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Multiple myeloma in a dog with multiple concurrent infectious diseases and persistent polyclonal gammopathy
Author(s) -
Geigy Caroline,
Riond Barbara,
Bley Carla Rohrer,
Grest Paula,
Kircher Patrick,
Lutz Hans
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
veterinary clinical pathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.537
H-Index - 51
eISSN - 1939-165X
pISSN - 0275-6382
DOI - 10.1111/vcp.12018
Subject(s) - medicine , ehrlichia canis , ehrlichiosis , multiple myeloma , polyuria , pathology , prednisolone , gastroenterology , immunology , antibody , serology , diabetes mellitus , endocrinology , tick , veterinary medicine
A 12‐year‐old, spayed female, mixed‐breed dog was presented for acute hematuria, stranguria, polyuria, and polydipsia, as well as lameness for 8 days. Previous medical history included treatment for infection with E hrlichia canis , A naplasma phagocytophilum , L eishmania infantum , and D irofilaria immitis 6.5 years prior to presentation. Besides persistently increased antibody titers to E canis and A phagocytophilum , polyclonal gammopathy with a monoclonal spike and moderate hypercalcemia were observed. There was marked hematuria, and S taphylococcus aureus was cultured from urine. Two weeks after successful treatment of the urinary tract infection, radiographs showed an extensive destructive monostotic lesion of the right humerus. Cytologic examination of fine‐needle aspirates of this lesion revealed a neoplastic round cell population suggestive of multiple myeloma. The dog was treated with melphalan and prednisolone for suspected multiple myeloma and doxycycline for suspected ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis. Treatments lead to resolution of the clinical signs, hypercalcemia, and monoclonal gammopathy, and there was radiographic improvement of bone lesions; polyclonal gammopathy persisted. About one year after presentation the dog was still in clinical remission. This is a rare report of a dog with suspected multiple myeloma and a history of multiple chronic infectious diseases, suggesting that chronic infection and uncontrolled long‐term stimulation of the immune system could contribute to the pathogenesis of multiple myeloma.