• DVM360_Conference_Charlotte,NC_banner
  • ACVCACVC
  • DVM 360
  • Fetch DVM 360Fetch DVM 360
DVM 360
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
By Role
AssociatesOwnersPractice ManagerStudentsTechnicians
Subscriptions
dvm360 Newsletterdvm360 Magazine
News
All News
Association
Breaking News
Conference Coverage
Education
Equine
FDA
Law & Ethics
Market Trends
Medical
Politics
Products
Recalls
Regulatory
Digital Media
dvm360 LIVE!™
Expert Interviews
The Vet Blast Podcast
Medical World News
Pet Connections
The Dilemma Live
Vet Perspectives™
Weekly Newscast
dvm360 Insights™
Publications
All Publications
dvm360
Firstline
Supplements
Vetted
Clinical
All Clinical
Anesthesia
Animal Welfare
Behavior
Cardiology
CBD in Pets
Dentistry
Dermatology
Diabetes
Emergency & Critical Care
Endocrinology
Equine Medicine
Exotic Animal Medicine
Feline Medicine
Gastroenterology
Imaging
Infectious Diseases
Integrative Medicine
Nutrition
Oncology
Ophthalmology
Orthopedics
Pain Management
Parasitology
Pharmacy
Surgery
Toxicology
Urology & Nephrology
Virtual Care
Business
All Business
Business & Personal Finance
Hospital Design
Personnel Management
Practice Finances
Practice Operations
Wellbeing & Lifestyle
Continuing Education
Conferences
Conference Listing
Conference Proceedings
Resources
CBD in Pets
CE Requirements by State
Contests
Veterinary Heroes
Partners
Spotlight Series
Team Meeting in a Box
Toolkit
Top Recommended Veterinary Products
Vet to Vet
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

Advertisement
By Role
  • Associates
  • Owners
  • Practice Manager
  • Students
  • Technicians
Subscriptions
  • dvm360 Newsletter
  • dvm360 Magazine
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us
  • MJHLS Brand Logo

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences™ and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

Dental corner: Lingual squamous cell carcinoma

December 1, 2012

Firstline's Dental Corner offers an up-close look at interesting and life-saving dental procedures and the technician's role in veterinary dental support and care.

An 11-year-old spayed female Chesapeake Bay retriever was presented to the University of Pennsylvania's Dentistry and Oral Surgery Service because of a mass on her tongue. The owners had noticed what they thought was a blister on the dog's tongue, and the referring veterinarian had biopsied the mass. The histopathologic results were squamous cell carcinoma. The lymph nodes were not enlarged, and three-view thoracic radiographs showed no evidence of metastasis.

Squamous cell carcinoma is the second most common malignant tumor reported in dogs.1 It can occur anywhere, but it often affects the tonsils or tongue. Early surgical intervention is ideal but requires large margins—up to 3 cm. Because the tumor was located on the middle or body of the tongue, it was thought that surgery was a viable option.

Advertisement

About 80 percent of the tongue was resected. An esophagostomy tube was placed to provide nutrition and medications postoperatively. A fentanyl patch was placed on the dog's chest to provide analgesia. The incision site seeped periodically for several days, but the patient was bright and alert and was sent home with antibiotics and detailed feeding instructions. She wore an Elizabethan collar for two weeks after the surgery and continued to do well at home, eventually re-learning how to eat and drink water. The owners had to make tiny meatballs and hold them at an incline so the dog could swallow them. It took several weeks, but she learned how to suck up water instead of lapping it up with her tongue. The esophagostomy tube was removed after six weeks.

At her one-year recheck, there was no evidence of metastasis, the lymph nodes were of normal size, and the chest radiographs were clean. The doctors were concerned about her ability to regulate her temperature in the summer months because of her inability to pant, but the owners were diligent about keeping her cool at all times. She still has the base of her tongue and drools more than usual, but otherwise she leads a happy, healthy life.

Patricia March is a technician at Animal Dental Center in Baltimore, Md., and the current president of the Academy of Veterinary Dental Technicians (AVDT).

Reference

1. Withrow SJ, Vail D. Withrow and MacEwen's small animal clinical oncology, 4th ed. St. Louis, Mo.: Saunders-Elsevier, 2007;455,457.

Related Content:

Technicians
Veterinary tech students awarded national scholarship
Veterinary tech students awarded national scholarship
AAHA seeks applicants for its board, including for a newly created veterinary technician role
AAHA seeks applicants for its board, including for a newly created veterinary technician role
A technician’s true value
A technician’s true value

Advertisement

Latest News

3 Must-sees for Women's History Month

News wrap-up: This week’s headlines, plus Embrace announces its top Irish pet names

Oldest tortoise at Houston Zoo becomes father to 3 hatchlings

Veterinary tech students awarded national scholarship

View More Latest News
Advertisement