A cutaneous histiocytoma is a benign skin tumor. It consists of an accumulation of a large amount of histiocytes in the skin. Histiocytes are cells that are involved in the immune system. We usually see histiocytomas in young dogs up to the age of 3 years.
In a short time there is a skin tumor ranging from a few millimeters to a few centimeters. Usually they are at the head, lips, ears, neck, legs and chest. They are not painful and do not cause itching, unless there is an inflammation. If they start to itch because of the inflammation, it means that the body is cleaning them up. Regularly this swelling looks fiery and choppy.
Diagnosis
The age of the animal, the location and the appearance of the anomaly already give a strong suspicion. Yet it is very important to get certainty through a biopsy. There are also other tumors with the same appearance that are malignant. A thin needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB: fine needle aspiration biopsy) or just collect some material by scraping over it with an object glass and smearing it out is sufficient to make the diagnosis, after staining with e.g. Diff-Quick (for the trained eye) if there is a histiocytoma, there are loose cells with often large cell nuclei, in which a coarse chromatin structure can be observed.
Treatment / prognosis
Most cutaneous histiocytomas disappear spontaneously within one to one and a half months. Often we see that after taking the aspiration biopsy the tumor becomes more active (redder and wetter) and then disappears within a few weeks. Of course it is possible to remove it by means of surgery. In general this is not necessary, only for the exception.
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With thanks to Cees Koopman, veterinarian.
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