Meningiomas in dogs

BACKGROUND: Meningiomas and gliomas are the two most common types of human intracranial tumors. However, meningiomas are not exclusively human tumors and are often seen in dogs and cats. METHODS: To present meningioma surgery in dogs and compare the surgical possibilities, tumor location, and to show the differences between human and veterinary approaches to tumor profiling. Eleven dogs with meningiomas were treated surgically for 5 years. All tumors except one were resected radically (Simpson 2). Localization of tumors mirrored that of human meningiomas. RESULTS: Two dogs died in direct relation to surgery. One died 14 months after surgery due to tumor regrowth. Three dogs died of unrelated causes 10–36 months after tumor resection and five dogs are alive and tumor-free 2–42 months after surgery. CONCLUSION: Radical surgery in dogs is as effective as in humans. Thus, we propose that it should be implemented as first-line treatment. The article is meant to please all those overly curious neurosurgeons in the world.