Diagnosis and treatment of primary intraoral leiomyosarcomas in four dogs.

This paper describes the clinical and pathological features, diagnosis and management of primary intraoral leiomyosarcomas in the oral cavity of four dogs; they involved the gingivae of the rostral maxilla and mandible, the mucosa of the upper lip and the soft palate. Their features are compared with the those of leiomyosarcomas commonly encountered in the gastrointestinal tract of dogs. Two of the dogs responded well to surgical treatment; one died after its airways were obstructed by a large palatal tumour; and the fourth was lost to follow-up after its owners declined treatment.