Tumors in a dog's nasal cavity are rare. Although about 80 percent of nasal tumors are malignant, these tumors only account for about one percent of all cancers reported in dogs. Dogs that have higher incidences of nose tumors include airedale terriers, basset hounds, old English sheepdogs, Scottish terriers, collies, Shetland sheepdogs, German shorthair pointers, Labrador retrievers and golden retrievers. Nasal tumors are usually seen in older dogs with the most common age being 10; however, they are also seen in dogs as young as two.
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Symptoms
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Tumors in a nasal cavity can cause sneezing, watery eyes and difficulty breathing. They also can cause a thick discharge that can include blood or even an actual nosebleed. If the tumor gets large, it can cause the face to be deformed and bulging eyes. It can even put pressure on the brain, which will result in the dog's behavior to change, such as the dog running in circles or showing signs of blindness.
Diagnosis
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A blood test and urinalysis is usually done first to rule out other possibilities with similar symptoms, such as a fungal infection in the nose. X-rays and CT scans of the nose may be taken to look for a tumor. These would require general anesthesia. Another option would be to use an endoscope. This is a device with a tiny camera inserted through the dog's mouth to get a view of the nasal cavity. If any of these show the presence of a tumor, a biopsy would be taken to get a tissue sample to determine if the tumor is malignant, and, if it is, what type of cancer it is.
Treatment
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Surgical removal of the tumor combined with radiation therapy is usually recommended for dog nasal tumors since after surgery alone, the dog would not be expected to survive any longer than if there was no treatment. Giving radiation therapy before surgery has shown the best results in recent studies. Chemotherapy is also an option, but this usually is done only if radiation therapy is not an option.
Possible Complications
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Even after radiation and surgical removal, the tumor will return in most dogs. A chronic runny nose and infection are common problems in dogs following treatment. Radiation treatment can cause side effects such as the loss of hair and chronic wounds that won't heal over the bridge of the nose, sores in the mouth (mucositis), brain damage, blindness and a hole may develop in the mouth by the nasal cavity.
Prognosis
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If a benign tumor is removed, the dog should live a normal life. If a dog has radiation therapy and then has the tumor surgically removed, the average dog will be expected to survive for four years. If the dog is treated only with radiation, it would be expected to survive an average of close to 20 months.
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