Histomorphological study of canine superficial tumours in Thrissur district

Canine superficial tumours are among the most frequently diagnosed neoplasms in dogs, arising from the skin, mucosa and underlying connective tissues, and they exhibit wide biological diversity ranging from benign growths to highly malignant lesions with metastatic potential. Between May 2024 and July 2025, a total of 28 such tumours were collected from Veterinary Hospitals under Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University in Thrissur and the tissue samples were fixed in 10 per cent neutral buffered formalin for detailed histopathological evaluation. Out of the 28 cases, the majority were diagnosed in dogs aged between 4 and 12 years (22 cases), with peak occurrence in the 46 and 1012 year groups (8 cases each). Breed-wise, non-descript dogs were most affected, followed by Labrador Retrievers and German Shepherds. Most of the cases were observed in female dogs accounting for 17 cases (60.7 per cent) compared to 11 cases (39.3 per cent) in males, and malignant tumours were seen in both sexes. The study showed a higher prevalence of malignancies (64.3 per cent) compared to benign forms (35.7 per cent). Mesenchymal tumours were the most common type, followed by round cell and epithelial tumours. Gross pathology revealed that superficial tumours varied widely in size, shape and consistency. Histopathology confirmed that fibrosarcoma, malignant melanoma, histiocytic sarcoma and squamous cell carcinoma were among the malignant tumours, while lipomas, trichoblastomas and fibromas were the common benign tumours. The present research work highlights the need for large-scale epidemiological studies to identify risk factors and better understand the etiopathogenesis of canine superficial tumours.