Title of the site

Diagnosing and Treating Mesothelioma in Animals

(Note: Mesothelioma in cats is very, very rare. This article will concentrate mostly on dogs and mesothelioma.)

Like humans, dogs and cats can develop all sorts of diseases, from the common cold to illnesses that are far more serious.

If you've noticed your dog has been exhibiting symptoms that include breathing problems, coughing, and difficulty exercising, and a member of your household has worked with asbestos and carried it into your home, your dog may indeed have an asbestos-related disease.

Talking to your Veterinarian

Every human being has a medical history. Dogs have medical histories, too. If you or a loved one have an asbestos-related disease or have worked with asbestos on a regular basis, it's necessary to mention that to your veterinarian when you take your dog in for an appointment to determine why he is exhibiting the above-mentioned symptoms. A mention of asbestos exposure may result in far fewer invasive tests for your dog and far less money spent on unnecessary diagnostic procedures.

Diagnosis

If your veterinarian suspects that your dog might have mesothelioma or some other asbestos-related disease, he/she will probably order a test or two. He may begin with a conventional x-ray, which will show some abnormalities in the dog's pleural area (the lining of the lungs) if he is affected by such a disease. If something suspicious appears on the x-ray, a CT scan or ultrasound is sometimes in order along with a complete blood count, urinalysis, and a biochemical profile.

The veterinarian may also try testing the fluid that has gathered around the dogs lungs. However, this does not always produce accurate results. In that case, the veterinarian may need to perform a biopsy, where a piece of the tissue from the pleural area is removed and sent to a pathologist for study. In humans, biopsies are the best way to diagnose asbestos related diseases.

Treatment

If your dog is diagnosed with mesothelioma, the veterinarian may recommend a variety of courses of action. Be aware, also, that he or she may also recommend euthanasia, as the dog is bound to suffer greatly and treatment may be very costly. Which you choose will be entirely up to you.

Surgery, as in human mesothelioma patients, is usually not an option, though the vet may suggest a thoracentesis, used to remove the fluid from around the lungs. It may be performed as many times as necessary.

The more preferred method for treating meso in dogs, however, is with intracavitary chemotherapy--chemo drugs implanted directly into the affect area. Intracavitary cisplatin is currently recommended by most veterinary oncologists though some experts have indicated that treatment with mitoxantrone and doxorubicin has resulted in total remission. That, however, is rare. (Note: Cisplatin is fatal to cats.)

More often than not, any treatments performed are entirely for palliative purposes, to keep the animal comfortable and lessen the symptoms of the disease.

The study of mesothelioma treatment for dogs remains quite limited as many dog owners choose to euthanize the animal when they find out he/she has a fatal form of cancer.

Last modified: September 22 2008.