Dog Pancreatic Cancer

The pancreas is a gland that assists both the exocrine and endocrine systems of a dog’s body. As part of the exocrine system it aids in digestion. It produces several hormones as part of the endocrine system. Generally the cancers of the pancreas are epithelial and unfortunately have metastasized before they are diagnosed.
These cancers are very uncommon in dogs.

Signs and Symptoms

As with other rare cancers, the symptoms are vague. Some include Dog Loss of Appetite which creates a significant Dog Weight Loss, Dog Vomiting and distension of the abdomen, or rather Dog Swollen Abdomen, due to the presence of the tumor.

Diagnosis

Most traditional lab tests are inconclusive with pancreatic cancer. The pancreas is also very difficult to feel on physical examination. Ultrasound can be useful and will also indicate if the cancer has metastasized to the liver or other abdominal organs. Other examinations such as CT scans or an MRI have not been proven successful or beneficial in the evaluation of pancreatic cancer in dogs at this point. As the availability becomes greater, they may prove to be an asset.

Pain treatment

It is very important that dogs receive medication to help with the pain of not only the disease, but also the diagnostic workups that may occur as a result of the pancreatic cancer.

Food

Due to the lack of appetite, it is best to feed your dog a highly nutritious diet that is specifically designed for dogs with cancer.

Treatment options

The cells of pancreatic cancer spread to the lymph nodes and to the liver quickly. If this has happened, surgery will not be performed in most cases. Pancreatic surgery is very dangerous and incidence of death due to the surgery is high. Radiation therapy and chemotherapy have very limited results in dogs or in humans.

Prognosis

Due to the quick metastasis to the lymph nodes and liver, the prognosis for dogs with pancreatic cancer is very poor. Generally the symptoms are not severe enough to be noticed until the disease has entered the lymph nodes and the liver. In spite of treatment, your dog has a rather minimal chance of survival and will usually also have a great deal of discomfort. They will become much debilitated due to poor nutrition. This will usually occur in spite of the potential for heroic attempts to save them.

At the present time there are no clinical trials for the treatment of pancreatic cancer in dogs. It is a rare form of Dog Cancer and most of the clinical trials are done on cancers that are more prevalent in the animal kingdom. It is important to keep your dog as comfortable as possible and to have a close relationship with your veterinarian.

Be aware of changes in your dog’s attitude, eating habits and elimination. How has your dog responded to pain in the past? Is he or she sleeping more? Has elimination changed to any degree?

All of these things are symptoms that you should be aware of. Although early treatment is not possible due to the rapid metastasis and consequently the diagnosis, you will still want to keep your dog as comfortable as possible.

Suggested Products

Cancer Support Kit for Dogs
Nu-Pet Vitamin and Antioxidant Wafers
Multi Essential Dog Vitamins
Milk Thistle for Dog Liver Disease
Royal Coat EFA Express for Dogs
Blue Basics Turkey and Potato Recipe for Dogs

Additional Dog Cancer Pages

Dog Cancer | Dog Skin Cancer | Dog Lung Cancer | Dog Bladder Cancer | Dog Bone Cancer | Dog Cancer Prevention | Dog Cancer Diagnosis | Dog Lymphoma Cancer | Dog Gastric Cancer | Dog Mast Cell Tumors