Clinical considerations, diagnostic strategies, and therapeutic approaches in the management of thoracic and cardiac neoplasms in companion animals

The study proposes a multidisciplinary approach in the diagnosis and palliative management of cardiac and thoracic neoplasms in pets, emphasizing the correlation of imaging investigations with paraclinical data. Recent advances in the field of veterinary imaging allow the increasingly frequent identification of cardiac tumor formations, either incidentally or as a result of clinical symptoms, such as pericardial effusion, lethargy and loss of appetite. Tumors can be primary or secondary, benign or malignant, and establishing the histological type and location directly influences the therapeutic approach. Among the most frequently diagnosed primary tumors are rapidly evolving formations (hemangiosarcoma) and poor prognosis, but also benign tumors (chemodectoma), which develop slowly and have a lower clinical impact. The implementation of individualized palliative protocols, based on integrated diagnosis, is an essential element in increasing the duration and quality of life of the veterinary patient.