Diagnosis and symptoms
Oncological kidney disease in cats is accompanied by disruption of the functioning of this paired organ and the appearance of a number of characteristic symptoms. At the initial stages of the pathological process, the pet appears the following signs of the disease:
- thirst;
- weakness;
- smell of ammonia from the mouth;
- decreased appetite;
- weight loss;
- swelling of the paws, abdomen and chest;
- changes in body temperature;
- frequent urination.
The animal's body suffers from increasing intoxication. As the disease progresses, symptoms worsen. The pet's reaction becomes inhibited. Skin gathered into folds does not straighten. The mucous membranes and eyes of a cat suffering from cancer become dry. The animal vomits blood after every meal or water. Urination stops. In this case, constipation can be replaced by bloody diarrhea. Convulsions are often observed. Further development of the pathology leads to renal failure.
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Diagnosing kidney cancer requires not only taking a medical history and examining the pet, but also conducting a number of studies, including:
- general and biochemical blood and urine tests;
- Ultrasound;
- radiography;
- MRI.
In rare cases, a biopsy and histological examination of the obtained samples are performed to confirm the diagnosis.
Lung cancer in dogs.
Lung cancer in dogs is an oncological disease that results in the formation of malignant neoplasms in the animal’s lung tissue.
Lung tumors in dogs can be divided into two types: primary and secondary. Primary neoplasms are those that initially form in the lung tissue. They are quite rare in dogs, but, nevertheless, such a diagnosis can be given to your pet.
Most primary tumors are derivatives of the airway epithelium: carcinomas or adenocarcinomas. Please note that “lung cancer” in dogs is colloquially referred to as any tumor, however, in fact, this term only means tumors of epithelial tissue - carcinomas. There are also primary lung sarcomas - tumors formed by the connective tissue cells of this organ.
Secondary lung tumors are metastatic nodes. They are much more common than primary ones. The most common malignant neoplasms that metastasize to the lungs are melanomas, osteosarcomas, breast tumors and various carcinomas (for example, thyroid or oral cavity).
Symptoms of lung cancer in dogs. Tumors do not have nerve endings inside them, so the dog does not feel pain. Symptoms of lung cancer in dogs generally indicate that as the tumor tissue grows, the volume of the lungs decreases, and it becomes difficult for the dog to breathe. Thus, you may observe your dog coughing, difficulty or rapid breathing, and shortness of breath. There may also be general symptoms indicating the development of a tumor process in the body: general weakness, increased fatigue, decreased appetite, refusal to feed, weight loss, and a depressed state.
Diagnostics. With primary lung cancer, the dog may show virtually no symptoms, especially at the beginning of the disease. Therefore, the main method for diagnosing lung cancer in dogs is radiography. Images are taken in two projections to accurately determine the location of the tumor node. When making other oncological diagnoses, for example, with tumors of the mammary glands, X-rays of the lungs are also taken to exclude the development of a metastatic process.
Treatment of lung cancer in dogs. Typically, treatment of malignant neoplasms combines surgical removal of the tumor and chemotherapy and radiation therapy. However, in the case of lung cancer in dogs, access to the tumor is difficult, there are often many nodes, so surgery as a treatment method is used quite rarely.
Chemotherapy is often the main treatment method in this case. Special drugs have selective toxicity against the growth and enlargement of tumor cells, but can also negatively affect healthy tissues of the body, causing side effects: anemia, vomiting, and decreased immunity. However, under the supervision of an experienced specialist, chemotherapy can have a good therapeutic effect, which will significantly prolong your pet’s life and improve its quality. Radiation therapy for lung cancer in dogs is practically not used due to the proximity of the heart.
Main Causes of Kidney Cancer in Cats
Throughout a cat's life, its kidneys are affected by several unfavorable factors. It is impossible to accurately determine what caused the disease. In most cases, kidney cancer in these animals is secondary, that is, the tumor develops from a metastasis introduced from a malignant tumor located in another organ. Only in 2% of cases is primary cancer developing from one’s own nephrotic cells detected.
It is believed that in cats, a predisposition to this cancer may be determined at the genetic level. This fact is indirectly confirmed by the fact that cases have been identified when cases of oncological tissue damage were identified in the pedigree of a sick animal. At the same time, we cannot exclude the negative influence of environmental factors, under the influence of which tissue degeneration can occur. In addition, some kidney diseases in cats can set the stage for cancer.
Infectious diseases
Any infectious diseases occurring in a cat’s body attack the kidneys, even if the pathogenic microflora does not settle in the tissues of this organ. Many microorganisms are capable of producing toxic substances during their life processes, which, when entering the kidneys, can provoke the death of their tissues.
Infectious damage to the tissues of the renal apparatus is even more dangerous, since it leads not only to poisoning of the tissues of this organ, but also to the development of an extensive inflammatory process. In the chronic course of infectious diseases, pathological accumulation of protein in tissues can be observed, i.e., the development of a disorder such as amyloidosis. The influence of these unfavorable factors can create conditions for malignant tissue degeneration.
Injuries
Kidney problems in cats, including malignant degeneration of their tissues, can be caused by injuries. These animals often fall from heights, fight and end up in traumatic situations. Some cells of damaged tissues die, so a large amount of toxic substances are released into the blood.
