Chemotherapeutical approach in a dog affected by trasmissible venereal tumour (TVT) and leishmaniosis

The association of canine TVT and leishmaniosis is not rare in Sicily, where both diseases are endemic. A 6 year old mixed breed dog was admitted for leishmaniosis (IFAT: 1600), with severe symptoms including anemia, thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, increased liver enzyme levels, epistaxis and melena, concomitant to genital, cutaneous and genigival proliferative TVTs. After hemotransfusion, chemotherapy with metronidazole (25mg/Kg daily per os), antihemorrhagics and hepatoprotectors, was administered for 15 days, with significant improvement of blood and liver parameters. A stronger antileishmanial treatment with N-methyl glucamine antimoniate (50mg/Kg daily im) was then given for 30 days. Leishmaniosis symptomatology ceased while TVT nodules showed no evidence of regression and appeared a little enlarged. Vincristine (0,025mg/Kg weekly iv) was then given for 4 weeks, until no more neoplastic cells could be found in cytological smears. Moreover leishmaniosis symptoms re-emerged, maybe due to the antiblastic drug, indicating a further cycle of antimonials followed by a longer allopurinol administration (30mg/Kg daily per os). Two year follow-up showed no recurrence of either TVT or leishmaniosis.