Hemangiosarcoma in dogs is a highly aggressive cancer that affects the blood vessels. It can occur anywhere in the body, but it is most common in dogs’ spleens and hearts; however, other organs can be affected as well. Hemangiosarcoma is the most common type of cancer diagnosed in dogs and cats; however, it’s rarely seen in humans.
Hemangiosarcoma in Dogs
Hemangiosarcoma is a type of cancer that affects the blood vessels. It’s very aggressive, and it can spread rapidly throughout the body. Hemangiosarcoma often causes tumors to form in many parts of the body, including the spleen, liver, heart and lungs.
Hemangiosarcoma occurs most often in dogs who are older than seven years old, but younger dogs can develop hemangiosarcoma as well. This type of cancer is so aggressive that it will spread throughout your pet’s entire body within just a few weeks after diagnosis.
What Causes Hemangiosarcoma in Dogs?
The cause of hemangiosarcoma is unknown, but some breeds are at higher risk than others. These include:
- Poodles
- Dachshunds
- Schnauzers
- German Shepherds
Hemangiosarcoma in Dogs: Symptoms
Depending on which organ is affected, different symptoms exist. Hemangiosarcoma tumors’ abnormal connections between the blood vessels make them more prone to rupturing and bleeding.
Because of this, a mass in the liver or spleen may bleed as the first indication of this type of cancer. Weakness, sluggishness, pale gums, poor appetite, and abdominal pain can all be symptoms of bleeding episodes.
It is crucial that a dog be evaluated by a veterinarian when these symptoms appear.
Surgery may be required to try to remove the mass and control the bleeding if a tumor is gushing blood rapidly. The clinical indications may be waxing and waning in form if the tumor is slowly bleeding.
Your dog may experience bad symptoms one day then feel good the next few days. Other dogs, however, do not exhibit any signs of hemangiosarcoma, although an incidental lump may be discovered during an ultrasound.
Diagnosing Hemangiosarcoma in Dogs
Diagnosing hemangiosarcoma can be tricky because it looks so much like other diseases. Blood tests will show a high white blood cell count and anemia, but this is not uncommon among dogs of all ages. X-rays may reveal a mass in the chest wall or abdomen. Ultrasound will show a large liver with areas that are less dense than normal—these could be cancerous growths on the liver or fluid accumulation from tumors elsewhere in the body. Biopsy samples taken from the tumor and sent for analysis will confirm if it is hemangiosarcoma by examining tissue under a microscope for abnormal cell growth patterns (called histology) or looking at chromosomes (cytology).
CT scans and MRIs are used to take images of internal organs such as lungs, livers, kidneys and spleens more clearly than traditional X-rays can provide; these scans may help doctors identify additional tumors before surgery so they can remove them during surgery with greater precision than would otherwise be possible if those tumors were not found until later stages when they begin changing shape due to increased pressure within their surroundings causing them to spread further throughout your pet’s system making treatment options much more difficult once diagnosed correctly early enough in order get rid off all underlying causes surrounding each individual case scenario where possible while also looking forward towards future treatments as well.
Conventional Treatment for Hemangiosarcoma in Dogs
or dogs with hemangiosarcoma, surgery is the only treatment option. In some cases, your vet may also recommend radiation therapy. Treatment options can be combined to help prolong your dog’s life or to make him more comfortable while he is going through treatment.
The most common combination of treatments used for hemangiosarcoma in dogs includes chemotherapy and radiation therapy (chemoradiation). To administer these types of treatments, your dog will need to be sedated so that the area around his tumor can be shaved and cleaned. A tube is then placed down the windpipe into the lungs so that a liquid form of chemotherapy can be given directly into them; this liquid enters tiny blood vessels throughout the body and attacks any cancer cells it encounters on its way there.
Chemotherapy alone has been found effective at treating advanced-stage tumors when combined with surgery or radiation therapy. However, if you opt for chemoradiation without surgery or another surgical procedure such as debulking, keep in mind that it does not always work well enough to cure patients because some cancers are resistant to treatment even when given together! If possible though – especially if you want another option besides just letting nature take its course – consider undergoing both surgery followed by several rounds of radiotherapy before making any final decision about whether.
Hemangiosarcoma in Dogs Treatment: How Long Does the Conventional Option Take?
Treatment for hemangiosarcoma in dogs typically lasts six to twelve months, depending on your pet’s symptoms, the size of their tumor, and whether or not they have other health problems. The doctor may need to do surgery to remove parts of your dog’s liver if they have a large tumor that can’t be treated with chemotherapy alone. Chemotherapy is often used along with surgery or radiation therapy.
The Golden Retriever Lifetime Study on Hemangioarcoma in Dogs
The Morris Foundation’s Golden Retriever Lifetime Study is particularly interested in various malignancies, including hemangiosarcoma, a serious malignancy of golden retrievers. In their cohort of 3,044 dogs, hemangiosarcoma currently accounts for the majority of cancer-related deaths. All of the dogs in the cohort with hemangiosarcoma are being monitored, and extra tissue and other biological samples are being taken.
They have stored samples on affected dogs extending back years that may indicate risk factors related to this malignancy in addition to samples taken at the time of diagnosis or death. They anticipate that researchers will be able to use these samples to create early diagnostic tests and comprehend any genetic connections to this fatal illness. In order to learn more about hemangiosarcoma and other malignancies in golden retrievers, the staff is striving to promote Study data and samples to researchers from all over the world. They are also inviting these researchers to submit proposals.
The Golden Oldies research will provide further, vitally important information on the underlying genetics of this malignancy by comparing DNA from older golden retrievers without cancer to DNA from Study dogs with cancer (including hemangiosarcoma). The results of this study may eventually lead to the development of a diagnostic tool for locating dogs who are susceptible to this malignancy.
Read more:
Hemangiosarcoma – A Deadly Canine Cancer That Strikes Without Warning
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