Damage to internal organs is especially dangerous. In this case, the problem is aggravated by disruption of the internal organs. Damage to the kidneys themselves is also extremely dangerous. Their injury leads to tissue swelling and death of functional tissues. The release of toxic substances in combination with a decrease in organ performance can provoke the appearance of a malignant neoplasm.
Intoxication
Diseased kidneys are often the result of intoxication in the animal’s body. Often cats that visit the street suffer from eating mice and rats poisoned by poisons. In addition, intoxication can be caused by contact with household chemicals and poisons.
Irrational use of medications can contribute to the problem. Some anthelmintics lead to the death of parasites, whose bodies remain in the animal’s body and begin to decompose. This causes severe intoxication and damage to the renal apparatus. Many other drugs can also cause intoxication and the formation of malignant neoplasms.
Veterinary clinic of Dr. Shubin
Morbidity, risk factors
Primary renal neoplasms are quite rare, in dogs they account for less than 2% (0.3%-1.7%) of all neoplasms; in cats the incidence is much lower.
Secondary (metastatic) kidney lesions develop more often than primary tumors, presumably due to good blood supply to the organ and a rich capillary network. Primary tumors can develop from the renal epithelium (carcinoma), mesothelium (sarcoma), and may also have a mixed embryonic origin (nephroblastoma). Renal carcinoma accounts for about 60% of all primary renal neoplasms, sarcoma for about 34%, and nephroblastoma for about 6%. In cats, the most common disease is kidney lymphoma, which often develops as a result of FeLV infection. Renal lymphoma is quite rare in dogs. The vast majority of kidney tumors are malignant; benign kidney tumors in cats and dogs are rare.
A rare disease called nodular dermatofibrosis has been described in German shepherds; this syndrome involves the development of fibrous nodules in the skin, together with the formation of renal cystadenocarcinoma and leiomyoma in bitches. The disease is hereditary.
The following describes kidney tumors that have been reported in dogs and cats.
Table. Primary renal tumors of dogs and cats. Renal carcinoma Transitional cell carcinoma Transitional cell papilloma Tubular adenocarcinoma Tubular and papillary adenocarcinoma Renal adenocarcinoma Sarcomatoid renal adenocarcinoma Renal tubular carcinoma Renal papillary carcinoma Pure cell renal carcinoma (original ClearCellRenalCarcinoma) Papillary cystadenocarcinoma Renal adenoma Spindle cell carcinoma Osteosarcoma Hemangiosarcoma Hemangioma Renal sarcoma Leiomyosarcoma Malignant fibrous histiocytoma Fibroleiomyosarcoma Fibroma Lymphoma Nephroblastoma Giant cell tumor Oncocytoma Mixed mesenchymal tumor Angiomyolipoma Source. Cancer management in small animal practice / Carolyn J. Henry, Mary Lynn Higginbotham. 2010
Most canine renal carcinomas and sarcomas develop in older animals (average age 8 years), but nephroblastoma can develop at any age. In dogs, there was a slight predisposition to renal carcinoma in males (1.2:1-1.6:1). In cats, primary kidney tumors develop at a later age than in dogs (average age 11 years), with the exception of lymphoma, it can develop in young animals against the background of infection with feline leukemia virus (FLV)/
The only established causative factor that can lead to the formation of kidney tumors is the feline leukemia virus (FLV).
Clinical signs
In the early stages of the disease, clinical signs are poorly specific and may include manifestations such as anorexia, weight loss, polyuria, lethargy and hematuria. Physical examination may reveal palpable masses and/or tenderness in the area of the kidneys. Laboratory findings for canine kidney tumors are also poorly specific and may include mild anemia or polycythemia with increased erythropoietin production. Polycythemia in older dogs is a fairly specific sign of kidney tumors. Urinalysis usually reveals proteinuria, hematuria, or pyuria.
With renal lymphoma of cats and dogs, the signs of the general disease are more pronounced. Also, in the later stages, emergency conditions such as bleeding into the abdominal cavity of an eroded tumor (hemoabdomen) or severe renal failure may be the reason for treatment.
Diagnostics
In the study of animals with kidney tumors, the main role belongs to visual examination methods. Survey radiography of the chest and abdominal cavities can reveal changes in the shape of the kidneys and the presence of metastases; for better visualization, excretory urography is likely to be used. Ultrasound examination provides a more accurate picture of kidney damage, compared with radiographic examination methods; with ultrasound of the kidneys, special attention should be paid to the probable expansion of the tumor into the caudal vena cava. CT and MRI provide more detailed information compared to ultrasound, and allow a more detailed assessment of the extent of the lesion and also plan surgery.
Because renal neoplasms are often metastatic, special care should be taken in attempting to identify primary tumors at other sites.
The final diagnosis is established after pathological examination. Tissue samples can be obtained either through percutaneous biopsy or surgery. During the histological diagnosis process, even experienced specialists may have difficulty interpreting specimens.
Treatment and prognosis
Surgical resection is the only type of treatment that can increase the life expectancy of an animal with non-lymphoid renal tumors. The goals of surgical treatment may be removal of bleeding masses, relief of clinical signs, or complete resection of the primary tumor.
