Lymphoma in Dogs Prognosis
- Lymphoma is cancer of organs in the body that contain lymph cells (e.g. liver, kidney, skin, lymph nodes, gastrointestinal system, bone marrow)
- The condition can also be referred to a lymphosarcoma
- Although it is understood how the tumors develop, the cause for the condition is still unknown
- It is believed that certain factors can predispose a dog to developing the condition, these include:
- Genetics
- Exposure to toxins at any point of life
- There are also certain breeds including retrievers and Scottish terriers that seem to susceptible to developing the disease.
Cutaneous Lymphoma in Dogs Prognosis
- If the condition is diagnosed in its late stages, the prognosis is very poor.
- Most of the owners whose dogs are diagnosed with the condition will choose not to treat it because lymphomas have a high chance of recurrence
- However, dogs do see a high percentage of remission – greater than 75% for those dogs who undergo conventional chemotherapy
- The first remission can last 6 months to 1 year.
- A second remission is much more difficult to achieve in and it is estimated that only 40% of the patients who undergo chemotherapy go through it successfully.
- A third remission only happens to around 20% of dogs who go through chemo.
Here are some numbers regarding the survival rate of dogs who get lymphoma
- Dogs that are not treated – death can happen in 4 to 6 weeks after diagnosis. Some dogs may live longer.
- Dogs who are treated – only around 20% of dogs live to 2 years following diagnosis
Lymphoma in Dogs Symptoms
Some symptoms to look out for include:
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Unexplained weight loss
- Anorexia
- Lumps in the skin
- Breathing problems
- Increase thirst
- Increased frequency of urination