Diagnosis and surgical management of an extraskeletal osteosarcoma of the brachial plexus in a Belgian shepherd dog

Authors
Z R Nalborczyk, E Hall, R Cappello, G Polton, A Groth
Journal
J Small Anim Pract. 2024 Jul 4. doi: 10.1111/jsap.13757.

An 11-year-old Belgian shepherd presented with progressive right thoracic limb lameness.

Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a brachial plexus neoplasm and cytology was suggestive of a sarcoma. The patient underwent forequarter amputation and hemilaminectomy of the fifth cervical to first thoracic vertebrae with nerve root transection.

Histopathology confirmed extraskeletal osteosarcoma. Twelve months post-operatively, the dog was exercising normally, and computed tomography did not identify local recurrence or metastatic disease.

This is the first recorded case of canine brachial plexus extraskeletal osteosarcoma.