In dogs with unilateral lesions and the absence of metastases, nephrectomy for primary kidney tumors leads to an average survival time of 16 months, while the duration of remission can be more than 4 years. Chemotherapy is successfully used for lymphoma (lymphosarcoma) of the kidneys; in other cases of primary tumors, chemotherapy treatment is not able to prolong the life of the animal.
Lung metastases at the time of diagnosis are detected in 16%-34% of cases of primary renal tumors in dogs. Metastases after death are detected in 69% of dogs with carcinoma, in 88% of dogs with sarcoma, and in 75% of dogs with nephroblastoma. The average lifespan for dogs with hemangiosarcoma was 278 days. The average lifespan for cats with renal lymphosarcoma is 3-6 months. In dogs with renal lymphoma, metastases to the central nervous system are common.
Valery Shubin, veterinarian, Balakovo
Treatment and prognosis
It is not possible to treat kidney cancer in a cat at home. To increase the chances of restoring the animal’s health, you need to begin targeted treatment under the supervision of a specialist as quickly as possible.
If only one kidney is affected by the tumor, and there are no signs of metastases, surgical intervention, i.e. nephrectomy, may be recommended. Additionally, the ureter and retroperitoneal muscles are also removed. In some cases, this allows the disease to be eliminated. In addition, some forms of cancer may require chemotherapy.
How long will a cat live after tumor removal? VetAnswer
The prognosis of the disease largely depends on the stage of tumor development. For some forms of tumors in the early stages of their appearance, with a combination of surgical and conservative treatment, it is possible to restore the pet’s health. In such cases, even with one kidney, a cat can live another 4-5 years. When the disease is detected in the later stages of development, the prognosis is unfavorable. Even with complex treatment, it is often impossible to save the animal.
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Bladder cancer in dogs.
This tumor in dogs most often occurs in the bladder neck. As it grows, it blocks its lumen, which complicates the outflow of urine. In most dogs, bladder cancer is a transitional cell (this definition characterizes a type of epithelial cell) carcinoma. When a tumor grows, other organs of the genitourinary system may also be involved in the process.
Symptoms of bladder cancer in dogs. In the first stages, the disease is asymptomatic, then it can easily be confused with other diseases of the genitourinary system: cystitis, urolithiasis and others. The most common symptom that makes the owner wary is difficulty urinating. The urine may be bloody and cloudy. The animal's condition is depressed, appetite is reduced.
Diagnostics. The first step in diagnosing bladder cancer in dogs is to perform a urine test. In some cases, tumor cells can be detected in the sediment.
Bladder cancer in dogs may not be visible on x-rays. Therefore, the method of double contrast cystography is used to diagnose it. A contrast agent is injected into the bladder and then filled with air. A contrast agent coats the mucous membrane of the bladder and allows the affected areas to be seen on an x-ray. Another commonly used method for diagnosing bladder cancer in dogs is ultrasound. If a tumor is detected, a tissue biopsy can be taken under ultrasound guidance and a more accurate diagnosis can be made.
Cystoscopy is also used: under anesthesia, a manipulator with a camera is inserted through the urethra into the bladder, which allows you to see an image of the tumor and take a tissue sample for histological analysis.
Treatment of bladder cancer in dogs. Surgical treatment methods involve partial or complete removal of the bladder. If the tumor is small, it is removed along with a portion of the bladder wall. However, it is quite difficult to visually determine the boundaries of the tumor, which often leads to relapses. Therefore, for large bladder tumors, chemotherapy is the treatment of choice. For bladder cancer, chemotherapy drugs are injected directly into the bladder through a catheter, allowing them to effectively target tumor cells with minimal effect on the rest of the body. Dogs usually tolerate this treatment well; it can either completely get rid of the tumor, or greatly slow down its growth and extend the dog’s life by several years. For aggressive bladder cancer, systemic chemotherapy is sometimes also used.
What is cancer and its diagnosis in cats?
Further information: Treatment of cancer in cats.
The term Cancer is used to describe a group of diseases that cause the formation of tumors (or neoplasms) - a collection of abnormal cells that continue to grow and divide uncontrollably. The result is usually the formation of growths or lumps, which are mainly composed of abnormal cells.
Some tumors do not spread to other parts of the body and usually do not invade nearby body tissues. Such tumors are called “benign.”
In contrast, tumors designated by the term "Cancer" are "malignant" - they often spread into surrounding healthy tissue, and can spread to other parts of the body (or "metastasize"), usually through the blood or lymphatic system.
Because of their aggressive nature, malignant tumors (cancer) are typically more serious than benign tumors, often cause severe and extensive illness, and are usually more difficult to treat.
In general, cats suffer from neoplasia (or tumor formation) less frequently than other animals. Compared to dogs, for example, cats develop tumors about half as often. However, tumors in cats are much more likely to be malignant (3-4 times than in dogs) and, accordingly, much more likely to lead to serious health problems.
Most cancers in cats occur in the skin, white blood cells (leukemia and lymphoma), mouth, stomach, intestines and mammary glands.
