Tumors may be a simple issue or life threatening for your dog. Malignant tumors spread and benign tumors usually grow in one place, according to Vetinfo. However, a tumor does not have to be malignant or spread in order to cause problems or be dangerous. Fortunately, benign tumors, often encased in fibrous tissue, generally are easier to remove than malignant ones, according to Vetinfo. Treatment depends on the tumor̵7;s type, location and potential danger.
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Diagnosis
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Your veterinarian usually needs to take a sample of the tumor, or abnormal tissue mass. If possible, she may attempt to remove the entire tumor. The laboratory examines the entire tumor to determine if there is a clean margin, or normal edges, indicating removal of the entire tumor. They will analyze the tissue to determine the type and if it is benign or malignant. Sometimes removal or samples are not possible, such as with brain tumors. Blood work or diagnostic imaging, including X-rays or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), may help diagnose the tumor.
Types
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There are many types of benign tumors common in dogs. One common type is mammary tumors. Up to 50 percent of mammary tumors on female dogs are benign, according to Vetinfo. Many benign tumors, such as osteomas (bone tumors), chondroma (starting in the cartilage), are rare, according to veterinarians Michael H. Goldschmidt and Donald E. Thrall, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. Benign spleen tumors, hemangiomas, can kill your dog due to blood loss from rupturing, notes Wendy C. Brooks, D.V.M., VeterinaryPartner Educational Director. Lipomas are fatty tumors under the skin, which typically are not dangerous and may be left or removed. According to University of California Davis, another common benign skin tumor, histiocytomas, often go away or regress without treatment.
Location
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Benign tumors that grow in places where they do not cause danger to organs may be harmless. Benign tumors that grow in organs, such as the brain or spleen, have the ability to kill your dog. The mass of the tumor can cause pressure on the organ so it cannot function or grow so large it ruptures the organ. Chondromas that grow in the frontal sinus region can create neurological symptoms, according to Goldschmidt.
Treatment
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Your veterinarian will discuss the potential damage and treatment options. Surgical removal of the tumor is the best treatment when possible. However, some types, such as benign skin tumors, may grow again. Removal is important for some tumors to prevent them from changing to malignant cancer. It is rare, but some tumors, such as chondromas, may transform to malignant and metastasize, according to Goldschmidt. With benign spleen tumors, removal of the spleen is a cure, according to Brooks. Your veterinarian may recommend chemotherapy or radiation if surgery is not possible.
Prevention
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Prevention of most tumors is not possible because the cause is unknown or genetic. Other tumors are more common due to known risks. Spaying a female dog before the first or second estrus cycle (heat) can reduce the risk of mammary tumors to less than 1 percent, according to Indiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory. Obesity is also a risk for the development of mammary tumors. Check your dog weekly for signs of lumps or bumps including in the mouth, lymph nodes and mammary glands.
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