title: Successful treatment of a squamous cell carcinoma in a white rhinoceros, Ceratotherium simum.
abstract: A captive 33-year-old male white rhinoceros with seasonal dermatitis was diagnosed with a malignant squamous cell carcinoma on the right flank. Staphylococcus aureus was cultured from the skin lesions. No fungal or yeast was isolated. The dermatitis was treated with a combination of oral antibiotics (trimethoprim-sulphadiazine) and topically with weekly chlorhexidine washes and a mixture of a zinc oxide, balsam peru and bismuth oxide cream. Under azaperone and butorphanol anaesthesia, the skin tumour was surgically removed. The tumour was excised with wide margins and allowed to heal by secondary intention as primary wound closure was not possible. A post-mortem performed 2 years later for an unrelated condition revealed no metastases or recurrence of the skin tumour. It was presumed that chronic irritation or trauma may have contributed to the development of the skin tumour. This is the first detailed report of the successful treatment of a squamous cell carcinoma not associated with the horn in a rhinoceros.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Clinical Studies, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, The University of Edinburgh, Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9RG, UK. ggoodman@vet.ed.ac.uk
authors.forename: Gidona
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Goodman
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rhind
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meredith
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D008297:Male; D010527:Perissodactyla; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D013207:Staphylococcal Skin Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination