A common illness in dogs especially senior citizen dogs is cancer.
Unfortunately, no matter how well we take care of our dogs the possibility for them to develop a certain type of cancer is a reality.
Prostate cancer in dog is one type of cancer effecting older male dogs.
Symptoms of Prostate Cancer in Dogs As the tumor grows, it causes pressure on the urethra and makes urination hard, so you may see blood in the urine as well as weight loss and overall pain when the prostate is enlarged.
The dog's rear legs may become very weak as well, and will probably walk with an arched back and take shorter steps when prostate cancer is present.
Normally undetected until it has reached an advanced stage, treatment is based on the symptoms your dog exhibits.
There are tests such as ultrasound and x-rays and urine tests as well as rectal wall biopsies that will be the best method of diagnosis.
Treatments If diagnosed with prostate cancer, there will be many treatment options for you to choose from.
Many dogs do well with chemotherapy and radiation to kill the cancer, while others do better with surgery.
But since a dog has prostate glands that are much more complex than a human's the surgery can be extremely dangerous.
Prognosis Dog cancer symptoms and the cancer itself are serious.
Unfortunately for most dogs, the prognosis is not good.
Normally dog's do not live more than a few months after symptoms of cancer are present, and no dog survives more than a year after the onset.