Intracranial meningioma in dogs and cats: a comparative review.

Meningiomas are extraaxial tumors that arise from the arachnoid layer of the meninges. Seizures are the most common clinical sign in dogs; cats more often present with mentation changes, vision loss, and gait abnormalities. Meningiomas in both species grow slowly and have an insidious onset of clinical signs. These tumors are more likely to be malignant in dogs. Surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy can target the primary tumor, whereas steroids and anticonvulsants are confined to treating secondary effects of the tumor. Surgery is the preferred primary option for cats because the tumor can be excised completely in most cases. If the meningioma cannot be resected in its entirety, radiation therapy can increase survival time.