Mastopathy in dogs is a tumor developing in the mammary gland. Veterinarians often encounter this tumor in their practice. In the vast majority of cases, it is diagnosed in females whose age exceeds 6 years.
Often, the 4th and 5th mammary glands are affected by this disease. The reason for this is their increased functional activity. Initially, one tumor begins to develop, but if delayed with treatment, it can develop into a multiple.
Seals in the mammary glands of a dog are most often associated with estrus or a period of pregnancy. At this time, they increase. Normally, after this period, they should return to their original state. In cases where this does not occur, a pathology begins to develop, expressed in the appearance of abnormal formations.
Forms of mastopathy
Tumors in the mammary glands of a dog can be of several types. Often they are benign neoplasms (60%), but some of them can be cancerous (40%). Since various types of cells are involved in the process, visual examination of the tumor does not make it possible to determine whether the neoplasm is benign or malignant.
Some scientists have argued that in dogs mastopathy does not act as a particularly dangerous disease. Nevertheless, this is an erroneous opinion, since even a benign formation without proper treatment can grow into a cancerous tumor.
Mastopathy is divided into fibrocystic and diffuse. With the development of fibrocystic form, nodules grow rapidly. Most often this occurs in animals in old age. Such a seal may be single or multiple.
Often, diffuse mastopathy begins to develop before estrus (a few days before it begins). In the absence of the necessary therapy, it can develop into a fibrocystic form.
Most veterinarians consider mastopathy a disease preceding cancer. That is why it should not be delayed with an appeal to a specialist.
A photo of mastopathy in a dog is presented in the article.
Causes of occurrence
The main cause of the development of the disease is considered mastitis. Most often, this pathology can be observed in females giving birth to dead puppies. Another possible cause of mastitis is the seeding of glands with pathogenic microorganisms or fungi. In the absence of timely therapy, inflammatory processes begin to spread and become the cause of mastopathy. In addition, a false pregnancy can provoke this disease. It is quite rare to see the development of mastopathy in a nursing female.
Symptomatology
Symptoms of mastopathy in dogs can be different. However, with certainty, the disease can be determined by the following symptoms:
- a significant increase in the mammary glands;
- granularity or sinewy glands detected by palpation;
- the presence of a discharge of nectar from the nipples;
- pain in the area of the mammary gland, accompanied by attempts by the dog to lick it;
- rapid weight loss;
- complete refusal of food and water;
- manifestation of apathy and weakness;
- hair loss at the sites of tumor formation and an increase in the temperature of the skin;
- the occurrence of ulcerative foci.
The main sign that the disease has passed into the stage of malignant is a cough. The onset of this symptom indicates a metastatic lesion of the internal organs.
Stages of mastopathy
Often, 3-5th lobes of the mammary gland are affected by tumors. The reason for this is their structure, namely a large amount of glandular tissue in these parts of the organs. Mostly the disease begins with the development of single small formations. If other lobes are involved in the tumor, then this indicates the occurrence of a serious pathological process, which says that the neoplasms began to spread. The consequence may be metastatic damage to the lymph nodes and internal organs.
The early stage of development of mastopathy in dogs is characterized by the presence of small single mobile formations, in which there is no pronounced soreness. The severity of the pathological process depends on the size of the tumors and their spread.
The cancer process is characterized by a painful reaction, severe local hyperthermia and redness. The tumor has no clearly defined boundaries, since the growth of malignant cells passes to the surrounding surrounding tissue. It is not possible to identify foci of inflammation. This is a consequence of the fact that there is no formation of a barrier between healthy and diseased tissues. A feature of malignant tumors is that they are motionless, as they grow together with muscles and skin.
The late stage of development of mastopathy differs from others in the large size of the tumor. Its diameter can reach more than 20 cm, and weight - several kilograms. At this stage, the place of development of the tumor is covered with skin defects in the form of non-healing ulcers and ulcers. There is a significant increase in lymph nodes and when pressed, the dog feels severe pain.
