CT helps diagnose metastatic uterine cancer in Pot-bellied sow
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A new case report in the Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation details an antemortem diagnosis of metastatic endometrial adenocarcinoma in a Vietnamese Pot-bellied sow, with computed tomography playing the key diagnostic role before postmortem confirmation. The 13-year-old sow was evaluated for five days of blood-tinged mucoid vulvar discharge, alongside a four-month history of intermittent coughing and weight loss. CT identified multilobulated cystic and mineralized uterine masses, numerous lung nodules, and abdominal lymphadenopathy, raising concern for malignant neoplasia before gross and histologic examination confirmed diffuse cystic endometrial hyperplasia and endometrial adenocarcinoma with metastasis. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
The report fits with what veterinarians already know, but may not always prioritize, in companion pig medicine: reproductive tract disease is a meaningful issue in aging intact pot-bellied pigs. Earlier literature has documented metastatic endometrial adenocarcinoma in Vietnamese Pot-bellied pigs, and a retrospective University of Tennessee case series found a broad range of neoplasms in this population. Another published case report noted that uterine masses in older sexually intact Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs appear more common than ovarian tumors, supporting the idea that uterine pathology deserves a high place on the differential list in older females. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
What appears to distinguish this report is the emphasis on antemortem CT-based recognition and staging. In pigs, advanced imaging is still described more often in unusual referral cases than as a routine diagnostic pathway, but published reports show CT can be clinically useful in pot-bellied pigs across body systems, including hepatobiliary disease, upper airway masses, and skull tumors. In this sow, CT helped unify signs that might otherwise seem disconnected: vulvar discharge pointing to reproductive disease, and coughing and weight loss suggesting thoracic involvement. That kind of whole-patient assessment matters when metastatic spread is already underway. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
There doesn't appear to be broad public expert commentary on this specific paper yet, but the surrounding literature points in a consistent direction. Pathology and case-report authors have repeatedly described neoplasia, including reproductive tumors, in pot-bellied pigs as a real clinical concern in older animals. The takeaway from those reports is less about rarity for rarity's sake and more about pattern recognition: intact aging sows with discharge, abdominal enlargement, chronic illness, or respiratory signs may warrant a more aggressive search for uterine disease and metastasis than clinicians might initially pursue. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
Why it matters: For veterinarians, the practical value of this case is in differential diagnosis and case management. Companion pigs often present late in the course of disease, and respiratory signs can easily steer workups toward primary pulmonary or infectious causes. This report reinforces that reproductive neoplasia can be the primary problem, with thoracic lesions representing metastasis rather than a separate disease process. For practices with CT access, imaging may help define prognosis, guide conversations with pet parents, and avoid fragmented diagnostics. For practices without CT, the case still supports earlier referral, targeted imaging, and careful reproductive assessment in older intact sows. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
The case also revives a longstanding preventive question in pet pig medicine: whether elective ovariohysterectomy should be discussed more proactively for non-breeding females. Earlier authors have explicitly suggested complete ovariohysterectomy in pet pigs because uterine masses are relatively common in older intact animals. This new report doesn't answer that question on its own, but it does add another concrete example of the disease burden tied to leaving the reproductive tract in place over time. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
What to watch: The next thing to watch is whether this case is cited in future guidance or review articles on companion pig preventive care, especially around when to recommend spaying, when to escalate imaging, and how to work up older intact sows with combined reproductive and respiratory signs. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)