Intestinal tumours are uncommon accounting for less than 10% of all tumours in dogs and cats and 22% of gastrointestinal tumours in dogs and 35% in cats. Intestinal tumours in dogs and cats are usually malignant, alimentary lymphoma (AL) being the most common type of intestinal malignancy in cats and the second most frequent malignancy to affect the intestine in dogs. Primary AL may be differentiated from widespread multicentric lymphoma by the fact that the lymph nodes are not affected with AL. AL must also be distinguished from localised lymphoma that affects the mesenteric lymph node only with no intestinal involvement, which should be classified in the miscellaneous lymphoma group. | Intestinal tumours are uncommon accounting for less than 10% of all tumours in dogs and cats and 22% of gastrointestinal tumours in dogs and 35% in cats. Intestinal tumours in dogs and cats are usually malignant, alimentary lymphoma (AL) being the most common type of intestinal malignancy in cats and the second most frequent malignancy to affect the intestine in dogs. Primary AL may be differentiated from widespread multicentric lymphoma by the fact that the lymph nodes are not affected with AL. AL must also be distinguished from localised lymphoma that affects the mesenteric lymph node only with no intestinal involvement, which should be classified in the miscellaneous lymphoma group. |