Abstract
Clinical features and relationship between treatment and prognosis were evaluated in 22 canine insulinomas. Nineteen dogs were middle or small-sized dogs weighing less than 20 kg, indicating a different tendency compared to several reports that large-breed dogs were commonly affected. Metastases were observed in 11 (69%) of 16 dogs surgically treated and the metastatic rate was higher than the past reports. One-year survival rate (56%) in dogs treated surgically was compatible with several reports and there is no difference of the survival interval compared to dogs treated medically alone. However, disease-free interval was significantly longer than that of dogs treated medically alone (P=0.0099). The clinical signs recurred within 3 months in 5 of 6 dogs treated medically alone. In addition, the result of the side effects by steroid and diazoxide may support a view that a medical treatment alone was not expected to a good quality of life. In conclusion, surgical treatment aimed at reducing tumor mass volume is useful for canine insulinoma unless there are diffuse metastases to the other organs.
