Brain tumor in dogs, a very serious and very painful disease. Let’s try to understand the causes, the various symptoms and the different treatment options.
The dear four-legged friend can encounter numerous challenges during its existence, problems and complex situations in which he must hunt all his stamina and energy, with the support of its owner or family. It is not always possible to protect dog from pain and suffering, but it is possible to know what can hurt them and try to deal with it. Let’s talk about brain tumor in dogs and how to behave about it.
Brain tumor in dogs: causes and symptoms
It is one of the worst conditions in which trust can find itself living. Unfortunately, brain tumor is a disease that can affect the very elderly most. This can vary in its severity. Let’s explore the triggering causes and symptoms in the article.
Even if we would never want to admit it, it can happen that accidents or serious illnesses develop in your pet, conditions in which we feel helpless and that we have difficulty coping with them.
Just as for us humans, even for dog friends, luck can do a lot and it doesn’t necessarily turn in their favour. Among the most dangerous serious diseases that can affect the dog is the brain tumor.
It is a common pathology in the hairy of the third age and which can develop to various levels. There are dog breeds that are at risk of cancer , such as the Collie , the Golden Retriever, the Boxer , the Boston Terrier and the brachycephalic breeds.
What is a brain tumor? Brain tumor is an abnormal growth within the brain cells and membranes or in another part of the dog. Two types of brain tumors can be distinguished : primary and secondary tumors.
The primary tumor originates right inside the cells of the brain. Examples of primary cancers are glioma , meningioma , adenocarcinoma and choroid plexus papilloma. The secondary tumor, however, is a cancer that affects the brain, which may extend also from a bone up to the brain tissue.
This form of brain tumor develops into canine melanoma, breast cancer and hemangiosarcoma . By spreading powerfully, these tumors are very serious and difficult to treat.
Dog brain tumor symptoms
Depending on the condition in the animal, different symptoms can occur, which depend on the affected area, the mass and how much they compress on its brain.
The onset of symptoms may be sudden and may progress gradually in credit. There may be crises epilepsy and seizures in dogs, common symptoms when the cancer affects the forebrain, the area that controls your thoughts and influences the behaviour of lint.
We have, therefore, symptoms such as pain intense, increase of thirst and hunger, sudden changes in behaviour, a stimulus to twirl.
If the cancer affects the brain stem are conditioned the lucidity and movements of credit, in addition to manifest loss of balance, general weakness, problems cardiovascular and problems breathing.
Other typical symptoms are loss of appetite, vomiting, the dog does not swallow well, tilt of the head, difficulty moving the eyes, imbalance in walking and dog paralysis .
When movements are conditioned , in the dog’s cerebellum, important signals such as staggering gait, shaky head in the dog and uncoordinated movements can be seen . Unfortunately, a brain tumor-prone dog can go into a coma and die.
Dog and brain cancer: diagnosis and possible treatments
If you notice one or more symptoms among those described in the article, it will be necessary to urgently submit the dog to a complete check-up by the doctor. There are several tests and examinations provided, as well as various treatment options. Let’s read better here.
For the dog suffering from brain tumor and presenting important neurological symptoms, the diagnosis made by the veterinarian is necessary. This includes the analysis of blood , examining the physical and neurological complete radiography of the abdomen and chest.
In addition, an MRI scan , recommended by most neurologists, or a computed tomography ( CT ) scan of the animal’s brain will be required.
Being extended very deep, it is difficult to take a sample of the tumor in the skull, or a biopsy.
The tumor sample, however, is crucial to understanding which cell types are involved. The practice of biopsy allows to detect the type of tumor in trust and the level of malignancy of the disease.
Possible treatments of the disease
There are several options for treating brain tumor in dogs. We find radiotherapy , surgical , chemotherapy and palliative treatment .
The progressive course of most brain tumors can be slowed down by radiotherapy. To undergo this treatment, dog must be strong enough to be able to deal with anesthesia at each session.
The treatment surgery can relieve symptoms in dogs and is considered the best option , able to remove the entire tumor, the lucky ones. Tumors that extend deep and onto the surface of the trustee brain are difficult to access.
With chemotherapy, we proceed to the administration of chemotherapy drugs which, however, can cause terrible side effects, in particular to the bone marrow and liver of the hairy. Therefore this treatment must be carefully monitored.
Finally, palliative treatment can relieve the pain generated by the symptoms present in dog, especially if a lot of fluid has accumulated in the brain, a source of severe pain.
With the help of these different treatments it is possible to reduce pain and treat the inflammation caused by the brain tumor, but there is no cure. For any advice, it is important to consult with your experienced veterinarian.