Conjunctival melanoma in a dog
A 7-year-old male neutered Border Terrier has undergone enulceation of his right eye for a melanoma involving the dorsal palpebral conjunctiva.



Final Diagnosis
Malignant conjunctival melanoma
Discussion
The majority of conjunctival melanomas in the dog are histopathologically malignant and therefore carry a risk of post-surgical recurrence and metastasis. This is in contrast to melanocytic tumours arising in the skin (including the eyelid), the majority of which are benign in the dog. Following excision of conjunctival melanomas, additional tumours may also sometimes arise in the near vicinity of the surgical site which are presumably satellite lesions arising via lymphatic spread. Conjunctival melanomas in dogs most commonly affect the third eyelid but the palpebral and bulbar conjunctiva can also be involved such as in this case.