Venereal sarcoma in dogs: causes, symptoms, treatment

Pets are often sick. Unfortunately, they too are prone to various infections that are transmitted sexually. One of these ailments is the venereal sarcoma. In dogs, this pathology leads to death in neglected cases. Therefore, owners should take their pets' health seriously and do not forget about preventive measures. To avoid the appearance of such a tumor, you must carefully choose partners to the animal.

What is a venereal sarcoma in dogs?

Cells of this tumor of connective tissues are constantly divided, as a result of which all the time it grows, increasing in size while the pet lives. Veterinarians of sarcoma of external genitalia in animals are also called venereal granuloma, canine condyloma, transmissible reticuloendothelial tumor. And any dog can get infected regardless of the breed. However, in some localities such a disease can occur rarely, but in others, on the contrary, quite often.

Venereal sarcoma in dogs: causes

Symptoms with this disease begin to appear only 3-6 months after infection. Today it is established that the transmissible sarcoma is transmitted from one dog to another sexually. In other words, during physical contact, histiocyte macrophage cells affect a healthy pet.

In this case, the tumor cells act as infectious agents. Breeding on the body of one animal, the allotransplant penetrates the tissues of another and continues to develop in a new biological environment, losing contact with the previous host. In this case, the tumor conglomerate behaves like a parasitic organism.

In the cells affected by the sarcoma, the chromosome composition changes. Instead of laid 78, in the epithelial cells there are only 57-64 of them.

Russian experts are sure that venereal sarcoma in dogs does not give metastases, and the formation of a tumor on the muzzle and in the mouth is explained by the transfer of infected cells from the genital organs during licking. But foreign veterinarians think differently. They claim that the sarcoma metastasizes in about 5% of cases to subcutaneous tissues, lymph nodes, liver, spleen, muscles, brain, eyes and testicles.

Tumor development process

Venous sarcoma in dogs is formed about 2-6 months after infection, however, the rate of its growth is subject to strong differences - from slow progression over several years, to rapid development with metastasis.

After infection, spontaneous regression may occur within 6 months, but if the tumor does not disappear more than 9 months, the chances of self-healing decrease. The development of vector-borne sarcoma in healthy pets is localized, although in some cases the disease gives metastases to lymph nodes, subcutaneous tissues, spleen, bone marrow, eyes, oral mucosa and liver.

Since the venereal granuloma is transmitted by sniffing, biting, licking - it is difficult to distinguish the present metastasis from development due to mechanical spreading. The transmissible sarcoma is an immunogenic tumor, which is why the response of the protective functions of the dog's organism critically affects its biological behavior.

Stages of tumor development

All neoplasms have their own classification, which is formed on the basis of data on their effect on internal organs and size. In the first stage, the tumor develops on the surface of the genital organs, its size does not reach 4 cm. In the second stage, the sarcoma grows further, and it begins to affect the tissues of the organ.

During the third stage, formation continues to increase and extends beyond the localization site. In this case, there are metastases in the lymph nodes. When the fourth degree comes, the dog's body is completely affected. That is why it is so important in time to seek help from a specialist when a tumor is detected. Timely therapy will help to avoid relapse and painful treatment.

The main signs of the disease

In the early stages of development, as a rule, the transmissible venereal sarcoma does not manifest itself. Dogs, however, can behave restlessly. The attentive owner will immediately notice that the pet has often asked to go to the toilet and constantly licks the genitals.

First, at the site of the appearance of the sarcoma there is a slight condensation, then a growth is formed as large as a pea. The tumor will increase all the time and can reach large sizes. However, its shape can be varied, but usually the sarcoma is uneven and bumpy. On the surface of this formation, blood vessels are visible, prone to bleeding and destruction.

The main symptoms of venereal sarcoma include:

• Redness and swelling of the external genitalia of the animal.
• The appearance of bloody discharge, not associated with estrus.
• Appearance of rounded tuberous bunchy growths from gray to reddish-brown hue, up to 10 cm in size.
• Formation of seals in the prep zone.
• Purulent discharge from the genital gaps.
• Elongation and protrusion of the perineum

Moreover, the tumor can occur not only on the genitals, but even in the oral cavity of the animal. Often, a venereal sarcoma in the nose of a dog is formed. This condyloma delivers a great discomfort to the pet.

Diagnostic measures

The main goal of a veterinarian in this situation is to distinguish canine sarcoma from other pathologies. After all, a transmissible tumor can be confused with a pyometra in a bitch and prostatitis in males.

The further actions of a specialist are the detection of a neoplasm. As a rule, in females, the tumor grows in front of the vagina, and in males - near the head of the genital organ, bulb and prepuce. At close examination it can be noticed that the venereal sarcoma in the dog appeared. Baldness over the tumor is difficult to not see. Even when this formation occurs, many tumor nodes appear that can reach 4 cm. They feel soft to the touch, and if they become damaged, they begin to bleed.

If all of the above symptoms have appeared, then the animal must be sick.

Therapeutic methods

Treatment of venereal sarcoma in dogs is carried out in different ways. The most decisive method is to remove the tumor surgically. However, surgical intervention, especially on the genitals, has many risks because of possible postoperative complications, for example, the occurrence of adhesions, metastases, damage to the urethra. That is why today rare cases are resorted to such treatment.

Often to eliminate this formation, irradiation is used, since the tumor vegetation of the transmissible sarcoma is sensitive to this effect. Sometimes one procedure of X-ray therapy with a dose of 10 Gy is sufficient. It is carried out under anesthesia, which animals tolerate well. But to perform this session you need special protective equipment, trained personnel and the necessary equipment. That is why the procedure is available only in large veterinary clinics.

To date, the main method of treating a venereal tumor is chemotherapy.

Features of drug therapy

So, we discussed what happens with such a disease as venereal sarcoma in dogs, symptoms. Treatment and diagnosis, carried out on time, will help to save animals from suffering. Chemotherapy is an excellent result. Apply the following drugs:

• "Cyclophosphate".
• "Methotrexate."
• "Vincristine."

The last drug is an alkaloid of plant origin. It is able to prevent the division of pathological cells. Typically, the drug is effective in 95% of cases, especially in combination with other medications of complex chemotherapy.

The duration of treatment is at least 4 procedures. The drug is discontinued when there is complete elimination of the pathological process.

How to prevent the appearance of canine condyloma?

The most effective measure that will help prevent the appearance of a tumor in a pet is the care and caution of its owners. To prevent the formation of a transmissible venereal tumor, dogs should not be allowed to walk alone. In addition, the host should not allow, and even more so approve, accidental slaughters of the animal.

Even with the reduction of his dog with a proven and thoroughbred individual of the opposite sex, it is necessary to ask the owner if his pet had sex with casual partners. If the answer is yes, you should discard the mating.

If you still can not save your pet from contact with a homeless dog, it is better to take appropriate measures. It is necessary to disinfect the genitals and mouth of the dog with furatsilinom, potassium permanganate or iodinol. When clinical signs of the disease appear, you should immediately contact the veterinarian.

In general, the prevention of this disease is a public affair. To reduce the incidence of infection, it is necessary to reduce the number of stray animals within one settlement by sterilization. In addition, it is necessary to conduct veterinary control.

Prognosis of the disease

Since usually the venereal sarcoma is locally invasive, the tumor can be treated successfully, so the prognosis is usually favorable. Even single cases of unexpected cure from neoplasm are known.

Every day infected with vector-borne sarcoma of dogs becomes more and more. Owners of animals should, at the slightest suspicion of this disease, apply to a veterinary clinic for the purpose of analyzing and administering to the pet the appropriate therapy.