Surgical treatment of epulides in dogs: 25 cases (1974-1984).

Epulides were diagnosed and surgically removed in 25 dogs. Histologic examination of the epulides indicated that 40% (10/25) were acanthomatous, 32% (8/25) were ossifying, and 28% (7/25) were fibromatous. Recurrence of the tumor directly resulted in the death of 2 dogs. One of these dogs died of malnutrition 13 months after removal of an ossifying epulis, and regrowth of an acanthomatous epulis that was not resected completely resulted in malnutrition and death in another dog 6 months after surgery. Malignant transformation was observed in a third dog 6 months after removal of an ossifying epulis when an osteosarcoma developed where the epulis had been removed. The range of survival was 6 to 134 months, mean survival time was 43.1 months, median survival time was 49 months, and 1-year survival rate was 92%. Satisfactory long-term tumor control was achieved by aggressive surgical treatment of epulides.