What is Bladder Cancer in Dogs?
Bladder Cancer in dogs is an illness that needs to be carefully observed and treated in order to give your furry friend as many healthful years as possible.
The bladder is the one of the more common places for cancer to develop in a dog's unirary system.
While all breeds can develop dog bladder cancer, breeds like Scottish Terriers, Beagles, Shetland Sheepdoogs, West Hireland Terriers, and Wire Hair Fox Terriers have a higher risk due to genetic factors.
Here’s all you need to know about bladder cancer in dogs – how to prevent your dog from bladder cancer, the early signs or of bladder cancer that you should look out for, and what to do if you see symptoms of bladder cancer in dogs.
Symptoms of Bladder Cancer in Dogs
Bladder Cancer can cause visible changes in your dog’s wellbeing and behaviour. Knowing the symptoms of Bladder Cancer in dogs is the first step in protecting your dog’s wellbeing. If any of these signs apply to your pet, bring your pet dog to your veterinarian for a checkup:
- Difficulty Urinating
- Discoloured or Bloody Urine
- Accidents Inside your Home
- Small and Frequent Urination
- Urinary Tract Infections
Disclaimer: The information provided on this article is designed to help inform you regarding bladder cancer. It is not meant to replace the veterinary diagnosis or treatment for bladder cancer. If you have any questionsor concerns about your pet’s health or possible symptoms, be sure to get in touch with and consult with your vet right away.
The Main Causes of Bladder Cancer in Dogs
To recognize and treat bladder cancer in dogs, we need to know the underlying causes of bladder cancer in dogs. This can help a pet parent prevent bladder cancer happening in the first place or again.
The actual cause of dog bladder cancer is unknown although studies have shown there is a link between genetic predisposition and long-term exposure to lawn chemicals like herbicides and pesticides.
Diagnosing Bladder Cancer in Dogs
Nobody knows your pet better than you do and hence it is critical that your pet be examined thoroughly by a vet annually.
Oftentimes, a veterinarian may suspect signs of bladder cancer when feeling the presence of a tumour in a routine checkup.
There are a few tests that can be done to diasgnose bladder cancer in dogs:
- Bloodwork to look for impaired kidney function
- Abdominal ultrasound to check for bladder tumors
- CADET Braf test to detect existence of specific gene mutation
- Urinalysis to detect cancer cells in urine
Contact your vet to learn more about the treatments for bladder cancer in dogs.
Preventing Bladder Cancer in Dogs
Stopping bladder cancer in dogs is always more ideal than treating it, therefore let’s find out ways to avoid bladder cancer in dogs rather than treating it.
To not to appear weak or vulnerable to predators, the innate survival impulses make pet dogs conceal diseases. This suggests thorough physical exams by a qualified vet are important to keep your pets healthy. Normally, blood and urine tests carried out by your vet are required to get the complete picture of your family pet’s health. These preventive checks steps will detect any health issue sooner making treatment more successful and less expensive and, more notably, will help your dog live a longer, much healthier life.
There is not a lot that can be done to prevent bladder cancer in dogs. One way you can help prevent bladder cancer is by limiting you dog's exposure to chemicals such as herbicides and pesticides.
Treatment for Bladder Cancer in Dogs
If your dog develops bladder cancer, your veterinarian may recommend radiation, chemotherapy, surgery or a mixture of these procedures. Full surgical is often not possible due to the location of the bladder tumours, whilst in other cases partial surgical removal may be possible to relieve your pet's symptoms.
It's also important to know that eventually the tumor will regrow.
Contact your local vet to learn more about the treatments for bladder cancer in dogs.