How To Treat Dachshund Tumors
Several different types of cancer affect dogs, but dachshund tumors (also known as the ductus arteriosus in some regions) is one of the most common. When considering treatment options for your pet, it is important to understand how the disease comes about and what the prognosis is. This can help you make a more informed treatment decision. If you or someone you know has any questions regarding the treatment of dachshund tumors with your vet, be sure to share them so that everyone is on the same page and can work together to get the best results.
One of the first things that may need to be done when treating tumors in dogs is removing the tumor completely. Sometimes, the entire lump will have to be removed because it may continue to grow, even though cancer has been surgically removed.
The vet will want to operate a called an incision followed by a lymph node graft to remove any remaining tissue from the tumor. This may be a lengthy and painful procedure, so it’s important to ask for a second opinion if the first choice of removal is rejected. If a lymph node graft doesn’t work either, your vet may recommend radiation therapy or chemotherapy instead.
Depending on how far cancer has spread, treatment options can vary.
In most cases, your vet will begin with surgical treatment, such as a mastectomy or lumpectomy. Depending on where the tumor originated, the procedure may involve a lot of bleeding, swelling, and pain. After surgery, your vet may place a drainage tube underneath the skin to remove the fluid and blood. He may place a drainage tube under the nose, but in many cases, he will simply close the incision with stitches. Depending on your dog’s condition, this could take several weeks.
Once surgery has been performed and the lymph nodes have been removed, chemotherapy treatment may be started. Again, this could take several weeks depending on the overall health of your dog. If a tumor is very large, surgery may be performed to remove the entire tumor, but if it is very small, chemo treatment may just be a form of radiation therapy.
Most dogs will get better with chemotherapy treatment, but it can cause the dog to become depressed or withdrawn.
You should talk to your vet about alternative treatment options such as homeopathy, acupuncture, magnets, reflexology, herbal supplements, nutritional therapy, massage, and homeopathic treatment. While these methods are not used often in Dachshund training, they can be beneficial if used along with standard therapies. Again, you should discuss them with your vet and do additional research before trying them on your dog.
Your vet can also help you decide which type of treatment would be best for your dog. He or she may suggest a combination of medications and surgery, or he may recommend one or the other. Both of these options must be discussed and fully understood by you and your vet. Not all dogs respond favorably to treatment with medications. In some cases, only surgery is effective.
Chemotherapy may also be recommended for larger tumors.
The surgery to remove the tumors may be performed under general anesthetic, or the vet may use local anesthesia. Dogs sometimes feel pain during the operation, but they recover quickly and do not need pain medication afterward. If the surgery is performed under general anesthesia, your dog may need a dose of pain medication right after the operation to help him adjust to being off his back.
Although surgery is the most common method of removing Dachshund tumors, it is not always the best option. Your vet may recommend that your dog undergo radiation therapy instead, or he may choose to perform a bone marrow transplant. If your dog is a good candidate for surgery, he may enjoy many years of a healthy life. However, if you are not comfortable with surgery, or if there are other more effective treatments that your vet can recommend, your pet may enjoy future treatments at a veterinary clinic.
