Epidemiology of vascular tumors in the canine population of the Canary Islands during the period from 2002 to 2023

Abstract

To evaluate the relevance of HA and HSA in dogs, a retrospective study was conducted analysing 1,155 cases of canine vascular tumours in 984 dogs over a study period of 20 years (2003-2023). Vascular tumours accounted for nearly 6% of all tumours diagnosed in the Canary Islands, with cutaneous locations having the highest incidence at 84% compared to 14.5% in viscera. Of these tumours, 60% were hemangiosarcomas and 40% were hemangiomas. The animals in the study, both with hemangiomas and Hemangiosarcomas, had an average age of 9 years; however, it was observed that dogs with hemangiosarcoma in the liver and pancreas were diagnosed at significantly older ages. Regarding anatomical location, cutaneous vascular tumours were mostly located in the lumbar region (24.8%), where most multiple tumours (25%) were also found, while non-cutaneous tumours were more commonly located in the spleen (48.5%). In terms of breed, the most frequent were Crossreeds (35.29%), Boxers (10.02%), German Shepherds (5.34%), English Pointers (4.47%), and French Bulldogs (4.25%). Concerning geographical location, municipalities in Gran Canaria with higher annual solar irradiance were associated with a greater proportion of cases, as well as municipalities with a high population of susceptible dog breeds according to the literature. The sex variable was analysed, revealing a significant difference between males and females, showing an overrepresentation in male dogs. Regarding neutering status, we observed that most dogs with vascular tumours were neutered; however, further analysis could not be performed as the Zoocan database is not reliable for that record.