The Complications Associated With Canine Lymphoma

Canine lymphomaCanine lymphoma is a type of cancer. Specifically it is the inflammation of the lymph nodes in a canine.

No one really knows what causes canine lymphoma; let alone what causes it in human beings.

It may be caused by exposure to the sun, cigarette smoke and so on but nothing has been proven

Canine lymphoma is usually found in middle aged dogs. The symptoms of this disease are; loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea and if it goes untreated the sufferer eventually weakens and dies.

If untreated the disease can kill within 2 months so it is very important to ascertain what is bothering your dog. Usually there is no sign of illness except for the inflammation that can be easily detected by a vet if they are close to the skin as they will be inflamed and hard.

Although environmental factors contribute to the onset of canine lymphoma, the most prevalent cases are those of genetic origin.

Lymphoma is a group of malignant cells that can grow virtually anywhere in the body. If this goes unchecked, this could lead to organ failure and eventually death.

There are generally three types of lymphoma found in both canines and humans which are the gastro intestinal type which affects the intestines, the mediastinal, affecting the chest and the extra nodal which affect the skin, eyes and various other parts of the body.

A test in canines used to find out if your dog has it is the lymph node aspirate, where they take samples of tissue from the lymph nodes and even the bone marrow to check if the disease is present.

Treatment of canine lymphoma usually comes in the form of chemotherapy, which, unfortunately is not carried out by many pet owners because they think that they will be causing further discomfort to the dog.

Nausea is very rare with dogs and so is hair loss although in the odds a whisker or two will be lost. At some point though the lymphoma becomes resistant to remission which means you cannot get rid of it completely. The signs that it is getting better through are the going down of the inflammation in the nodes.

Even when your dog is not exhibiting any symptoms it is important to have it treated quickly. Lymphoma comes in stages affecting one organ and then spreading.

So the best thing to do is get it treated as quickly as possible. Even when your dog is sick it is not the end of the world. Make your dog comfortable and enjoy the days you have left together.

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