Canine Lymphoma And What Every Dog Guardian Needs To Know About It
Lymphoma is a very serious disease, a cancer that targets the lymph tissue. As this tissue occurs in just about every major organ, the disease can spread rapidly and, if it is not treated, almost always results in death. It is the most common form of cancer affecting dogs.
Symptoms of Canine Lymphoma
Symptoms depend largely on which systems the cancer attacks. The most common forms of the disease affect the gastrointestinal tract and the respiratory system. In the case of the former, the dog may show loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, and weight loss. In the latter case, you may notice that the dog has shortness of breath and a muffled heart beat. Lymphoma can also attack the heart, bone marrow, eyes, skin, and the central nervous system.
Diagnosis of Lymphoma
If your dog displays any of the symptoms mentioned above it is vital that you seek veterinary help right away.The initial diagnosis will be in the form of a biopsy of the affected lymph nodes or organs. In addition, the vet may do further tests to determine how far the disease has advanced. These may include a bone marrow biopsy, x-rays, ultrasound and blood analysis.
Without treatment, a dog with lymphoma will usually die within 2 months of the initial diagnosis, so the treatment has to start immediately if the dog is to have any hope of surviving.
Treating Canine Lymphoma
As with human cancers, lymphoma in dogs is treated primarily by chemotherapy. Be forewarned that dog’s suffer from similar side effects to humans, including severe nausea and infections. In rare cases, the dog may even need to be hospitalized during treatment. If the disease is first detected at an advanced late stage, then chemotherapy may be ineffective, and the focus needs to be on making the dog’s remaining time as comfortable as possible.
There is a belief that consuming the fatty acids contained in fish oil may retard the growth of cancerous cells, but there are no documented clinical trials to support this view.
Recent studies into canine lymphoma have, however, come up with some interesting insights. They indicate that dogs do not die from the cancer itself, but rather from liver or kidney failure. This would suggest that dietary changes to support these organs may be beneficial.
Outlook for Dogs with Lymphoma
What are the chances of a dog recovering from lymphoma? Depending on what stage the disease has reached at the time of initial diagnosis, the prognosis can vary from good to hopeless. If the cancer is diagnosed at an early stage, chemotherapy can definitely be effective, adding years to the dog's life in some cases.
Unfortunately, though, lymphoma is a disease with a high rate of recurrence. In these cases, a second round of chemotherapy may be administered, but you should be aware that it will not be as effective as the initial dose.
Bear in mind also that chemotherapy treatment can be very expensive, especially if you don’t have dog health insurance. Even though the chances of your dog getting lymphoma are very slight, pet insurance is always a wise investment.
To read more about lymphoma in dogs, dog care, types of dogs and other useful dog info drop by at dogsanddogtraining.com
