Diagnosis of nasal tumors in dogs: value of rhinoscopy assisted biopsies

Rhinoscopy assisted biopsy gives a diagnostic information in dogs with nasal diseases without the invasiveness, costs and risks of surgery that, when a neoplastic lesion is diagnosed, does not to affect survival times. Thirtythree cases of canine nasal tumors were studied. Brushin g cytology under fiberoptic endoscopy was carried out in all cases. Histopathological confirmation of neoplasias was based on fiberoptic endoscopic pinch biopsy, surgical biopsy or necropsy. Neoplasia was diagnosed only by means of cytology in 23 cases (70%). In 9 cases cytology gave a false negative diagnosis and, in 1 case of sarcoma a false positive diagnosis of carcinoma. Pinch biopsies were diagnostic for neoplasias in 16 cases (67%). Combining the results of brush cytology and pinch biopsies a diagnosis of neoplasias was given in all cases but one (95,6%) These results indicate non surgical techniques as reliable tools in the diagnosis of canine nasal neoplasias; in particular the combination of both techniques greatly increases the diagnostic sensistivity.