgical excision is not feasible.

Diagnosing early-stage canine diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is challenging due to partial lymph node effacement, often requiring a multimodal approach. This report describes a stage II DLBCL case in an 11-year-old dog where definitive diagnosis was achieved by integrating histopathology, immunohistochemistry, and polymerase chain reaction for antigen receptor rearrangement after inconclusive initial testing. Treatment began with a CHOP (cyclophosphamide, hydroxydaunorubicin, oncovin, prednisone) protocol based on ex vivo chemosensitivity results but was de-escalated to vincristine monotherapy due to severe adverse events, including grade 4 neutropenia. Despite discontinuing chemotherapy due to persistent hematologic toxicity, the patient remains in complete remission 5 months post-treatment. This case illustrates the necessity of diagnostic validation in early-stage disease and suggests that chemosensitivity-guided therapeutic de-escalation can achieve effective control while minimizing toxicity.

Background: Serum biomarkers can underestimate renal damage in dogs with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). Hypothesis/Objectives: To identify differences in proteinuria patterns between dogs with and without SIRS using sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and evaluate its value as an early diagnostic and prognostic indicator. Animals: Client-owned, proteinuric dogs with (n = 10) and without (n = 21) SIRS. Methods: In this retrospective study, urine electropherograms from SDS-PAGE were used to identify and quantify low molecular weight (LMW) and high molecular weight (HMW) protein bands. The LMW/HMW ratio was calculated for each dog and analyzed for correlations with the acute patient physiologic and laboratory evaluation (APPLE) full (APPLEfull) and fast (APPLEfast) scores and death within 2, 4, and 8 weeks. Results: The LMW/HMW ratio and the proportion of proteins with molecular weights of 20-30 kDa were significantly higher in the SIRS than in the non-SIRS group (P < .001 and P = .018). The LMW/HMW ratio correlated with inflammatory (C-reactive protein, globulin, white blood cell, and band neutrophil counts) and renal markers (blood urea nitrogen and symmetric dimethylarginine; rho = 0.381-0.786, all P < .05). The LMW/HMW ratio showed a high predictive value for death within 2 (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.844, 95%CI, 0.597-1.091), 4 (AUC = 0.867, 95%CI, 0.682-1.041), and 8 weeks (AUC = 0.944, 95%CI, 0.802-1.087). Conclusions and clinical importance: An increased LMW/HMW ratio, reflecting elevated LMW proteinuria, can be a reliable diagnostic and prognostic indicator for early renal damage in dogs with SIRS.

Background: Cerebrovascular accident (CVA) is an under-recognized cause of acute neurological dysfunction in dogs. Although magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) supports diagnosis, the limited access and overlapping imaging features complicate its interpretation. Blood-based inflammatory indices such as the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) have shown diagnostic and prognostic value in human stroke; however, their clinical relevance in canine CVA has not been validated. Objectives: To evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic utility of the NLR and SII in dogs with MRI-confirmed CVA compared to healthy controls. Methods: Seventeen dogs with CVA and 20 healthy controls were analyzed retrospectively. The NLR and SII were calculated from complete blood counts at presentation. Functional outcomes were assessed using the Canine Functional Stroke Score (CFSS₀, CFSS₃₀). Associations with 30-day survival were analyzed between groups. Results: Dogs with CVA had significantly higher NLR and SII values than healthy controls. The receiver operating characteristic curves yielded areas under the curves of 0.82 (95% CI: 0.68–0.96) for NLR and 0.85 (95% CI: 0.71–0.99) for SII. The optimal cutoffs determined by the Youden index were 3.92 for NLR (sensitivity 70.6%, specificity 90.0%) and 1,352 for SII (sensitivity 76.5%, specificity 90.0%). Both markers were moderately correlated with poorer 30-day recovery. The SII was significantly higher in non-survivors than in survivors. Baseline CFSS was not significantly correlated with the degree of functional improvement but was significantly higher in non-survivors. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression model, neither the NLR nor the SII were significantly associated with survival. Although individual predictors did not reach statistical significance, the overall model demonstrated a significant association with 30-day survival. In the dichotomized analysis, the SII model demonstrated an improved model fit for predicting mortality, whereas the NLR model showed a poorer fit. Kaplan–Meier analysis showed that the high-SII group had lower survival rates than the low-SII group, while no significant difference in survival was observed between the NLR groups. Conclusion: NLR and SII may help differentiate dogs with CVA from healthy dogs and reflect clinical outcomes. The SII also shows potential prognostic value for short-term survival.

