The mast cell tumor in dogs, which we will talk about in this article of Animal Expert, is a very common type of skin tumor, which can be benign or malignant.Although it affects older dogs of all breeds, brachycephalic dogs, such as boxers or bulldogs, have a higher incidence.Prognosis and treatment will depend on the size of the tumor, whether or not there is metastasis, location, etc.Surgery is part of the usual treatment and the use of drugs, radio or chemotherapy is not excluded.
In this article by Animal Expert we explain everything you need to know about canine mast cell tumor, symptoms, treatment, life expectancy, etc.
- The skin tumors of mastocytes in dogs are mastocyte tumors.
- Which are cells with immune function that involve.
- Among other things.
- Allergic processes and wound healing.
- So they contain histamine and heparin.
- In fact.
- Mast cell tumors release histamine.
- Which is linked to the development of gastrointestinal ulcers.
- One of the symptoms that can affect affected dogs.
- Which less often cause clotting problems by heparin release.
As for the causes that explain its onset, there may be an inherited component, genetic factors, viruses or trauma, but the truth is that the cause is unknown; these tumors also affect men and women, usually from the age of nine.
Mast cells are nodules that you can see in different parts of your dog’s body, especially in the trunk, perineal region and limbs, both appearance and consistency are very variable and do not depend on whether it is a malignant or benign tumor.Thus, there are those of a nodule and those of several, slow or fast growing, with or without metastasis, etc., indicating that whenever you experience such an injury on the skin of the dog you should consult a veterinarian to rule out that it is a mast cell tumor.
The tumor may ulcerated, blush, light, irritate, bleed and lose hair, as well as surrounding areas, making the tumor appear to increase or shrink in size, you can notice that the dog scratches and, as we have said, suffers from gastrointestinal ulcers that cause symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia, blood in the stool or anemia.
The veterinarian may confirm the diagnosis by means of a cytological examination by taking a sample of the tumor with a fine needle; you should also evaluate whether metastases exist to examine the nearest lymph node, as well as blood, urine and ultrasound examinations of the spleen and liver, where the canine mastocyte usually spreads; in these cases both organs are larger and pleural effusion and ascites may occur.Mast cell tumors can also affect the bone marrow, but this is less common.
The biopsy provides information about the nature of the mastocytoma, allowing a prognosis and protocol of action to be established.
In the case of mastocytoma in dogs, the life expectancy will depend on the pathological classification of the tumor, since there are different degrees of malignancy, from I to III, which are linked to the greater or lesser differentiation of the tumor.If the dog belongs to one of the predisposed breeds, in addition to the brachycephalic, gilded, labrador or cocker spaniel, this contributes to worsen the prognosis.One exception is the case for boxers, as they have very differentiated mast cell tumors.
The most aggressive tumors are the least differentiated, it is possible to remove them only with surgery, because they are very infiltrated. The average survival of these dogs, without additional treatments, is a few weeks. Few dogs with this type of mast cells survive more than a year In such cases, treatment will be palliative.In addition, mastocytic tumors that begin in the organs also have a worse prognosis [1].
There is another classification that divides the mastocytomas into high or low degree, with 2 years and 4 months of survival.The location of the canine mastocytoma and the existence or not of metastasis are also factors to consider.
Finally, you should know that the mast cell tumor is unpredictable, making it difficult to establish a prognosis.
The protocol of action depends on the characteristics of the mastocito, if we are faced with a solitary tumor, well defined and free of metastasis, the surgery will be the treatment of choice, it must be taken into account that the substances released by the tumor can delay the healing of surgical wounds. It is very important that the extraction also includes a margin of healthy tissue. These types of cases have a more favorable prognosis, even if a recurrence is possible. In addition, if tumor cells remain, additional intervention is required.
Sometimes it will not be possible to leave this margin or the tumor is too large, in these cases in addition to surgery drugs such as prednisone and / or chemotherapy and radiation therapy are prescribed, chemotherapy is also used in multiple or disseminated mast cells.
This article is for informational purposes only, in Animal Expert.com.br we cannot prescribe veterinary treatments or make any type of diagnosis, we suggest taking your pet to the veterinarian in case of any type of condition or discomfort.
If you would like to read similar articles about canine mast cell tumors: symptoms, prognosis and treatment, we recommend that you visit our Other Health Problems section.