Mammary Gland Neoplasia in the Cow - Veterinary Pathology

Path. vet. 6: 502-512 (1969)
From the Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol
Mammary Gland Neoplasia in the Cow
A Review of the Literature and Report of a Fibrosarcoma
R.C. POVEY and A.D. OSBORNE
Mammary gland neoplasms, so common in the bitch, are very rare in the cow.
SWETT, et al.40 examined in considerable detail the udders of 313 cows of lactating
age and of 105 heifers and freemartins. Of the lactating cows, 31% were 8 years of
age, or more, and this they considered to be beyond the ‘cancer age’, but in no instance
was a neoplastic change noted.
In 1945 the UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF
reported that
some 13 million bovine udders were subjected to routine inspection, but none was
found to contain a tumour. The surveys of COT CHIN^^ in the United Kingdom,
PLUMMER~~ in Canada, JACKSONZ4 in South Africa, MISDORP~~ in the Netherlands,
and NAIR and SASTRY~~ in India cover 2,999 bovine neoplasms of which only 11
involve the udder (PLUMMER 1 ; MISDOKP 1 ; NAIR and SASTRY 9,8 of which were
intracanalicular fibromatous polyps). Tumours of the udder can be divided into
a primary group of either glandular, ductular, or stromal elements; primary cutaneous
tumours which directly invade the udder, e.g. melanomas2- or squamous
cell carcinomasl4- 15; and secondary metastatic tumours, e. g. lymphosar~oma~~ 26.
Previous reports of bovine primary mammary neoplasms are listed in Table I.
Many of these reports are sketchy and inadequate. For the above reasons, our case
of a suspected fibrosarcoma, with multinucleate giant cells as an unusual feature in
some areas, is recorded.
Case History
A 4-year-old Ayrshire cow, which had calved 3 months previously, had
steadily lost condition since calving. Hepatic fascioliasis was diagnosed and treated
but weight loss continued and milk yield diminished. It was only 10 days before
admission that induration of the udder was noted and a febrile reaction (105°F)
detected. Treatment with oxytetracycline hydrochloride* intramuscularly for 4
days was without effect. Staphylococcm pyogenes was cultured from the milk.
When admitted to this department the animal was grossly emaciated. The
temperature was 105°F and pulse and respiratory rate were raised. The udder,
* Terramycin soluble. Pfizer Limited.
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