Canine oral and pharyngeal tumours - a retrospective patient data analysisand histopathological investigation.

224 tumours of the canine oral and pharyngeal cavities were investigated re trospectively. The available data on breed, age and gender of the dogs were statistically analyzed regarding potential breed predispositions. The different morphological types of epulides were classified according to the criteria of VERSTRAETE et at. (1992) and GARDNER (1996). In most cases of fibromatous and/or ossifying epulides histological findings were consist ent with a focal fibrous hyperplasia or a peripheral odontogenic fibroma. M orphological findings in most acanthomatous epulides were indicative of ame loblastoma. Papillomas and ameloblastomas were the most frequent benign neoplasms diagn osed in this study. Among the malignant tumours, malignant melanoma was by far the most frequent neoplasm followed by squamous cell carcinoma and fibr osarcoma.