Long-term outcomes associated with a modified versus traditional closed anal sacculectomy for treatment of canine anal sac neoplasia

OBJECTIVE To report the short-term and long-term outcomes of dogs that underwent the modified closed and traditional closed anal sacculectomy procedures for the treatment of anal sac neoplasia. ANIMALS 90 client-owned dogs.METHODS The medical records of 2 tertiary referral hospitals were reviewed to identify dogs that underwent anal sacculectomy for treatment of anal sac neoplasia between January 2016 and December 2020. Data collected included signalment and preoperative diagnostic findings. The occurrence of intraoperative and postoperative complications, short-term outcomes, and long-term outcomes were also collected. Descriptive statistics were calculated to summarize dog signalment information, and recurrence, metastasis, and survival proportions were compared between techniques using Fisher exact tests.RESULTS 35 and 55 dogs, respectively, underwent the modified or traditional closed anal sacculectomy procedure. Minor postoperative complications that resolved with minimal intervention occurred in 5 of 35 (14.3%) modified approach dogs and 12 of 55 (21.8%) traditional approach dogs. Tumor recurrence was confirmed in 8 of 35 (22.9%) modified and 8 of 55 (26.4%) traditional approach dogs and was suspected in 3 of 35 (8.6%) and 6 of 55 (13.2%; P = .68), respectively. Confirmed metastatic disease was identified in 8 of 35 (22.9%) and 14 of 53 (26.4%) modified and tradi- tional approach dogs, respectively, and was suspected in 4 of 35 (11.4%) and 7 of 53 (13.2%). Sixty-three (70%) dogs survived to study conclusion.CLINICAL RELEVANCE No benefits in complication rate or local recurrence were identified in dogs following the modified approach as op- posed to the traditional closed anal sacculectomy technique.