Dog Stomach Cancer

Dog stomach cancer occurs most frequently in the form of adenocarcinoma. Certain breeds of dogs seem to be predisposed to this form of cancer. Signs and symptoms of canine stomach cancer are not distinct. Read on and learn more about the symptoms, causes, and conventional treatment of stomach cancer in dogs.

Canine stomach cancer is rather rare. It accounts for about 0.1 percent (1 in 1000) of all cancers in dogs. However, certain breeds seem to be more predisposed to stomach cancer. For example, Chow Chows have between 10 to 20 times the risk of stomach cancer compared to other breeds.

Other breeds that are more prone to stomach cancer include the Akita, Belgian Sheepdogs, Irish Setters, Keeshonds, Norwegian Elkhound, and Scottish Terriers.

Dog stomach cancer is most frequently caused by adenocarcinoma, a tumor which forms in glandular tissue and spreads to the stomach. This type of tumor can also frequently spread to lymph nodes, the liver and the lungs.

Other less common tumors that cause canine stomach cancer include gastrointestinal stromal tumors, leiomyosarcomas, lymphomas, mast cell tumors, extramedullary plasmacytomas, and fibrosarcomas.

Stomach cancer in dogs usually occurs in middle-aged to older dogs. Male dogs seem to be affected more often than females.

Symptoms of Dog Stomach Cancer

The signs of stomach cancer can be very vague and subtle.

The most common symptoms of stomach cancer are vomiting (very often you can see blood in the vomitus) and weight loss.

Dogs with stomach cancer also suffer from abdominal pain, which can cause behavioral changes in the dog. For example, the dog may growl, whine, or snap at people when touched. He may be reluctant to move and play, and may even refuse to eat.

Other symptoms that could indicate stomach cancer include:

Diarrhea
Dark tarry stool
Anemia
Lack of appetite
Loss of energy
Lethargy

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Diagnosis of Dog Stomach Cancer

As you can from above, symptoms of stomach cancer in dogs are very vague and many other GI problems exhibit similar symptoms. Therefore, a series of initial tests such as blood, urine and fecal sample tests and x-rays will need to be done to rule out problems such as chronic gastritis, inflammatory bowel disease, or even parasites.

If other GI problems are ruled out, double-contrast radiography and/or abdominal ultrasound can be used to determine if a tumor is present in the stomach. Endoscopic examination of the stomach is another useful diagnostic procedure. Besides looking for abnormalities in the stomach, the endoscope can remove small samples of the tumor in the stomach for further analysis.

Finally, if cancer is strongly suspected, exploratory surgical biopsy may be performed.

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Conventional Treatment of Dog Stomach Cancer

Unless the cancer form is lymphoma, the conventional treatment of choice for stomach cancer in dogs is surgery, provided that the cancer has not spread to other sites of the body.

Sometimes the tumor is so large that food cannot pass from the stomach to the intestine. In such cases, a bypass surgery may be necessary. Bypass surgery is not curative - It only provides relief to make the dog feel better and to help him stay alive longer.

Radiation therapy is seldom used to treat canine stomach cancer due to the location of the stomach - radiation may accidentally harm important organs close by (e.g. the liver and intestines).

Chemotherapy is largely ineffective against stomach cancer.

Unfortunately, stomach cancer in dogs is aggressive and prognosis is poor. Even with surgery, the survival time for most dogs is less than 6 months (median survival time for adenocarcinoma with surgery is 2 months).