Clinical features of brain tumors in dogs in the Moscow region: a retrospective study

For the first time in the history of Russian veterinary medicine, a retrospective analysis of the clinical features of brain tumors (BT) in dogs was carried out. The study was conducted in the Moscow region in 2018-2024 on the basis of the Biocontrol veterinary clinic. The aim of the study is to determine the frequency, localization and clinical manifestations of BT. The data of 54,142 dogs were analyzed, of which 150 had BT (1.2% of oncological cases, 0.28% of the total number of patients). The average age was 9.4 years. Most often, BT was recorded in cross-breed, French bulldogs, Cane Corso and German shepherds. Brachycephalic breeds showed a predisposition to intra-axial lesions, mesocephalic to extra-axial. There was no gender predisposition. The main clinical manifestations included convulsions, ataxia, paresis and changes in consciousness depending on the location of the tumor. The median tumor volume was 6 cm³ for extra-axial and 9.4 cm³ for intra-axial lesions. Histological verification was performed in 23 patients. Diagnosis was carried out using MRI (1.5 Tesla), histology and immunohistochemistry. The study showed the need for histological analysis of BT for accurate typing of lesions and emphasized the importance of developing methods of imaging and invasive diagnosis in veterinary medicine. The data obtained partially differ from foreign ones, which is due to the difference in the breed sampling of the dog population. Unique results can serve as a basis for the development of standardized protocols for the diagnosis and treatment of canine BT.