Dog Lymphoma Information
Dog Lymphoma Information
Dog Lymphoma can be a devastating experience and although considered a very dire condition many times, with swift treatment, it is not fatal. Of all the types of cancers, Dog lymphoma is the most common with malignant tumors that develop on the dog’s lymph nodes, liver or spleen. Other areas of attack can be the digestive system and even the eyes and skin.
Although dog lymphoma can affect any breed, certain types of dogs have a greater tendency toward the disease. Golden Retrievers have a higher rate of the disease with 1 in 8 of these dogs being afflicted. Others such as Rottweilers, Pit Bulls, German Shepherds, Boxers, Scottish Terriers and Basset hounds have also been prone to coming down with dog lymphoma.
As with most dog cancers, the actual causes of dog lymphoma aren’t easily determined. Genetics can play a crucial role in whether or not some dogs will come down with the disease, however this is not a hard a fast rule. For dogs that have not been cared for properly; nutritious food, clean water, exercise and rest, these can be contributing factors for ill health in general. As with most opportunistic diseases, dogs with lymphoma have the bad misfortune of their immune system breaking down causing normally healthy cells to transform into malignant growths and tumors.
Although the type of breed can play a role in the susceptibility of dog lymphoma, gender has shown to be a non-issue. The age of dogs does set the stage for this disease as it does on many others with middle aged to older dogs being more inclined to come down with it. In the case of dog lymphoma, the reasons why a pet will come down with the disease are often not as important as a way to get them better.
Dog Lymphoma Symptoms
Dog lymphoma can often not make itself known until either the pet is either in the vet’s office for a check up or lumps begin to appear on the skin. Some symptoms may be indicators of the disease although they can also be attributed to a variety of other illnesses.
Vomiting - Loss of Appetite - Laziness - Weight loss - Lumps - Fever - Diarrhea
Dog lymphoma is an aggressive disease as it more rapidly throughout the body once it has established itself within an organ. Just like cancers in humans, dogs with lymphoma that reach the lymph nodes themselves can quickly incapacitate your pet. The further along the disease develops the more pronounced these symptoms will make themselves known.
When dog lymphoma attacks the digestive system it wreck havoc on the animals ability to digest food causing many dogs to vomit their meals. Food that cannot be digested properly is flushed through the intestinal track and results in bouts of diarrhea. After a while the pet will simply not have the desire to eat at all which will manifest in malnutrition, a lack of energy and weight loss. Often this is accompanied by a fever that can last for at least three days.
Except for the development of tumors or lumps on the skin, which can be see or felt, indicators of dog lymphoma usually won’t reveal themselves until after it has begun to spread. Some dogs may begin to show signs of the illness through unusual behavior. Dogs that normally are energetic, playful and eager to discover new things often times take the exact opposite position.
Dogs lymphoma is not the only reason behind such personality changes but the fact that your dog doesn’t act the way they would normally, should be all the reason needed to investigate.
Dog Lymphoma Treatments
Because Dog lymphoma is a life threatening disease, early detection is paramount. When discovered early on, lymphoma treatments can be less intrusive and the response more encouraging. This is because the disease is still in the beginning stages and hasn’t ravaged vital organs making the fight against harder. Also your pet’s immune system is still working properly and is a strong adversary against the lymphoma.
Once the dog lymphoma has invaded organs and the lymph node system, more drastic and aggressive measures need to be applied. The rule of thumb is basically the further along the lymphoma is the more intense the therapy.
1. Chemotherapy – While this common dog lymphoma treatment attacks the cancer cells it also damages healthy cells as well making the treatment a double edged sword. The good news is that dogs respond well to this kind of treatment. Plus, unlike humans who often times have a very hard time dealing with the side effects, dogs seem to tolerate it very well. This treatment is usually accompanied with radiation treatments.
2. Surgery – Dog lymphomas with malignant tumors are extremely dangerous and can spread quickly. The option to surgically remove them is not taken lightly but is a sound recourse of action to prevent them from doing further damage to the body as well as preventing their proliferation. Most times surgery is coupled with Chemotherapy sessions.
3. Strengthen the Immune System – When the decision to use Chemotherapy against dog lymphoma is given it is equally important that supplemental nutrition is provided that will counter act the damage the drugs will be doing to healthy cells and digestive track’s intestinal flora.
Fundamentally the first line of any remedy is to ensure your dog has a fighting chance against dogs lymphoma is a proper diet and balanced nutrition. Providing good food that is full of quality protein and low on grains, corn and possibly tainted meat by-products is paramount for your pet to achieve a healthy digestive system and strong immune system. When you supplement dogs with a vitamin supplement that has been engineered to support vital organs and have ingredients that can attack disease causing free radicals which can make a big difference in their battle against dog lymphoma.
Nutritional supplements that contain a rich supply of vitamins, mineral and essential enzymes offer a matrix of antioxidants that help protect dogs from the ravages of opportunistic lymphoma, free radicals and chemicals that assault them on a daily basis. Formulas that contain quality calcium, a full range of amino acids, Blue Green Algae as one its source of protein and chlorophyll plus L Methionine as an essential amino acid that help to detoxify the blood stream. Shark Cartilage has been shown to help dog lymphoma by shrinking tumors all together.
As with any vitamin and nutritional supplement, the quality of ingredients combined with the manufacturing process is what determines how effective it will be for your favorite dogs. Supplement makers that are willing to put in the time to develop a truly scientifically based formula that has been proven positive results against dog lymphoma are the only kind to consider. But it should also be noted that superior formulation can only go as far as the processing practices will take them.
Companies that use human grade ingredients begin on the best foot and when combined with manufacturing operations that are approved for human products production by the FDA, this equates to a supplement that goes beyond mere commercial value. It shows a company that puts the health of dogs ahead of everything else.
