Mammary gland lymphoma in a 7-year-old German Shepherd bitch

Abstract

Mammary gland tumors are commonly observed in older, intact female dogs, while male dogs are rarely affected. The incidence of mammary gland tumors in dogs is significantly higher than in other domestic species, accounting for about 50% of tumor cases in dogs. A 7-year-old intact German Shepherd bitch was presented at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Ibadan, with swollen mammary glands and a history of conception failure, despite a successful mating a few months prior. Samples were collected using the fine needle aspirate technique from the swollen inguinal mammary glands and popliteal lymph nodes for cytological examination, which revealed confirmatory evidence suggestive of lymphoma. This article describes the mammary gland tumor in an adult intact bitch and her subsequent euthanasia due to tumor metastasis.