Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor in the vagus nerve causing upper gastrointestinal signs in a dog

Abstract

Peripheral nerve sheath tumors (PNSTs) originating from the vagus nerve are rare in dogs. This paper reports a canine case of malignant PNST originating from the vagus nerve, specifically the vagus-sympathetic trunk, which induced notable gagging and chronic vomiting. The clinical signs improved after surgery despite incomplete resection, and the dog achieved an overall survival of at least 514 days. These observations suggest that surgical intervention may be beneficial in dogs with malignant PNSTs originating from the vagus nerve.