Could my Dog have Cancer?
My dog’s name is Ebony and she’s an eight year old German Shepard/Black Labrador Mix.
She has a mild hip displasia, so when she had trouble getting up and down or was stiff I didn’t give it too much thought.
Then she started not eating, throwing up what little she did eat, and was always sleeping and becoming less and less energetic.
The latter I attributed to the fact that she was growing older and older and the other two I thought was just the doggie flu or a change in appetiete.
Then more things came that worried me.
*Difficulty passing stools (although she has no trouble urinating) as well as diarrhea and constipation.
* Two sycts… these were both confirmed in her early puppy days as sycts so I didnt give it much thought but now days she seems to be getting more. . .and they seem painful.
I’m taking Ebony to the vet in a week. . . but I can’t help but wonder. . . could this be cancer?
I would try to get in sooner if possible. The symptoms you describe certainly could be caused by cancer…but they can also be caused by a number of other diseases that are common in older dogs, several of which are just as fatal as cancer, most of which can be treated to some degree if caught early enough. The sooner you can get her in and get her diagnosed the better.
Trouble getting up or down and even diarrhea and constipation could be caused by spinal arthritis.
Lethargy (the less energetic and sleeping more that you describe), not eating, and vomiting can be caused by kidney or liver disease or failure. These symptoms can also be caused by pancreatitis.
Cysts are common in older dogs and dogs that get them tend to get more as they age. However, each new lump really should be checked to make sure that it is just a cyst and nothing more serious. If they seem painful it is especially concerning. Cysts can become infected, and they can also mask other kinds of tumors (my vet has found cancerous tumors hidden inside benign fatty tumors).
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