Cancer of the nose in dogs is quite rare, accounting for about 2.5 percent of canine tumors, according to the Merk Veterinary Manual. However, this form of cancer is not to be underestimated since about 80 percent of these cancers are malignant, Merk says.
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Incidence
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Nasal cancer has been reported to be higher in male dogs than females. The age of diagnosis is generally around 10 and a half years old. Dogs with long snouts are predisposed.
Symptoms
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Signs possibly indicating nasal cancer are chronic nasal discharge,sneezing, nose bleeds, difficulty breathing loss of smell, and, as the disease progresses, facial deformity. Other complications may occur if the cancer is allowed to spread to nearby tissues.
Diagnosis
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After ruling out other conditions and having the dog undergo a CT scan, veterinarians may suspect nasal cancer based on their findings. A definitive diagnosis can be obtained by performing a biopsy of tumor tissue.
Treatment
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The treatment of choice for nose cancer in dogs is generally radiation therapy. This form of treatment has ultimately demonstrated the greatest results in survival times.
Prognosis
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Veterinary Practice News reports that left untreated, dogs with nose cancer die within two to seven months of diagnosis. One the other hand, dogs undergoing radiation treatment may generally survive from eight to 25 months.
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