Tumors in Dogs on the Liver & Kidneys

Tumors on the liver and kidneys of dogs usually occur in older animals. They first form in the liver or kidney. They can also start as a tumor elsewhere in the body and spread to the liver and kidneys.

  1. Primary Liver Tumors

    • Primary liver tumors, or those starting in the liver, are usually found in dogs that are more than 10 years old. They can either be in the liver or the ducts leading from the liver.

    Secondary Liver Tumors

    • Secondary liver tumors, or metastatic cancer, start as cancer elsewhere in the body. The liver filters the blood of many toxins, and tumor cells from other body organs can lodge in the liver and start growing.

    Metastatic Liver Causes

    • The body organs that cause secondary liver tumors include the pancreas, the mammary glands, the intestines and the bones.

    Primary Kidney Tumors

    • Kidney tumors in the dog are rare. Tumors that start in the kidneys are most common in dogs older than 8 years of age.

    Secondary Kidney Tumors

    • Like the liver, the kidneys can also form tumors from cancer in other parts of the body. The most common metastatic kidney tumor is the lymphosarcoma. It can involve one or both kidneys.