Lymphoma In Dogs

By Moses Wright

Dog lymphoma is a type of cancer in dogs that can affect the lymph nodes, liver, spleen, and other organs. Canine lymphoma most often affects middle age and senior dogs.

Dog cancers, including lymphoma, pose a serious risk to the dog's health. Canine cancer causes fifty percent of the deaths of dogs over ten years of age.

The causes of canine lymphoma are not well understood. Canine lymphoma causes different symptoms depending on which parts of the body are being affected by this cancer.

If only the lymph nodes are being affected by dog lymphoma, the dog may develop abnormal swelling. Dog lymphoma affecting the lymph nodes often causes the lymph nodes to harden which can be felt as lumps. The dog with only lymph nodes damaged by the cancer may not experience other dog cancer symptoms.

Lymphoma in dogs affecting other areas of the body may cause loss of appetite, diarrhea, vomiting, and weight loss. Shortness of breath, lumps on the skin, or bumps in or near the mouth can also be caused by dog lymphoma.

Blood tests or biopsies may be used to diagnose dog lymphoma. A veterinarian may also use ultrasound or x-rays in the process of diagnosing lymphoma in dogs. The dog lymphoma severity is categorized by how many lymph nodes have been affected by the cancer and if the cancer has spread to the dog's organs or bone marrow.

There are five stages of canine lymphoma. Stage one is characterized by the cancer affecting only one lymph node. Stage one is the least severe. In stage five of canine lymphoma, the cancer may be affecting multiple lymph nodes, at least one organ, and the bone marrow.

Chemotherapy is the most common treatment for lymphoma in dogs. During chemotherapy treatment, the dog may receive weekly injections of chemotherapy drugs such as doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide.

Lymphoma in dogs is a particularly dangerous type of dog cancer. If the lymphoma is left untreated, the dog typically lives up to six weeks after diagnosis.

The dog may live up to one year after diagnosis if the dog receives chemotherapy for the lymphoma. Dogs been treated for canine lymphoma rarely live more than one year after diagnosis even with treatment.

A dog owner may be concerned or feel guilty. Dog owners may feel as though they may have done something wrong that caused the dog to get lymphoma. Even though the causes of dog cancers are not well understood, it is clear that the dog owner could not have caused the cancer. - 29895

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