Facts about Prostate Cancer in Dogs: In the Eyes of Rosol & Millan

Prostate cancer - your dogs can have it too and this type of cancer must not be ignored. Dogs with prostate cancer are a serious dog health conditions and if not medically treated, it results to death.

Statistics shows that prostate cancer in old dogs are more common. Some studies claim that if your dog suffers from prostate cancer, the disease spreads to the bones. Once the signs and symptoms exist, some dogs can die in two months. One year is in fact the longest time frame your dogs can have.

A veterinarian in Ohio State University, Dr. Tom Rosol, said;

“There are only two animals in all of nature that get prostate cancer… dogs and humans.”

In reference to this statement, the prostate of a male human being is similarly structured to canines. You see, your dog’s prostate produces bioactive elements that are of significance to metastasizing diseases.

To Rosol, conducting an experiment relating to prostate cancer in dogs seems complicated. The development of cancer cells in human protate is fairly different than in canines.

Signs and Symptoms

Weight Loss

Presence of blood in the urine

Difficulty in peeing

Weak Hind Legs

Walking in shorter steps

General Pain

Your fog might be suffering from prostate cancer if you observe him behaving differently. So, it is a must to see your vet in the early days of these signs and symptoms to make sure your dog's health is not affected by this kind of problem.

If you think these symptoms are okay, think again. Non-neutered or non-castrated male dogs are heavily prone to prostate problems and can always lead to benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH). Even benign and not entirely cancerous, it’s still best to consult your vet for to get more dog health information.

Treatment and Preventive Measures

Usually, when you think your canine has prostate cancer, they need to undergo series of laboratory tests. These are ultrasound, urinalysis, contrast x-rays and biopsy.

Rosol is still investigating the various ways of treating cancers both in humans and in dogs. He even tries to develop new techniques such as transferring of human cancer cells to dogs and dogs’ cancer cells to mice. According to Science Daily, dogs are possibly the nearest type of mammals to humans and with further and elaborate experiments, scientist can uncover the mysteries behind prostate cancer.

For these reasons, the most effective treatment procedure to prostate cancer in dogs is surgery. Yet, various vets claimed surgical procedures are risky to dogs. A dog surgery can only take ten to twenty minutes but there are still complications to look at.Some studies claim before committing your dog to surgery, you might consider chemotherapy and radiation. These procedures may not be as effective as surgery but these can certainly fight the risks of cancer.

According to Cesar Millan, the famous dog psychologist in the hit TV Reality Show “Dog Whisperer,” the risk of prostate cancer in male dogs is massively reduced if you sterilize them.

“Many people, particularly men, have a hard time sterilizing their pets, imposing upon their dogs their own feelings on losing reproductive abilities. A dog will not feel like less of a “man” or “woman” after being sterilized. It will not suffer an identity crisis or mourn the loss of its reproductive capability. Your dog will simply have one less need to fulfill,” he wrote in his website.