Dog Tumors of the Eye - Understanding Your Pet's Melanoma

If your veterinarian has told you that your dog has cancer of the eye, you're probably feeling scared, overwhelmed, worried and confused. What are dog tumors of the eye, what causes them and what sort of treatment can help? This information will help you understand this condition and what your veterinarian can do.

What are Melanocytic Eye Tumors?

Melanocytes are simply cells that make melanin, a pigment, and melanocytic tumors are formed by abnormal melanocytes. Melanoma (also called malignant melanoma or melanosarcoma) is a tumor that spreads, while melanocytoma refers to benign, non-spreading tumors.

The most common types of dog tumors of the eye are those that start in the iris, and they usually start out as benign. Eyelid, limbal, choroid and conjunctival tumors are rare, and only conjunctival tumors are malignant.

What Causes Dog Cancer?

The causes for dog cancer of any kind are not very straightforward, just as with people. While humans often develop melanoma through environmental and host factors, dogs with a lot of pigmentation are most affected by tumors. Your dog's genetic makeup and heavy pigmentation is probably the biggest predisposing factor.

Symptoms of an Eye Tumor in Your Dog

Not all tumors of the eye will be apparent, or display symptoms. When symptoms are present, you may notice the following:

• Blood in the eye

• Increased pressure in the eye (glaucoma)

• Inflammation of the eye

• Irregular pupil

• A visible pigmented (colored) mass

• Pigmented mass on the scheral (white part of the eye) or corneal (transparent part of the eye) area of the eye

• Bulging or sunken eye

Diagnosis of Canine Eye Tumors

Tumors of the eye are usually visible using an ophthalmoscope. Accurate diagnosis, however, depends upon a microscopic examination of the tissue, and your veterinarian may use a couple methods to get a tissue sample, such as a biopsy, cellular aspirate or full excision.

How are Dog Eye Tumors Treated?

Melanocytic tumors in dogs that show in different parts of the eye require different treatment. With conjunctival tumors, which are typically malignant, dog eye surgery is the treatment of choice to remove the entire eye. Limbal tumors are also treated with dog eye surgery, but this option allows for surgical excision without removing the entire eye. Some tumors in dogs require more extensive surgery.

Surgery is still the best option for tumors, and there hasn't been much progress with other types of treatments. Sometimes chemotherapy is recommended for certain types of cancer in dogs, such as intraocular lymphosarcoma.

Prognosis

Unfortunately, pain is common with dogs with cancer, and some types of tumors cause more pain than others. Untreated, tumors will decrease your pet's quality of life and prolong recovery and treatment.

The prognosis for your dog will depend on the type of eye tumor they have, and how soon it's discovered and treated. Eyelid tumors, for example, are usually benign and have an excellent prognosis, while the prognosis for malignant tumors is more guarded.

Warning Signs of Cat Tumors

Having a cat is a joy in life. They are little babies that can take care of themselves with the little exception of cleaning their bathroom. They are a companion for life and snuggle with you at just the right time. Watching for signs and symptoms of cat tumors associated with cat cancer will help give your feline a running leap in the fight for its life. Here are some key signs to look for cat tumors.

Gait Change-If your cat has turned more stiff or lazy than usual then you might want to take him in to the doctor to check their body out.

Cough-This could be a sign just like humans that something could be affecting the cat's lungs.

Odor-If your cat has a foul odor to its body or breath then there could be something going on in the digestive tract or skin that could be causing the foul smelling odor.

Lumps-Any type of lump could be a major sign for cat tumors. Cat cancer can make bumps anywhere on the body that can start off really small and grow really big.

Bloody Stools-This could be a sign that something is happening in your cats stomach or intestines due to ulcers or polyps associated with cat cancer.

These are just a few of the most important signs to look for from you cat to determine if you need to set a veterinarian right away. The signs are similar for humans and we have a pretty good idea about those for ourselves. Getting thorough workups on you cat will help choose a life or death path. These signs can be caught in time to get the right treatment and still spend plenty of years with you.

If your cat isn't eating right or enough and have weight loss due to the lack of eating or rapid weight loss over a short period of time, then it's time to take them in to the veterinarian. The veterinarian will have choices for you to think about regarding treatment. Some may be as simple as a small surgery to remove a lump.  Others might be chemotherapy to make the cat cancer smaller in size to the point it will just go away.

It's a tough situation to go through but as long as you are proactive and know what to look for in the beginning then you and your feline have a fighting chance against these cat tumors. Both of you will benefit so much from early detection. Keep a positive attitude and you, your doctor and your cat will become life long friends in the end. You will hear nothing but purring from now on.