Pathological features and clinical outcomes of hemangioblastoma in the spinal cord of three dogs

Hemangioblastomas are rare intramedullary vascular tumors. Their biological nature is considered benign, but there is little information in dogs. This report describes histopathological and immunohistochemical features and postoperative clinical courses of three dogs to expand the current knowledge of this tumor. Histopathological examination revealed the proliferation of neoplastic stromal cells with irregularly arranged blood vessels and clusters of lymphocytes. Immunohistochemically, neoplastic stromal cells were immunolabeled for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), neuron specific antigen (NSE), and vimentin, and capillary endothelia and vessel walls were immunolabeled for CD31 and smooth muscle actin (SMA). Postoperative follow-up revealed improvements in neurological symptoms and no evidence of tumor recurrence for 3 months to 3 years, suggesting that surgical excision is a beneficial treatment method.