Bladder Cancer in Dogs

Bladder cancer in dogs usually occurs in the form of canine transitional cell carcinoma (TCC). A classic symptom of canine bladder cancer is blood in the urine. Read on and find out more about the symptoms, causes, and conventional treatment of canine bladder cancer.

Canine bladder cancer is not very common - it accounts for approximately 2% of all cancers in dogs.

The bladder is shaped like an empty balloon, and it collects urine before the body releases it as waste. The most common form of dog bladder cancer is a malignant cancer tumor called transitional cell carcinoma ("TCC", aka urothelial carcinoma). The tumor is developed from the cells (transitional epithelial cells) lining the bladder. Therefore, such tumors are usually found in the inside lining of the bladder.

As the tumor grows, it takes over the space that is used for holding urine, thereby obstructing the flow of urine from the kidneys to the outside of the body.

Canine transitional cell carcinoma is fairly aggressive. In one out of every 10 instances, it spreads to other sites of the body, such as the lungs, the bones, or the lymph nodes near the bladder.

Causes of Bladder Cancer in Dogs

As in other forms of cancer, the exact cause of bladder cancer in dogs is unknown. However, it is believed that several contributors can cause canine transitional cell carcinoma to develop in dogs. For example:

Genetic Predisposition: A genetic predisposition is suspected because this type of cancer is more common in specific breeds of dogs. In particular, Scottish Terriers have a much higher risk of developing bladder cancer than other dogs. Other breeds susceptible to this cancer include the Shetland Sheepdogs, the Beagles, West Highland White Terriers, and Wire Hair Fox Terriers.
Gender: It has been found that female dogs are twice as likely to get bladder cancer than males.
Neutering: It has also been found that neutered dogs are four times more likely to develop bladder cancer than intact males.
Exposure to Pesticides: Another risk factor is exposure to pesticides and herbicides, especially in yard spray. "Old generation" flea dips are also responsible for causing bladder cancer in dogs.
Cyclophosphamide: This chemotherapy drug can trigger bladder cancer in dogs. Thus, if your dog had a previous cancer of a different kind and was treated with cyclophosphamide, he may have a higher risk of developing bladder cancer later on in life.

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Symptoms of Bladder Cancer in Dogs

Common signs and symptoms of canine bladder cancer include blood in the urine, straining to urinate, and urinating small amounts frequently. As you can see, these symptoms are very similar to those of a bladder infection or bladder stones. In fact, one other sign of bladder cancer is repeated bladder infections. Therefore, if your dog has repeated bladder infections, or is showing signs of a bladder infection, be sure to get a proper diagnosis to rule out the possibility of bladder cancer.

Since canine transitional cell carcinomas can spread rather rapidly, as the disease progresses, the dog will show other symptoms. For example, if the tumor has spread to the bones, the dog can show signs of lameness. If the tumor has spread to the lungs, symptoms such as coughing and difficult breathing may arise.

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Diagnosis of Bladder Cancer in Dogs

As mentioned above, symptoms of canine bladder cancer are similar to other bladder problems such as bladder stones or infections. Therefore, as a first step, a series of tests (such as complete blood count (CBC), biochemistry profile, urinalysis, urine culture, and bladder imaging) will have to be done to rule out other possible bladder problems.

If other bladder or urinary tract problems are ruled out and cancer is suspected, a tissue biopsy will be done which is the only way to get a definitive diagnosis.

If a definitive diagnosis of bladder cancer is made, the next step is to perform "tumor staging", i.e. to determine the stage (extent) of the disease in order to decide on the most appropriate treatment program. The "stage" of the disease is basically determined by three factors - the primary tumor, spread to the lymph nodes, and spread to other organs.

Conventional Treatment of Bladder Cancer in Dogs

The conventional treatment of choice is chemotherapy. A common chemotherapy plan is a combination of piroxicam with mitoxantrone. This combination can help in around 40% of dogs and the median survival time is about one year. Another less aggressive chemotherapy plan is the use of only one drug (usually piroxicam). About 2 dogs in 10 will see improvement and the median survival time is about six months.

Surgery is usually difficult for bladder cancer in dogs because of two main reasons. First, transitional cell carcinomas are locally aggressive and it is difficult to completely remove all cancer cells with surgery. Second, the position of the tumor can make surgery difficult or even impossible, especially if the tumor occurs in the neck of the bladder where several vital structures are located.

Radiation may control the growth of the tumor but it has its limitation due to serious complications that can be caused by the treatment, such as a scarred, shrunken bladder, and irritation to surrounding organs.