Owner's Guide to Lung Cancer in Dogs

Lung cancer in dogs is a very serious disease thatThe oncologist specializes in the kind of treatment your
often results in death. The cancer cells usually don'tdog needs.
originate in the lungs. Instead, most cases occurIf the disease is still confined to one area, surgery will
because the cells travel to the lungs from other partslikely be the preferred method of treatment. However,
of the body. You may be wondering what symptomsif the cancer cells have already begun to spread to
are caused by this illness.other areas, surgery is not a viable option. After the
Symptomsillness has spread, your dog's only two treatment
Dog lung cancer normally causes no symptoms whileoptions are chemotherapy and radiation.
the disease is in its early stages. Your dog willPrognosis
experience panting and heavy breathing as theLung cancer in dogs can be difficult to detect in its
disease progresses. Other symptoms start to appearearly stages because symptoms only appear as the
when the cancer cells start spreading to other parts ofdisease advances. Therefore, this condition is usually
the body. Two of the most common include loss offatal. Depending on how quickly the cancer was
appetite and weight loss.diagnosed, the dog can survive for months or even a
Treatmentfew years. As symptoms get worse, the veterinarian
If your veterinarian diagnoses your dog with lungmay suggest that you have your dog euthanized to
cancer, he will send you to an oncologist for treatment.end his suffering.