Anesthesia case of the month

A 4-year-old 28-kg (61.6-lb) spayed female Golden Retriever was referred to the surgery service of the Small Animal Hospital at the Veterinary Medical Center, University of Minnesota for evaluation and treatment of a firm, 1 × 1 × 1-cm, multilobulated subcutaneous mass on the left pelvic limb. The mass was located on the dorsal midmetatarsal region of the fifth digit. Cytologic examination of a fine-needle aspirate of the mass had been performed by the referring veterinarian 1 month prior to referral and revealed spindle-shaped and epithelial cells. That sample was reviewed by a board-certified pathologist at our hospital and determined to be nondiagnostic. One month prior to referral, the same primary care veterinarian had excised a mass that was histologically diagnosed as a grade 1 fibrosarcoma from the right shoulder region without apparent complications. During the procedure, a repeated fine-needle aspirate of the left metatarsal mass was obtained, and results of cytologic examination were again nondiagnostic; therefore, referral for further evaluation was recommended.