Survivin is a member of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP) family and its usefulness as a tumor marker has been reported. In this study, we compared the accuracy of immunohistochemical analysis using survivin as a marker for tumor genesis and differentiation canine cutaneous lymphoma from lupus erythematosus (LE). The immunohistochemical analysis using polyclonal antibody against canine survivin was used to analyze expression in canine cutaneous lymphoma (19 cases) and lupus erythematosus (11 cases). Canine survivin expression was detected in all cases in the nuclei and cytoplasm in both groups. For both cutaneous lymphoma and LE, the difference in immunoractivity scores determined by positive-staining cells and intensity of survivin staining was not significant.

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An eight-year and two-month old castrated dog was presented with pus-like exudate from the left ear. As a large number of bacteria and neutrophils were observed in the smear of the exudate, the dog was diagnosed as having bacterial otitis externa. Though the dog was treated with medication of antibiotics and repeated cleaning of the ear, no improvement was recognized. A nodule, 5 mm in diameter, was observed in the left external auditory canal at eights year and nine months of age and the nodule became as large as the entrance of the ear canal at eight months later, when it was removed surgically using a semiconductor laser unit under inhalation anesthesia. The dog was medicated by an antibiotic and β-glucan formulation after the operation and the symptoms of otitis externa disappeared immediately. The nodule was histopathologically diagnosed as a well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma associated with hyperplasia of the ceruminous gland. No metastasis and recurrence of the tumor has been observed in the four years and three months since the surgery.

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