Canine Leukemia:

White blood cells. Sickness. Illness. Canine leukemia affects dogs whether it is from the bone marrow or lymph node cells. Plus, canine leukemia can be an acute disease or chronic ailment depending on what type of white blood cell is affected.

If your dog has any of the following rapidly developing systems, it’s time to see your vet immediately: enemia, bleeding, loss of appetite, fever, swelling lymph nodes, panting, anxiousness, vomiting, weight loss, pale gums, infections, etc. These symptoms are typically signs of acute lymphoid leukemia which is typically related to older dogs. Sadly, this form of canine leukemia is on the fast track for disaster. Interestingly enough, this is the opposite in humans: acute leukemia is a common childhood cancer.

In chronic leukemia, another branch of canine leukemia, cancer white cells increase more slowly than in acute leukemia. In this instance, however, there’s a decreased immune system, failure of the bone marrow, and malignant cells are aggressive in attacking nearby organs. This type of canine leukemia begins in the bone marrow but has the ability to spread to blood, lymph nodes, spleen, liver, central nervous system, and other organs.

As for the treatment of this form of canine leukemia? It involves reducing the number of white cells which leads to temporary remission. Cycles of treatment, remission, and relapses have the possibility to recur several times.

Sadly, acute leukemia does not have positive outcomes: since it’s the rapid development form of canine leukemia, dogs only live a very short amount of time after the vet has made the diagnosis. However, chronic leukemia is somewhat positive; dogs have been reported to live several months to years after being diagnosed.

At The Dog Bowl, nothing is more important than your pets’ health and well being. For more information about canine leukemia please contact your local veternarian.