Kidney cancer, or renal neoplasia, is relatively rare in dogs If caught early on, surgery is possible and may save the dog's life. Dogs can function well with one kidney. However, kidney cancer often spreads from malignancies in other organs. If the cancer has spread to both kidneys, it is not curable. Supportive care may be given to ease suffering and give the dog a good quality of life for its remaining time. Kidney cancer tends to affect older canines.
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Increased Urination
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Increased amounts of urine or more frequent urination is symptomatic of several canine diseases, including kidney cancer. However, chronic renal failure is far more common. The vet will generally rule out other ailments before testing for kidney cancer. Diagnosis for kidney cancer is generally by ultrasound, which will indicate if a tumor is present. Once found, a biopsy is performed to see if the tumor is benign or malignant, and the tumor type.
Blood in the Urine
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Blood in the urine, or hematuria, indicates some sort of problem. Usually, it is an infection that clears up with antibiotics, or is caused by bladder or kidney stones. However, it can also be a symptom of kidney cancer, as well as cancers of the urethra or bladder, and the prostrate in male dogs. The vet does a urinalysis and physical examination, and may order radio-graphs or ultrasound to pinpoint the cause of hematuria.
Renal Failure
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Many symptoms of kidney cancer mimic renal failure, but renal failure also tends to occur in dogs afflicted with cancer. In addition to increased urination, signs of renal failure include weight loss, anemia, constant thirst, vomiting, depression, stomach distension, an ammonia-like odor emanating from the dog, and pain in the back or abdomen. Whether the renal failure is due to cancer or general kidney failure, it is a serious condition and a dog with any of these symptoms should see a vet at once. Metastasized renal tumors often make their way to the chest.
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