Enlarged Prostate in Dogs

Male dogs over the age of four that have not been neutered are prone to getting prostatomeglamy, which means the prostate has grown too large. According to Dr. Douglas Brum, writing for petplace.com, there are several reasons why a dog can have an enlarged prostate, but neutered dogs are far less likely to develop any of these.

  1. Types

    • The most common reason for enlarged prostate is benign prostatic hyperplasia, which is thought to be caused by hormones. Other reasons include prostatitis, a bacterial infection of the prostate; an abscess; a cyst; or a tumor that may or may not be cancerous. The "Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook" notes that both neutered and intact male dogs can get prostate cancer, although it is one of the rarest types of cancer found in dogs.

    Symptoms

    • Although symptoms will vary depending on the exact cause of the enlarged prostate, two things will generally remain the same: that the dog will have problems urinating and excreting. This can range to having accidents in the home to blood and pus coming out in the urine. Other signs to watch for are crying out when urinating or excreting; panting and cringing after urinating or excreting; very thin or flattened feces; weight loss; fever; any pus or blood dripping from the penis.

    Diagnosis

    • Diagnosis of what exactly is causing the enlarged process is done by a few ways. First, the dog has a rectal examination to determine if the prostate is enlarged and by how much. Then the dog has a urinalysis and may have a complete blood count. If the dog is thought to have a tumor, cyst or abscess, then an X-ray or ultrasound is given. If the dog recently has recovered from cystitis, chances are high the dog has prostatitis.

    Treatment

    • Depending on the cause, treatment can range from antibiotics to surgery. Neutering is recommended in cases where the male hormone testosterone could be aggravating the condition. Although giving synthetic progesterone used to be a common treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia, the "Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook" states it can give the dog adverse side effects.

    Prevention

    • Although it is unknown how to prevent prostate cancer in dogs, it is known how to prevent all of the other reasons for enlarged prostate glands in dogs. Neutering is the best preventative, especially if it is done when the dog is six months old or younger, health permitting.