We are still on the theme describing any condition that could affect digestion in the animal. It is not only a gastritis or some other inflammatory process in the mouth or elsewhere that can lead to digestive upsets. Last week, for example, we mentioned that a swelling (tumour) of the tissue at the exit of the stomach could block food/gas from being passed to the intestine, thus paving the way for a bloat to develop.
Let’s look today a little more closely at these tumours and how they indirectly affect digestion.
Gastro intestinal growths
“Gastro” has to do with the stomach, and “intestinal” relates to the bowels (guts). I use the word “growth,” but the more correct term is ‘neoplasia.’ And many people just loosely call it ‘cancer’ or ‘tumour’ (the latter simply means ‘swelling’).
I do not encounter too many gastrointestinal cancers/neoplasias in dogs and cats. When they do develop in dogs, they are to be found in the colon and rectum. In cats, growths occur most commonly in the small intestines.
Older animals seem to get cancers more often than younger ones, and certain cancers hit male dogs more than females. Also, in certain breeds (Boxers, German Shepherds, Poodles, Great Dames and Spaniels) tumours seem to develop more often.
I should also mention that the literature documents that intestinal cancers are overwhelmingly malignant.
Causes
Now, if I knew for sure what causes ‘cancer,’ I’d get the Nobel prize for medicine. No specific causes for gastrointestinal (GI) tumours have been identified. However, in cats, it seems that certain neoplasms (lymphomas, for example) are associated with the specific feline viral leukaemia (FVL).
Symptoms
Well, it is logical to assume that the clinical signs will depend on the location and extent of the tumour. For example, tumours in the stomach tend to elicit vomiting (even with blood). Tumours in the intestine often result in a diarrhoea (again, usually with blood).
Other symptoms could be:
* Weight loss
* Constipation
* Abdominal pain (especially if there is a rupture of the intestine and a peritonitis develops).
* Fluid accumulation in the abdomen (ascites).
* The animal becomes anaemic because of the blood loss.
Later on, the cancers begin to become raw ulcers (that’s when the bloody diarrhoea shows itself). And, of course, cancerous cells can disassociate themselves from the main body and lodge themselves elsewhere, creating a new growth at the new site (metastasis).
How do you know if your animal has a GI cancer? Really, it is your vet who is going to make that diagnosis. Earlier, we mentioned a set of symptoms; but any one of them could be linked (and usually is) to another more common disease. Bloody diarrhoea, for example, would most likely be caused by a heavy worm (especially hookworm) infestation than by an intestinal cancer.
In cats, one can actually feel the mass of cancerous tissue. But be careful when prodding and poking and squeezing the poor animal’s abdomen. The other day, what the owner thought to be a solid growth in the intestine of a cat, turned out, on more careful examination, to be a kitten’s head in the womb.
In dogs (especially big dogs) the palpation could be a bit more problematic, because the pain of palpation causes the animal to contract the abdominal muscles. Then you can’t feel a thing.
Your vet can also get laboratory assistance to do a complete blood count, a biochemical profile, analysis of the urine, etc. There is also the possibility of cutting open the abdomen to have a look-see. The fancy phrase the scientists use is ‘exploratory laparatomy.’ It means the same thing. This method allows the vet not only to see what and where the lump is, but to also take a sample of the tissue (biopsy) for further laboratory investigation.
Treatment
Well, any time there is a cancerous growth, radical removal (surgery) of the offending tissue is always the best option. According to the type of tumour and how far it has spread, the prognosis usually is not too bad, and recurrence is not common. But I have to tell you that with certain ‘cancers,’ the outlook is not good at all. Your vet will advise you accordingly. The literature speaks of radiation and chemical control (as in humans), but I have to admit that I have never tried those methods. One has to be well schooled in this particular discipline, and not many in the world are.
Enjoy the week with your pet(s).
Please implement disease preventative measures (vaccinations, routine dewormings, monthly anti-heartworm medication, etc) and adopt-a-pet from the GSPCA’s Animal Clinic and Shelter at Robb Street and Orange Walk, if you have the wherewithal to care well for the animals. Do not stray your unwanted pets, take them to the GSPCA’s Clinic and Shelter instead. If you do not wish your pet to have puppies or kittens, you may exploit the GSPCA’s free spay and neutering programme. If you see anyone being cruel to an animal, or if you need any technical information, please get in touch with the Clinic and Shelter by calling 226-4237.
