Prognosis and associated risk factors after conservative management of dogs with liver tumors.

BACKGROUND

Information is limited regarding prognosis for conservatively managed hepatic tumors in dogs.

HYPOTHESIS/

OBJECTIVES

Report prognosis and identify prognostic factors in dogs with conservatively managed hepatic tumors.

ANIMALS: Client-owned dogs (n = 49) with hepatic tumors characterized by computed tomography (CT) without directed treatment that had died or were euthanized by the time of analysis.

METHODS

Retrospective, single institutional study utilizing the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center medical record system to identify all dogs from 2013 to 2023 that met the inclusion criteria. Data collected included signalment, presenting complaints, blood test results, diagnosis, tumor imaging characteristics, and date of death.

RESULTS

Median survival time from date of diagnosis was 313 days (range, 2-1308). Dogs with a presenting complaint of weight loss (P = .03) had a significantly shorter median survival time (128 days) than those without weight loss (341 days). Dogs presented with abdominal effusion (P = .03) had a significantly shorter median survival time (227 days) than dogs without effusion (331.5 days). Dogs with multiple hepatic masses (P = .004) had a significantly shorter median survival time (209.5 days) than dogs with a solitary mass (346 days). Higher aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activity and lower hematocrit (Hct) within 30 days of CT were associated with shorter median survival times (P = .02 and P = .01, respectively). Tumor volume/body weight ratio was not significantly related to survival time (P = .8).

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL

IMPORTANCE

Poor prognostic factors for dogs with hepatic tumors include weight loss, abdominal effusion, multiple hepatic masses, increased AST activity, and low Hct.