A Case Report of Presumptive Primary Lymphedema Localized to the Face of a Dog

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Canine primary lymphedema is a rare condition, mostly observed in young dogs as an edema of the hind leg(s). There are only a few reports of this condition, but the patients generally have considerably impaired quality of life, and their prognosis is usually guarded. This case report describes clinical, radiographic, and histologic findings of a one-year-old German Shorthair Pointer with a unique presentation of a presumed primary lymphedema localized to the muzzle with a mild course of disease. ABSTRACT: Primary lymphedema (PLE) is an uncommon diagnosis in veterinary medicine, with most of the previously described cases showing lower limb edema associated with a guarded long-term prognosis. To the authors’ knowledge, this case report describes the first case of lymphedema localized unilaterally to the facial region of one-year-old German Shorthair Pointer, in which indirect CT-lymphography, combined with histopathologic examination of the skin, resulted in a tentative diagnosis of PLE.