Description

• Lymphoma is a cancer that occurs in the lymph nodes, liver, spleen and other organs. There are several factors that are believed to cause this type of cancer, including genetic disposition and environmental factors (like exposure to pesticides). These causes are speculated because not enough research is available to prove their validity in relation to lymphoma.
  
  

Symptoms

• Lymphoma symptoms are related to the location of tumors on your dog's body. If tumors are located in the lymph nodes, then swollen nodes will be the main symptom. The gastrointestinal form of tumors is accompanied by vomiting, weight loss, diarrhea and loss of appetite. The symptoms of the mediastinal (chest) form are muted heart sounds and shortness of breath. The symptoms of the cutaneous (skin) form involves the appearance of tumors on the skin and mouth that may be red and ulcerated.
  
  

Diagnosis

• There are several tests used to diagnose dogs with lymphoma. Some of these tests include blood tests, x-rays and ultrasounds. The testing method used will depend on the location of the tumor.
  
  

Treatment

• Chemotherapy is most commonly used to treat dogs with lymphoma because surgery and radiation are not effective treatments for this type of cancer. Chemotherapy treatment usually consists of a combination of drug injections and oral medication. Some of the commonly used drug treatments are prednisone and doxorubicin.
  
  

Prognosis

• The life expectancy for untreated dogs with lymphoma is four to six weeks. The use of oral prednisone treatments can reduce swelling and pain but will not notably increase the life span. For dogs with lymphoma that undergo chemotherapy, life is usually extended for up to a year or longer in some cases. Even though chemotherapy treatment does not cure lymphoma, if a dog can tolerate it, his quality of life is usually better during the treatment period.