Just like humans, dogs sometimes develop tumors. Tumors that develop on a dog's pancreas are called exocrine tumors. Veterinarians aren't sure what causes the tumors to develop in the glandular tissue of the pancreas, but when they do occur, exocrine tumors are almost always malignant. It is very rare for a dog to develop a benign pancreas tumor. Dogs diagnosed with pancreatic tumors often only live a few months from the time they're diagnosed.
-
Symptoms
-
Along with abnormalities in the dog's blood tests, earlier signs that a dog may be suffering from a tumor of the pancreas include a failure to eat or loss of appetite, weight loss, listlessness or lethargy.
Diagnoising Pancreatic Tumors in Dogs
-
If you notice swelling or sensitivity in your dog's stomach that lasts longer than a few days, visit your vet. Your vet will examine your dog and check for a mass or lump in your dog's stomach. To confirm that there is a mass on your dog's pancreas, your vet will order X-rays. Sometimes an ultrasound, the same technology used during pregnancy, is used to pinpoint the type of pancreatic tumor. If your dog has a pancreatic tumor, laboratory tests will often show dehydration, an obstructed bowel and signs of jaundice.
Treating Tumors of the Pancreas in Dogs
-
Tumors are sometimes treated with surgery, but generally by the time dogs are diagnosed with pancreatic tumors, it is often too late. By this time, the cancer has usually spread beyond the pancreas to nearby organs and lymph nodes. Rarely, when discovered early before it spreads, a tumor can be surgically removed from a dog's pancreas and the dog may go on to recover fully. Chemotherapy treatment is another option, but again, it is often a futile effort since the majority of exocrine tumors of the pancreas in dogs result in death, regardless of chemotherapy treatment.
Caring for a Dog with Tumors of the Pancreas After Sugery
-
If your dog undergoes surgery for a pancreatic tumor, he will require a few days' stay at the animal hospital. There, your pet can receive food through a feeding tube while his intestine recovers after surgery. Your dog will require medications prescribed by your vet after the surgery, and he may still need the feeding tube when he returns home.
Preventing Tumors of the Pancreas in Dogs
-
Since scientists do not know what causes tumors of the pancreas in dogs, prevention isn't possible. Early detection is the next best option to prevention when it comes to pancreatic tumors in dogs. This means that you should take your older or middle-aged dog to the vet if she experiences abdominal pain, weight loss, yellowing of the eyes or vomiting. If your dog is unlucky enough to have a pancreatic tumor, you may be able to have it removed if you detect the disease early enough, before it spreads to other organs or overwhelms the pancreas to the point at which surgery is no longer possible.
-