Oral Papillomatosis in a Dog and its Therapy with Taurolidine

Biricik H.S. , M. Cabalar, M.Y. Gulbahar: Oral Papillomatosis in a Dog and its Therapy with Taurolidine. Acta Vet. Brno 2008, 77: 373-375. The efficacy of taurolidine on the treatment of oral papillomatosis in a 1-year-old Turkish Kangal dog was evaluated. Diagnosis of the papillomatosis was based on clinical signs, histopathological and immunohistochemical examinations. The dog received 45 mg/kg taurolidine intravenously every 3 days. Regression of papillomas started to be observed after the beginning of treatment, and complete resolution occurred after the fifth application. Papillomatosis, taurolidine, dog Oral papillomatosis is seen more commonly in young dogs, and warts usually begin on the lips and may spread to the buccal mucosa, tongue, palate, and pharynx. It is characterized by multiple papillomas in the oral cavity. The lesions occasionally become extensive, requiring veterinary attention (Bredal et al. 1996; Fenner et al. 1993). Furthermore, with the increasing number of papillomas, food consumption may become a problem. Taurolidine is a novel antimicrobial agent for local or parenteral use. It has a unique spectrum of antimicrobial activity, including gram negative and positive bacteria and fungi (Blenkharn 1988). It has been used extensively for its antimicrobial and antiendotoxemic properties, particularly in peritonitis (McCourt et al. 2000). Taurolidine also appears to possess immunoregulatory properties, reducing tumour growth and spread (Nici et al. 2004). Experimental studies proved that the systemic administration of taurolidine solution is well tolerated (Johnston et al. 1993; Torres-Viera et al. 2000). According to veterinary literature, no research was conducted to establish whether systemic administration of taurolidine influences oral papillomatosis. We hypothesized that taurolidine may have an effect on oral papillomatosis. Our aim was to examine the therapeutic effectiveness of taurolidine against canine oral papillomatosis. Materials and Methods A 1-year-old Turkish Kangal dog was presented with severe papillomatous growths protruding from the oral mucous membranes (Plate X, Fig. 1). Wart-like growths were seen as reminiscent of a cauliflower in or around the mouth, buccal mucosa, tongue and gingiva. The dog had such a large number of papillomas that consuming food became a problem. A tentative diagnosis of canine oral papillomavirus (PV) infection was made on the gross appearance of the numerous lesions. Two warts from the oral mucosa were removed surgically for further diagnostic investigations. The diagnosis was established by histological examination in association with immunohistochemical analysis. Wart specimens were fixed in 10% neutral-buffered formalin solution, and then embedded in paraffin following the routine processing. Five-μm-thick sections obtained from the paraffin blocks were stained with haematoxylineosin. For immunohistochemistry, sections were prepared using a commercial avidin-biotin peroxidase complex (ABPC) kit (Zymed Laboratories, Inc., CA). Firstly, deparaffinized sections were quenched for endogenous peroxidase with 3% H2O2 in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), and then exposed to anti-PV genus specific antigen Address for correspondence: Assoc. Prof. H.S. Biricik Department of Surgery Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Harran University Sanlıurfa, Turkey Phone: +90 414 3128456 Fax: +90 414 3144158 E-mail: hsbiricik@yahoo.com http://www.vfu. cz/acta-vet/actavet.htm ACTA VET. BRNO 2008, 77: 373–375; doi:10.2754/avb200877030373