Content
- What is canine leukemia?
- Causes and risk factors
- Symptoms of Leukemia in Dogs
- Diagnosis of Leukemia in Dogs
- Treatment of Leukemia in Dogs
Leukemia is a type of cancer that affects the dog's bloodstream, mainly related to the number of white blood cells.
It is a serious disease that, if not diagnosed in time, can be deadly for the dog.
In this article by PeritoAnimal we detail everything about the leukemia in dogs, explaining the possible causes that give rise to it, the most frequent symptoms and the treatment to apply.
What is canine leukemia?
leukemia it's a type of cancer which affects leukocytes (white blood cells). The bone marrow of dogs suffering from leukemia produces a lot of defective white blood cells. These defective white blood cells flood the bloodstream and the same bone marrow, but because of their defects they are unable to protect the body.
Consequently, the immune system is negatively affected and dogs are susceptible to contracting various diseases. As leukemia progresses, it also affects the production of other blood cells such as red blood cells and platelets, thus causing additional problems of great magnitude. Canine leukemia can be acute when it occurs quickly and abruptly, or chronic when it occurs slowly and gradually.
Causes and risk factors
Different possible causes for leukemia have been proposed, including genetic factors, exposure to radiation, exposure to chemical substances and virus infection. However, the real causes of this disease are not yet known and it remains to be seen whether any of the proposed causes is the correct one.
Symptoms of Leukemia in Dogs
Dogs suffering from leukemia have a number of non-specific symptoms, since the disease affects the immune system and, consequently, has an impact on various organs. The symptoms are usually:
- Fatigue
- Weight loss
- Weakness
- Lethargy
- inappetence
- general malaise
- vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Pale mucous membranes
- swollen lymph nodes
- enlarged liver
- hemorrhages
- Dehydration
- Difficulty breathing and rapid breathing
- fast heart rate
- Increased frequency and/or volume of urine
Diagnosis of Leukemia in Dogs
Diagnosis is based on a physical examination, symptoms, a bone marrow biopsy, and should always be done by a veterinarian..
To carry out the biopsy it is necessary to anesthetize the dog, as it is a complicated and painful procedure. THE marrow sample it is usually taken from the hip region. Then, the sample is sent to the laboratory, where a cytological study is carried out to determine if there is leukemia.
Treatment of Leukemia in Dogs
Unfortunately there is no cure for this disease. However, there are treatments that can help dogs in some cases.
Treatments are usually based on chemotherapy, given to the dog. anticancer. As a general rule, these treatments have to be repeated from time to time. In addition, it is often necessary to administer antibiotics or other medications to fight opportunistic infections, and it may be necessary to administer pain relievers to reduce pain and discomfort.
The prognosis of dogs with chronic leukemia can be favorable if the disease is detected and treated in the early stages. In these cases, dogs can gain a few years of life thanks to timely treatment, but the disease is still lethal.
Dogs with acute leukemia usually have a very reserved prognosis, since in these cases the disease is very aggressive and progresses very quickly.
In either case, sick puppies are very unlikely to survive for long, so their owners often opt for euthanasia instead of expensive treatment that can be difficult for both humans and their puppy.
This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.