In all mammals, the basic function of the pancreas is to secrete hormones and certain digestive enzymes that aid in the process of digestion of food. Pancreatic cancer in canines is bifurcated into primary and secondary canine pancreatic cancers. While the former signifies pancreas as the origin of malignancy; the latter illustrates a condition wherein the pancreas is affected by cancer originating in any other part of the body. |
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Uncontrolled proliferation of cells results in the formation of tumors that can be benign or malignant. Dogs are reported to generally contract pancreatic adenocarcinoma that is the malignant form. Symptoms of the disease start becoming apparent only when the disease has reached a more advanced stage. Some of the indications of canine pancreatic cancer are blood in the stool, convulsions, fatigue, reduced appetite vomiting, diarrhea, jaundice and decrease in body co-ordination.
Once the disease is suspected through the apparent signs, blood and enzyme analysis is conducted for verification of the cancer. Since the disease is usually diagnosed in the later stages, therefore prognosis is quite disheartening. The survival duration is about one year from the onset of symptoms. Treatment is administered in the form of surgery, radiation and drugs. Surgery is a good option for treatment but is only effective if the disease is restricted to the pancreas. In cases wherein the bowel movement is hindered due to the spread of the cancer, gastrointestinal bypass surgery may prove beneficial. In order to decrease the stress on the pancreas, the infected dog could be put on IV instead of food so as to avoid the secretion of the digestive enzymes.
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