Epulides in dogs.

Eighty-one cases of canine epulides are described clinically and histologically; 73 cases were diagnosed as inflammatory, fibrous hyperplasias of which 37% showed metaplastic bone formation and 22% demonstrated so-called plexiform epithelial hyperplasia which seems to have no human counterpart. There is no indication that metaplastic bone formation or plexiform epithelial hyperplasia influences the biologic behavior of the lesion. A distinction between these two histologic variants carries no prognostic significance. Six cases of epulides proved to be pyogenic granulomas and two were malignant tumors. It is stressed that the term epulis is non-specific giving no indication as to the true nature of the lesion.