Diagnostics
Diagnosis of tumor pathology in the mammary gland of a dog is as follows:
- Feeling of the mammary glands of the female, which is first in a standing position, and then in a supine position. This is necessary to exclude the diagnosis of hernia and the detection of affected lobes.
- Determination of pain, consistency, size and mobility of the affected areas.
- Examination of all lymph nodes to which access is available in order to exclude the spread of metastases.
- A tissue biopsy and morphological examination of material susceptible to pathology.
- X-ray examination of the abdominal and chest cavities, in order to exclude the presence of metastases in the internal organs.
At the initial stages of mastopathy, there is rarely pain, even in cases when the tumor diameter reaches 10 cm and several lobes are involved. The formation has a clearly defined form without inflammatory processes that affect the surrounding tissue. The level of mobility and density of consistency depend on the size of the formation.
Involvement in the pathological process of lymph nodes does not occur immediately. With the development of mastopathy, there is an increase in lymph nodes and a loss of their mobility. However, pain is not observed. Also, to diagnose mastopathy, biochemical studies are carried out on the following hormones:
- follicle-stimulating;
- luteotropic;
- progesterone;
- estradiol.
An increase in their level may be a sign of mastopathy in the dog. However, it should be clarified that these same signs are not characteristic of developing pathologies of the reproductive organs. Thus, the diagnosis, referring solely to the results of biochemistry, will not be correct. For complete certainty, a biopsy is necessary.
Biopsy
A biopsy is the most accurate way to detect a tumor. Imprint smears make it possible to conduct a diagnosis that will help you choose the best treatment methodology. A biopsy involves the fixation of smears with an absolute alcohol solution and their subsequent staining according to May-Grunwald and azure-eosin.
Treatment regimen
In the initial stages, the veterinarian observes and examines the dog before and during each estrus. Treatment of mastopathy in a dog can be carried out using homeopathic medicines that maintain a stable state of nodes or remove them.
If a diffuse form of the disease develops, the veterinarian prescribes hormone therapy. If the development of a fibrocystic form of mastopathy in a dog occurs, surgery cannot be avoided. For older dogs, surgery is contraindicated. It can be carried out only in case of heart or liver disease. Surgery is not always a guarantee of complete recovery, since relapses can occur.
In those cases when the dog’s formation is very large and metastasis has already begun, there is no point in performing the operation. In rare cases, if this makes sense, the veterinarian may order an operation to remove part of the formation. This will provide an opportunity to extend the dog’s life, but does not guarantee full cure.
Home treatment
If for any reason it is not possible to visit a specialist, you can treat mastopathy in a dog at home. However, this should not be continued for a long time, and at the first opportunity it is necessary to show the dog to the veterinarian. Since it is impossible to conduct at home the studies that the doctor will conduct to determine the treatment regimen, this visit should not be delayed. In addition, the owner may simply not know how to treat mastopathy in a dog, and its treatment will be ineffective, which will bring the pet even more harm.
Self-treatment of the disease involves the regular application of a cool compress on the sore nipples. Twice a day, you can massage them. To prevent stagnation of milk, it is necessary to apply to the nipples of puppies. If purulent discharge appears from the nipples, puppies are prohibited.
Possible complications
The lack of timely treatment can lead to the development of a number of complications in the dog. First of all, there is a threat of overgrowing education into a cancerous tumor. If the tumor has passed into the metastatic stage, then in most cases it is not possible to cure the animal and only proper care can help prolong its life.
Running mastopathy can cause the development of sarcoma, a mixed tumor, adenocarcinoma.
The transformation of a tumor into a malignant one most often occurs in poodles, shepherd dogs, giant schnauzers and cocker spaniels.
Preventive actions
In order to avoid the development of mastopathy, you must regularly bring the dog for examination. Two visits per year will suffice. In addition, you can give the dog drugs that prevent the formation of nodules and cysts. One of the most reliable preventive measures is sterilization. Also, proper animal care and balanced nutrition will help prevent the occurrence of mastopathy.