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Dog Oral Fibrosarcoma

Veterinarian Reviewed on March 29, 2014 by Dr. Janice Huntingford

Dog Oral Fibrosarcoma

This particular type of Dog Cancer or malignancy usually occurs in the maxilla or upper jaw. It is not, however, exclusively delegated to the upper jaw and can occur in the mandible or lower jaw as well. The potential for metastasis is not as great as with a Dog Oral Melanoma, but it is possible. The tumors are local, which is not always a good sign. Due to that fact, the rate of recurrence hits the upper forty percentile in dogs.

Signs and Symptoms

Generally, the owner of the beloved dog is the first one to notice the tumor. Their attention may be drawn to the dog due to excessive drooling, bleeding from the mouth, Dog Bad Breath, difficulty swallowing or other abnormalities in the mouth. It is at that point that your dog needs to be taken to the vet for diagnosis and treatment.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis can only be done by your veterinarian. Only a thorough examination and evaluation of the mass will distinguish the type of tumor present in the mouth. It is not unusual to sedate or anesthetize the dog to thoroughly examine the tumor. This is especially true if it is on the tongue or towards the back of the mouth.

Before a biopsy is performed, a chest x-ray will be done to determine metastasis. Bone loss is slow to show up with x-rays. For this reason, a CT scan or an MRI may be ordered. The advanced imaging procedures are more expensive than x-rays and are not readily available in smaller practices. They should be considered for accurate diagnosis and potential metastasis. This will give the veterinarian a more accurate path for treatment.

The lymph nodes in the area should be aspirated for diagnosis. It is possible that normal sized lymph nodes can be malignant. On the other hand, enlarged lymph nodes can be benign. For this reason, aspiration is necessary.

Finally, a larger than usual biopsy will be performed. This is done under anesthesia. The biopsy can determine the type of tumor and the stage of the disease.

Treatment Options

Surgical removal is the treatment preferred. If surgery is needed, the type of surgery may be quite extensive. The surgical removal of tumor can cause both cosmetic and functional changes. The end result cosmetically, for upper and lower jaws is usually minimal if there is little bone loss.

Radiation therapy is also considered a possible primary treatment. This can be done to either cure the tumor or to provide some relief. When it is used in addition to surgery the tumor is not completely excised.

Dog Cancer Chemotherapy for oral fibrosarcomas is not a highly used treatment. These tumors are seldom metastatic and therefore surgery is the preferred treatment.

Pain Management

Treatment of pain associated with both the diagnosis and treatment is a must for all dogs. Surgery will cause Dog Pain, as will the radiation. Managing the dogs pain will allow them to have a better quality of life and should never be overlooked.

Prognosis

Oral fibrosarcomas do recur frequently. It is important for the dog’s owner to decide how far to go with treatment. Part of this decision is the consideration of quality of life as opposed to trying to prolong a life with no quality. It is a personal decision for every dog owner and a part of providing superb Dog Palliative Cancer Care.

Suggested Products

Cancer Support Kit for Dogs
Nu-Pet Vitamin and Antioxidant Wafers
Multi Essential Dog Vitamins
Mouth Drops for Dog Bad Breath

Additional Dog Cancer Pages

Dog Cancer | Dog Skin Cancer | Dog Lung Cancer | Dog Bladder Cancer | Dog Pancreatic Cancer | Dog Bone Cancer | Dog Cancer Prevention | Dog Cancer Diagnosis | Dog Gastric Cancer | Dog Mast Cell Tumors | Dog Squamous Cell Carcinoma | Dog Mouth Cancer | Dog Brain Tumor | Dog Palliative Cancer Care

Read also: Dog Cryptococcus
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Our Expert

Dr. Janice Huntingford
Janice Huntingford, DVM, has been in veterinary practice for over 30 years and has founded two veterinary clinics since receiving her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph. She has studied extensively in both conventional and holistic modalities. Ask Dr. Jan

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