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A 14-year-old neutered female Jack Russell terrier was presented with a history over the past several years of a freely movable subcutaneous mass on the right lateral thigh, that was considered to be a lipoma. Shortly before presentation, a mastectomy had been performed. On histopathological examination of the inguinal lymph node excised during the procedure, numerous mast cells were identified. Fine-needle aspirates of the mass on the thigh were collected, and cytology confirmed that it was not a lipoma but a mastocytoma. After staging the tumor, it was treated with neoadjuvant prednisolon, followed by the surgical removal of the mass with radical margins. The defect was closed with a transposition flap. Histopathology and immunohistochemistry indicated a grade-II mastocytoma without negative prognostic factors. The dog recovered well after surgery and 347 days after treatment, there were no signs of recurrence.

Since the 1950s, it has been recognized that a subgroup of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients exists that shows little or no progression in the severity of the disease over time. This group is referred to as 'benign' MS. Although a substantial amount of research in MS indicates a multifactorial background in disease severity, to date it is still difficult to predict whether the course will be benign at onset and it is difficult to find factors that influence the course of the disease over time. Maintaining or restoring neural conduction inside a central nervous system lesion seems to be the essence of staying 'benign'.