“A lot of owners assume that if their dog dies suddenly it is from cardiomyopathy,” says Robbins, who feels hemangiosarcoma and sudden death from the cancer is more prevalent than assumed. Hemangiosarcoma developed in his lungs, liver and kidney. CH Storybooks Rip it Up was not a dog that she bred, but she campaigned him to become the No. One died in her arms on the way to the veterinary school at Auburn University, another died at the American Boxer Club’s (ABC) National Specialty. STUART HELFAND, D.V.M., OF THE OREGON CANCER CENTER FOR ANIMALS (ORCCA) AT OREGON STATE UNIVERSITYīoxer breeder Cheryl Robbins of Cherkei Kennels in Newnan, Ga., has lost several dogs to hemangiosarcoma. WE’VE PROVED THAT TRADITIONAL TREATMENT METHODS DON’T WORK WELL, AND WE NEED NEW IDEAS.” “PROGRESS IN HEMANGIOSARCOMA HAS NOT IMPROVED MUCH SINCE I GRADUATED FROM VETERINARY SCHOOL IN 1978. Because hemangiosarcoma is a cancer of the blood vessel cells, the tumor has a constant blood supply and access to blood vessels, facilitating its spread throughout the body. Many dogs die from acute internal hemorrhaging that occurs secondary to the tumor rupturing or from the rupture of a tumor located near or in a critical area. Hemangiosarcoma most often originates in the spleen where the tumor ruptures, showering tumor cells within the abdomen that may implant and grow. The lungs and liver are the most common sites of metastases. Other less common primary sites include the kidneys, oral cavity, muscle, bone, brain, urinary bladder, and the peritoneum.2 In dogs with multiple tumors, it may be difficult to determine which is the primary tumor site. Veterinarians see hemangiosarcoma as a disease primarily in four areas: the spleen, liver, skin and heart. Lethargy resolves and constitutional signs, including appetite, improve. However, if the bleeding stops, dogs reabsorb blood from the abdomen (auto transfusion), and a dog may appear normal again. A dog’s breathing may become labored because internal bleeding reduces the oxygen content within the bloodstream. Lethargy and depression are common, and owners typically feel something isn’t quite right but are unable to pinpoint the problem.Įarly signs can be intermittent. Once the cancer has spread, a dog may show weakness, a distended abdomen, high pulse and respiration, weight loss, pale mucous membranes (most easily seen on the gums), and anemia. THE CANCER, WHICH OCCURS IN DOGS MORE THAN ANY OTHER SPECIES, REPRESENTS ABOUT 7 PERCENT OF ALL CANINE CANCERS" "HEMANGIOSARCOMA IS ONE OF THOSE AGGRESSIVE CANCERS THAT TYPICALLY HAS METASTASIZED BY THE TIME IT IS DIAGNOSED. After surgery to remove a tumor, dogs can leave the hospital two days later, tail wagging and feeling great, but the tumor will regrow within two to four months, says Stuart Helfand, D.V.M., professor at the new Oregon Cancer Center for Animals (ORCCA) at Oregon State University in Corvallis. Tumors can become larger than a grapefruit, although sometimes it’s not possible to feel the tumor during palpation. “It develops slowly and is essentially painless, so clinical signs are usually not evident until the advanced stages when the tumor is resistant to most treatments,” he says. Researcher Jaime Modiano, V.M.D., Ph.D., of the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver, describes hemangiosarcoma as being extremely indolent. Without treatment, life expectancy is about two months. If the cancer is found early when the tumor is easiest to treat with surgery and chemotherapy, a dog may survive seven to eight months. Hemangiosarcoma affects the cells that line the blood vessels, called the endothelial cells. Besides Boxers, other breeds considered at risk for developing this type of cancer are German Shepherd Dogs, Golden Retrievers, Great Danes, English Setters, Pointers, and Skye Terriers.1 While the cancer occurs most often in middle-age to senior dogs, it is also seen in young dogs. Though it is not known what percent of Boxers is affected by hemangiosarcoma, veterinarians agree it is a concern for the breed. The cancer, which occurs in dogs more than any other species, represents about 7 percent of all canine cancers. Hemangiosarcoma is one of those aggressive cancers that typically has metastasized by the time it is diagnosed. While almost nothing is as frightening as a cancer diagnosis, some canine cancers spread faster than others. Reprinted with permission from the Purina Pro Club Boxer Update, Nestle Purina PetCare. Research Advances in Managing Hemangiosarcoma in Boxers
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |