A 32-year-old female American flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) was presented with a squamous cell carcinoma of the middle digit of the right foot. No clinical, hematologic, or radiologic evidence of metastasis was present. Salvage amputation of the digit resulted in complete cure, whereas previous electrosurgery and radiation therapy were unsuccessful. Three years later, another squamous cell carcinoma was diagnosed in the middle digit of the left foot. The digit was also amputated. Seven months after the second amputation, the bird did not have any recurrence or signs of metastasis.
An adult, female Malayan sun bear (Helarctos malayanus) was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the rostral mandible. Initial treatment included bilateral mandibulectomy rostral to the lingual frenulum followed by intra- and perilesional cisplatin injections. Recovery after the procedure was uneventful and the Malayan sun bear adapted well to a shortened mandible. Histopathology indicated incomplete surgical excision of the tumor; therefore, radiation therapy was instituted weekly for four treatments at 2 Gy in parallel opposed fields (total 4 Gy each treatment) with one additional cisplatin treatment. Two years after initial presentation, the animal showed no recurrence of neoplasia.
A 14-yr-old male puma (Puma concolor) was presented to the veterinary staff of the National Zoo in Malaysia for an auricular mass. Squamous cell carcinoma was diagnosed by histologic examination of a biopsy. Systemic administration of chemotherapy using vincristine (0.5 mg/m2 i.v. q. 7 days for six treatments) and prednisolone (2 mg/kg i.m. q. 72 hr x 7 days) caused side effects of vomiting, weight loss, and alopecia and did not improve the size or appearance of the tumor. Intralesional vincristine injections (0.2 mg q. 7 days for two treatments) and prednisolone (2 mg/kg i.m. q. 72 hr x 15 days) were administered, resulting in complete tumor regression after 14 days of treatment.