Canine inflammatory mammary carcinoma - Review

Abstract

The inflammatory mammary carcinoma (IMC) is a highly aggressive tumor in women and bitches, being characterized by progressive disease with a high mortality rate. Dogs with IMC present diffuse mammary gland edema with bland marking between the tissues resulting in firm plaque, warm and painful to palpation with possible skin thickening and serum-hemorrhagic secretion. Its causes are still unknown even though literature mentions that genetic, nutritional and environmental factors can be correlated to the development of mammary tumors. Due to existence of few reports about IMC in veterinary medicine and to increasing number of cases of female carriers of such disease, the objective of this paper is to review IMC in bitches focusing especially on the aspects relating to therapeutic conduct options in an attempt to improve patients’ life quality as well as prognosis of the disease. Keywords: Oncology, mammary neoplasm, bitches.