Long‐term survival following surgical resection of pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma of the urinary bladder in a dog

Rhabdomyosarcoma of the urinary bladder is extremely uncommon in dogs, and pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma of the urinary bladder has not been previously reported. An 11‐year‐old, female, spayed, crossbreed dog presented with pollakiuria and haematuria. Diagnostic imaging revealed a vascularised mass protruding into the bladder lumen at the cranial aspect of the urinary bladder, with no evidence of regional lymph node involvement or distant metastasis. Partial cystectomy was performed to preserve bladder function. Histopathological and immunohistochemical examination led to a diagnosis of pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma with tumour‐free surgical margins. Postoperatively, the dog was treated with piroxicam, and clinical signs resolved. Long‐term survival was achieved with no evidence of local recurrence or distant metastasis at 1043 days after surgery. This case demonstrates that pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma of the urinary bladder may occur in elderly dogs and that long‐term survival may be achieved with bladder‐sparing surgery when complete excision is feasible.