Lymphoma is the most common malignant neoplasm in dogs. However, retrobulbar lymphoma, a type of orbital lymphoma, is rarely reported in dogs. An 8‐year‐old neutered male Shih Tzu dog presented with bilateral exophthalmos. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed bilateral retrobulbar masses and enlargement of the salivary glands and cranial mediastinum. Histopathological examination and immunohistochemistry of the retrobulbar tissue confirmed large B‐cell lymphoma. On the cytologic analysis, intermediate‐to‐large malignant lymphocytes were predominant in the retrobulbar tissue (>80%); however, they accounted for 30%–50% of the cranial mediastinum, submandibular lymph nodes and salivary glands. Flow cytometry of the retrobulbar lesion showed a B‐cell phenotype (cluster of differentiation [CD]3 ⁻ /CD4 ⁻ /CD5 ⁻ /CD8 ⁻ /CD21 ⁺ /CD34 ⁻ /CD79a ⁺ /major histocompatibility complex II), whereas the cranial mediastinum, submandibular lymph node and salivary gland exhibited a heterogeneous cell population. Polymerase chain reaction for antigen receptor rearrangement demonstrated clonality with immunoglobulin gene rearrangement, indicating a B‐cell origin. Chemotherapy with l ‐asparaginase, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin and prednisone was initiated; however, neurological symptoms developed after the first cycle. Subsequent cerebrospinal fluid cytology and flow cytometry suggested central nervous system involvement in the lymphoma, and the dog was euthanized owing to disease progression despite the addition of lomustine. To our knowledge, this is the first report of bilateral retrobulbar large B‐cell lymphoma with multifocal involvement in a dog. A comprehensive assessment of diagnostic modalities is essential to diagnose extranodal lymphoma and assess extranodal involvement.

Traditional cancer diagnostics in veterinary medicine are limited by invasiveness and insufficient sensitivity for real-time molecular monitoring. This review critically evaluates the clinical applicability of somatic mutation profiling and liquid biopsy technologies to establish an evidence-based, tiered framework for precision oncology in canine patients, with emphasis on veterinary-specific constraints and technology selection. Key somatic biomarkers demonstrate strong clinical utility: BRAF V595E achieves > 80% diagnostic sensitivity in canine urothelial carcinoma and is detectable non-invasively in urine via droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR). The multicenter cancer detection in dogs (CANDiD) study demonstrated circulating tumor DNA-based liquid biopsy achieves 54.7% overall sensitivity and 98.5% specificity, though stage I detection remains critically limited at 16.1%, underscoring the current gap for early-stage screening. Minimal residual disease assessment via allele-specific oligonucleotide-PCR and next-generation sequencing enables detection of molecular relapse 42-168 days before clinical manifestation in canine lymphoma. However, analytical variability across platforms, lack of standardized pipelines, and high cost represent significant barriers to routine veterinary application. Genomic-guided oncology offers substantial clinical value for canine cancer management yet requires veterinary-specific validation before broad adoption. Targeted sequencing panels currently represent the optimal balance of cost-effectiveness and clinical utility for most veterinary practitioners, while ddPCR is preferred for longitudinal tracking of known mutations. Liquid biopsy cannot serve as a standalone screening tool at present, but functions as a valuable complementary monitoring approach. Continued canine-specific biomarker research and multicenter data sharing are essential prerequisites for integrating precision medicine into routine veterinary care.

This report presents the first detection of canine circovirus (CanineCV) in South Korea, which was identified in a dog with hemorrhagic diarrhea. A 5-year-old male Golden Retriever presented with acute, watery and bloody diarrhea that had persisted for three weeks. Pathologically, granulomatous inflammation, fibrinoid vasculitis, and hemorrhagic foci were observed in the small intestine and mesenteric lymph nodes. Characteristic intracytoplasmic amphophilic inclusion bodies were observed in histiocytic cells within the granulomatous lesions. CanineCV was amplified by polymerase chain reaction from the small intestine, mesenteric lymph nodes, and fecal samples. A genomic analysis of the complete capsid gene from the Korean strain of CanineCV revealed that it shares the highest nucleotide and amino acid sequence similarities, at 94.2% and 94.1% respectively, with the American UCD3-478 isolate. Phylogenetic analysis based on the nucleotide sequence of the capsid gene classified the Korean strain as type 4 CanineCV. This case highlights the importance of genomic surveillance for emerging pathogens in South Korea and lays the groundwork for further research into the epidemiology and pathogenicity of CanineCV in canine enteric diseases.

