Successful treatment of a recurrent eyelid tumor in a high-anesthetic-risk dog using cryotherapy

Abstract

This case report describes the successful management of a recurrent eyelid tumor in a 10-year-old, neutered male Labrador Retriever using surgical debulking combined with cryotherapy. The mass was located on the margin of the left upper eyelid, near the medial canthus, and had recurred two years after a previous excision. Due to the patient's history of nephrectomy and the owner's concerns regarding general anesthesia, the procedure was performed under light sedation. After debulking of the tumor, two freeze-thaw cycles (25-second freeze, 40-second thaw) were applied to the remaining tumor bed. Histopathological examination confirmed a meibomian gland epithelioma. The surgical site healed well with only mild depigmentation, and no recurrence was observed during the 8-month follow-up period. This combined approach represents an effective, minimally invasive option for treating canine eyelid tumors, particularly in high-risk patients.