| Your dog's pancreas produces hormones and | | | | blood tests to check for damage to the pancreas. |
| digestive enzymes. Pancreatic cancer in dogs is a | | | | Treatment |
| very serious medical condition. It is usually fatal. | | | | Unfortunately, pancreatic cancer in dogs often |
| This is because symptoms don't appear until the | | | | proves to be difficult to treat. Surgery is one of |
| cancer is already well-advanced. | | | | the primary methods of treatment. However, if |
| Symptoms | | | | the disease has already spread to other areas of |
| This disease causes tumors to develop in the | | | | the body, surgery will have no effect. Tumors |
| pancreas. This usually causes the dog's stool to | | | | may also cause bowel obstruction as they grow. |
| have blood in it. Other common symptoms include | | | | This will require gastrointestinal bypass surgery. |
| lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, and loss of appetite. | | | | In addition to surgery, the veterinarian may elect |
| Neurological signs can also be present and include | | | | to give radiation and prescription drugs. Most dogs |
| seizures and loss of coordination. | | | | are not given food so that the pancreas can rest |
| Diagnosis | | | | and not have to secrete digestive enzymes. |
| If your dog displays these symptoms, you should | | | | Without food, your dog will need to be given |
| take him to a veterinarian as soon as possible. As | | | | nutrients and vitamins by IV. |
| mentioned, the disease is usually in an advanced | | | | Prognosis |
| stage before you notice anything and seek | | | | The prognosis for dog pancreatic cancer is very |
| treatment. In order to diagnose this disease, the | | | | poor. After displaying signs of disease, most dogs |
| veterinarian will have to perform enzyme and | | | | won't live longer than a year. |