Canine Liver Cancer Causes, Treatments

Hepatic neoplasia is also commonly referred to as liver cancer.



The words neoplasia, cancer or tumor, neoplasm are all often used in an interchangeable manner. The development of neoplasia in the liver or canine liver cancer may be the outcome of the primary liver tumor which is the one that starts off in the liver, then there is the hemolymphatic cancer which arises from the blood cells or the lymphoid tissue and that involves the dog’s liver, or the metastatic cancer which is the cancer that spreads from the liver to other organs.

The commonest form of the dog liver cancer is the metastatic disease.



The primary liver cancer is quite rare, and accounts for lower than 2% of all cancers observed in the particular species. When such forms of cancer occurs the most prevalent liver cancer in dogs is found to be hepatocellular carcinoma. These which are found to be malignant tumors which arise from a dog’s liver cells and the hepatocellular adenomas, or even the hepatomas, that are benign tumors and arise from a dog’s liver cells.



The dog liver cancer causes may be directly related to the dog’s environmental factors surrounding it. If the dog is exposed to carcinogenic substances or toxins then that may pose a higher chance of cancer development. Many of the chemicals are not always toxic unless they are first metabolized in the liver. The liver does a vital role in helping to detoxify many of the substances that are circulating in the dog’s body. But, some of the chemicals are more toxic after they get broken up by the liver. Some examples of various possible carcinogens are the toxins that are produced by some fungi which are sometimes linked with food additives, spoiled pet food, dyes, plants, certain pesticides and animal tissue. Infections of a viral nature can be linked with hepatic cancer among humans. Some of the canine liver cancer symptoms include vomiting, loss of appetite or decrease in the dog’s appetite, abdominal distension, generalized weakness, pale gums, increased respiratory rate, difficulty in breathing, jaundice and even weight loss. Some of the dog liver cancer treatments include reducing any stress in the dog’s life. It may also be recommended to reduce the amount of exercise the dog is getting and allow the dog plenty of rest time. The veterinarian may even suggest surgery for the affected organ. The dog will need to be given plenty of water and food that is easily digestible.