Introduction

Genetic predisposition and chronic exposure to risk factors benefit the development of tumors in dogs, and with the skin being the most affected organ, it is possible to highlight the squamous cells carcinoma (SCC). However it is not normally described for dogs, the association between papilloma virus and SCC has already been done in large animals.

Objectives

Describe a case of chronic papillomatosis associated to cutaneous SCC in a dog, also describing clinical and epidemiological findings, emphasizing the papillomavirus as risk factor.

Methods

A dog, five years old, attended a veterinary facility with complaints that for the last six months it has been presenting prepuce ulceration and small warty nodules on the face and abdomen skin, later being diagnosed with cutaneous papillomatosis. It was treated for two months with no significant clinical improvement. The lesions evolved to bigger, elastic-firm, alopecic, papilliform, hyperkeratotic, brownish to pinkish nodules spread out on abdominal, inguinal and facial regions with higher intensity in the oral cavity and tongue. It was requested cytology of the face warts as well as histopathology and immunohistochemistry of abdominal and inguinal regions warts.

Results

The cytological test suggested cutaneous papillomatosis. In the histopathological analysis it was found well differentiated SCC. The immunohistochemistry showed positive immuno-mark for papillomavirus.

Conclusions

In clinical cases with possible chronic cutaneous papillomatosis, it should always be carried out complementary adequate tests and techniques, considering SCC as the main differential diagnosis. Papillomavirus is deeply associated to neoplastic lesions characterized as SCC.