Dog Illness Diagnosis

Dog Illness Diagnosis

Dog illness diagnosis is the determination of the type of cancer that must be done by a trained animal pathologist, and the question may arise whether or not a biopsy should be done. A needle biopsy is a sensible approach: need leis is inserted into the growth and the removed tissue or fluid is sent to a pathologist. After surgery, the tissue is submitted and the findings tell us what the future is apt to hold. As there is no definite line of demarcation be-teen benign and malignant, some tissues are difficult to classify.

The possibility of surgery for older dogs creates a dilemma for many owners. This is a situation in which veterinarians can be of great help. They have seen their rates of succession in hundreds and perhaps thousands of similar situations and can and will be of great help in making a decision.

In old dogs, cancer usually grows more slowly than the same type does in younger dogs. Very old dogs with very invasive lesions frequently keep cancer so well under control they die of other causes. Whatever the reason, it might be valuable to know why.

• X-Ray Therapy. At this time X-ray therapy is used with great success on certain types of cancer but you must be near someone who has this expensive equipment. The dog usually must have an anesthetic for each of the many treatments.
• Cryosurgery. Tumor cryosurgery is the exposure of the growth to extremely cold temperatures to destroy the cancer cells and perhaps some of the healthy cells around them.
• Hypothermia. Encouraging results are seen in overheating patients with total body immersion in hot water combined with X-ray therapy. Repeated treatments are necessary.
• Chemotherapy. Chemotherapy has not produced the results in treating canine leukemia that it has in human leukemia but new treatments are being tried in the hope that a breakthrough discovery will be forthcoming soon.

All too often owners find a tumor and decide, since the pet is old, to wait until it becomes too large and then, assuming the poor dog will be failing, request euthanasia. The problem arises when the tumor reaches a huge size – often larger than the dog’s head – and the patient is just as happy and active as before the growth appeared. Many cases like this are brought into us and our attitude is that it is better to try and fail than not to try at all. It may be a surprise but a goodly percentage of large growths can and are removed successfully.

In our opinion, old dogs, even with heart problems, tolerate modern anesthetics surprisingly well. It is a rare case that succumbs to anesthesia. When large abdominal masses are discovered surgery is with the stipulation that if it is a hopeless case the dog not be permitted to recover from the anesthesia but be given an overdose while still on the operating table. When the disease is hopeless, it is not fair to the patient or the owner for the pet to return home and die a slow, usually painful death.

See more: Dog Immunizations