Metastatic Kidney Carcinoma Causing Paralysis of Pelvic Limbs in a Dog

Abstract

A 12-year-old male Maltese dog was presented with a history of shivering episodes. Radiographs revealed a mass in the left kidney that was histopathologically classified as a renal cell carcinoma. After nephrectomy, pelvic limbs became paralyzed. Spinal cord and lung metastases were detected via histopathological examination and confirmed by immunohistochemistry. Both pan-cytoketatin and Ki67 assays tested positive in the kidney, lung, and spinal cord. Interestingly, COX-2 had mild immunoreactivity in the kidney, but its labeling was intense in the spinal cord and lung. Though seemingly rare, the spinal cord may possibly be a focus point for metastasis of renal cell carcinomas. Because symptoms can easily be misunderstood, late diagnoses would not be uncommon and may hinder clinical management of the disease. (c) 2015 PVJ. All rights reserved