Canine cancer is just as common as it is in humans. Signs to watch for are enlargement of the lymph nodes. This article will explore bladder cancer in the dog. Cancer in dogs is common and they share the same symptoms as humans do in their fight to survive cancer.
Things You'll Need
- Finger tips to palpate (feel)enlargement of the lymph nodes
- Veterinarian advice and treatment protocol
Instructions
Bladder cancer in dogs exhibits symptoms of lethargy, nodal enlargement, poor appetite, vomiting, fatigue, and pain. If you notice symptoms of this type first check if there is lymph node enlargement in the groin area of your dog. If upon palpation you discover enlarged lymph nodes in the groin area promptly schedule an appointment with your veterinarian.
If the dog is suspected of having bladder cancer the protocol is to biopsy the enlarged lymph nodes in the groin area. If the biopsy comes back indicating bladder cancer then the decision is to follow a course of treatment that you feel will benefit your dog. Whatever treatment you agree on proceed to do it there's no one right or wrong way to treat it. It's what makes your dog comfortable whether you decide on chemotherapy or just pain control with drugs that are administered at home.
If you decide that chemotherapy will benefit your dog then proceed to try it; if you decide to only use pain management therapy then that's alright too, instill therapy that you feel comfortable with and which makes your dog feel better. Piroxicam or its brand name Feldene is used in the treatment of pain management for bladder cancer in the dog. If chemotherapy is not used then Piroxicam is a great drug of choice to control pain in this type of cancer. Piroxicam is not a cure all the cancer will run its natural course and spread to the lungs, once the lungs are involved the dog will exhibit coughing, weakness, fatigue, no appetite, and this is the time that your dog will look to you to do the right thing. Some dogs bleed out from this type of cancer, blood loss will be from the nose, mouth, and in the stools. Once the dog bleeds out the only thing you can do for it is euthanasia. This is the hardest thing you'll have to do but your dog will understand.