Multiple myeloma in a dog / Mieloma múltiplo em cão

ABSTRACT

Background: The multiple myeloma is a neoplasia characterized by the uncontrolled proliferation of plasma cells (plasmacytes) in the bone marrow and in other tissues. The infiltration of the neoplasia cells associated to the high level of anomalous immunoglobulin production (M protein) results in a variety of clinic-pathologic anomalies. It is a rare disease in dogs, corresponding to 0.3% of all malignant neoplasia and 2% of the hematopoietic, with few literature descriptions. So, the present paper aims at properly report a multiple myeloma in a dog of non-defined breed, emphasizing the clinic, laboratorial, radiographic and pathologic aspects. Case In a Veterinary Teaching Hospital, an 11-year-old dog of non-defined breed was admitted, weighing 10.8 kg of body mass. The clinic history was claudication of the right thoracic member, hyporexia and lethargy in the past 20 days. The main abnormalities in the physical examination were holosystolic cardiac murmur III/VI on mitral focus, and high sensibility to touch in the right humerus. Laboratory tests showed pancytopenia, serum hypercalcemia and Bence-Jones proteinuria. Radiographic examination confirmed polyostotic punctate osteolysis on the right humerus; pelvic, femurs and vertebrae bones from L2 to L7, on generalized condition. Cytology by aspiration puncture from the left femur marrow bone did not confirm neoplasia cells [...]