Myelodysplastic syndrome/myeloproliferative neoplasm (MDS/MPN) is a clonal myeloid disorder with overlapping features of MDS and MPN. This study reports a case of an MDS/MPN in a dog, offering insights into its clinical presentation, diagnostic approach, and potential practical limitations. An 18‐year‐old intact female mixed‐breed dog presented with severe anaemia for 1 month. A complete blood count revealed severe non‐regenerative anaemia with marked monocytosis, lymphocytosis, and moderate thrombocytopenia. A peripheral blood smear examination confirmed dysplastic changes, including hypersegmented neutrophils and monocytes with segmented nuclei. The manual differential count of 400 WBCs confirmed neutrophilia and marked monocytosis. The polymerase chain reaction result for infectious agents causing anaemia was negative. Flow cytometric immunophenotyping revealed 45% granulocytes in the peripheral blood, which were CD14 ⁺ (low) and CD34 ⁻ and negative for lymphoid markers (CD5 ⁻ /CD21 ⁻ ). Monocytes comprised 30% of the population, which were CD14 ⁺ (high), CD34 ⁻ , CD5 ⁻ , and CD21 ⁻ . Bone marrow aspiration cytology revealed marked myeloid hyperplasia with dysplastic changes and erythroid and megakaryocytic hypoplasia. Bone marrow blasts were 16%. No clinical improvement was observed following an immunosuppressive trial for a possible immune‐mediated aetiology. Although bone marrow histopathology and necropsy were not performed, the dog was tentatively diagnosed with MDS/MPN. Despite chemotherapy with cytarabine arabinoside and doxorubicin, the dog succumbed 6 days later. This illustrates the clinical presentation, cytological, and immunophenotypic characteristics of an uncommon myeloid disorder, MDS/MPN, which is recently included in veterinary medicine classification, underscoring the need for clear diagnostic criteria and further research to better characterize and differentiate myeloid neoplasms in veterinary oncology.

Introduction: Interest in lyophilized plasma products has increased. However, data on their use in dogs are limited. This study aimed to evaluate the in vitro stability and hemostatic efficacy of single-donor lyophilized canine plasma. Methods: Ten canine plasma units were lyophilized and stored at −80 °C, 4 °C, room temperature, and 38 °C for 45 days. The plasma compositions before and after lyophilization were compared to assess the impact of the lyophilization. The following parameters were assessed to evaluate storage stability: blood gas analysis, biochemical parameters, coagulation profiles [prothrombin time (PT); activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT); fibrinogen concentration; the activities of coagulation factors II, V, VIII, IX, X, and XII, as well as those of antithrombin (AT); and protein C], and kaolin-activated thromboelastography. Aerobic bacterial cultures were performed using thioglycollate broth to assess sterility. Lyophilized plasma samples were reconstituted to 50, 60, 80, and 100% of the original plasma volume to assess the effects of different reconstitution volumes on plasma components. Total protein, albumin, osmolality, selected coagulation factors (II and V), fibrinogen, and AT were measured and compared across the reconstituted groups. Results: Lyophilization decreased the partial pressure of carbon dioxide and increased the pH. No other significant immediate changes were observed. Plasma stored at −80 °C and 4 °C maintained stable biochemical and coagulation profiles over 45 days of storage, with only a slight but statistically significant decrease in fibrinogen concentrations on Days 30 and 45 for refrigerated conditions when compared with post-lyophilization values. Significant reductions in the activities of coagulation factors II, V, and VIII were observed at room temperature by Day 45, whereas PT, aPTT, and thromboelastography remained within normal reference ranges relative to the post-lyophilization values. Storage at 38 °C led to marked deterioration in coagulation function, as evidenced by the prolonged PT and aPTT, substantial decline in fibrinogen concentrations, and >50% reduction in the activity of all assessed coagulation factors relative to the post-lyophilization values. The AT activity declined for all storage groups, whereas protein C and thromboelastography profiles remained relatively stable, except at 38 °C. No bacterial growth was observed in any reconstituted plasma samples across all storage temperature and time points. Reconstitution at lower volumes (50 and 60%) increased the concentrations of albumin and activities of coagulation factors and osmolality. Conclusion: The lyophilization process did not significantly affect the concentrations or activities of major plasma proteins, including coagulation factors and anticoagulant proteins. Storage at −80 °C and 4 °C for 45 days preserved the stability of biochemical and hemostatic parameters. However, storage at room temperature resulted in minor reductions in select coagulation factors (such as factors II, V, and VIII). PT, aPTT, and thromboelastography parameters remained within the normal reference ranges, confirming the short-term stability of the product. Changes in the reconstitution volume affected plasma concentration and highlighted the potential of lyophilized plasma as a rapid resuscitative product in veterinary medicine.