Q&A

Lymphona

This question was asked to me by a friend of mine whose dog was recently diagnosed with lymphoma.

Lymphoma is a malignant cancer that involves the lymphoid system. The lymphoid system is an important part of the body’s immune system defense against infectious agents such as viruses and bacteria. Lymphoid tissue normally is found in many different parts of the body including lymph nodes, liver, spleen, gastrointestinal tract and skin. Lymphosarcoma is classified according to the location in the body in which the cancer begins.

Lymphosarcoma occurs in middle-aged to older dogs. Breeds of dogs that are at a higher than average risk of developing this disease include Rottweilers, Scottish terriers, Golden retrievers, Basset hounds, and German shepherds. Males and females are affected equally.

ymptoms with lymphosarcoma depend on primarily on the location of the tumor cells. Symptoms include enlargement of external lymph nodes, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, weight loss, lethargy, difficulty breathing and increased thirst or urinations. Cutaneous lymphosarcoma can cause redness or flakiness of the skin, ulceration (especially near the lips and on the footpads), itchiness or lumps in the skin.

The prognosis for lymphoma is not good. Depending on which type of lymphoma and where the tumors are growing, chemothearphy can extend a dog's life anywhere from a few months to a few years.

Here are some more articles which might help you out:
Very informative Site with treatment options and descriptions of types of lymphomas | Pet Place

Q and A

Please note that due to the volume of requests I receive and the time it takes to answer some of the more complicated questions, I cannot answer every question received and I will not answer duplicate questions. However, I will try my best to get to all of them in a timely manner.

All info copyright © Amanda Galiano