A 7 year old female spayed Hovawart dog presented to the Cornell University Hospital for Animal’s Oncology service for further treatment options of a previously excised cutaneous malignant melanoma. Four months prior to presentation, the owners noted a small, black raised mass over the dog’s left lumbar region. The mass appeared to double in size over the next 3 weeks, and was surgical excised by the referring veterinarian. The margins of the excision at this time were found to be approximately 1-2 mm and the biopsy revealed malignant melanoma with approximately 40 mitosis per 10 high-powered fields (HPF). A scar revision surgery was performed by Cornell University Hospital for Animal’s Soft tissue surgery service on without complications.
Although melanoma of the haired skin is often benign, this dog's tumor had several criteria of malignancy, which often corresponds with a high metastatic rate. Due to the risk of metastasis, the Oncology service offered systemic therapy and the owner decided on the melanoma vaccine. Diagnosis, treatment options, and prognosis of cutaneous melanoma, along with the use of the melanoma vaccine to prolong survival for malignant melanoma will be discussed below.