Dog Prostate Cancer

by Dorothy
(Lynbrook)

My Dog Was Diagnosed with Canine Prostate Cancer. I need a few answers before I decide it is time to put him to sleep.

Recently My 8 year old beagle, Lou was diagnosed with canine prostate cancer. He also has a canine stomach ulcer. I asked the Doctor what could have possibly caused this but there are such a vast amount of possibilities as to why, guessing wouldn't make a difference as to how serious or common prostate cancer is in male dogs.

I was given two kinds of medications (Amoxicillin, and Flagyl). I would like to know what both medications do for my dog. I have searched the web to find out more information, but both come up as bacteria fighting medications.

But what helps ease my dogs pain from the prostate cancer and what helps my dog with his ulcer? And where does it hurt him on his body? What can i give my dog to stop him from hurting until it is time to put him to sleep?

Dog Prostate Cancer Editor Comment:

Dear Dorothy,

Sorry to hear about the dog prostate cancer and dog stomach ulcer problems.

Adenocarcinomas are the most common type of prostate cancer in dogs. This type of canine cancer occurs either as a primary condition in a dog's prostate glands or is a secondary metastases to transitional cell carcinoma in the urinary bladder (meaning the dog bladder cancer spread to the prostate).

Remember, cancer is uncontrolled, progressive and an unnecessary growth of certain cells, which happens due to a disturbance in your dog's cellular genetics, so the exact cause can be anything which can cause a disturbance in the genetic makeup of your dog's cellular physiology.

In the case of dog prostate cancer, there is a possibility that it can infiltrate to other parts of the body, such as the urethra (tube that carries urine out of the body), urinary tubular system and then ultimately cause canine bladder cancer. It is therefore always recommended that canine prostate cancer patients be referred to a veterinary oncologist.

Unfortunately, there is no effective treatment available for prostate cancer in dogs. Even surgical removal of cancerous tissues cannot help. As far as the drugs you mentioned, the following is a brief description of each drug:

Amoxicillin: Amoxicillin for dogs is an antibacterial agent, which is effective against various gram positive and negative bacteria. It is relatively non toxic and is resistant to acids, thus it can help to prevent secondary infections caused by the prostate cancer. Amoxicillin gets absorbed smoothly, even if, for the time being, your dog’s stomach has higher acidity levels as a result of the condition.

Flagyl: Flagyl for dogs is a product which contains “Metronidazole”, which is used as an antimicrobial and anti protozaol agent. It is effective against various parasites as amoeba, giardia etc and anaerobic bacteria. Remember, it is mostly used against the most commonly found protozoal infestations in the gastrointestinal tract. However, here in this case, it is a very effective option against various common anaerobic bacteria, which usually infects deeper tissues and the genital organs.

In my opinion, both the recommendations are very important at this stage of canine prostate cancer. Secondary bacterial infections can surely worsen the health status of your dog, but remember this is not definite treatment, but one that is thought to help.

Unfortunately, for prostate cancer in dogs, there is no specific treatment. So, it's better to consult veterinary oncologist for proper management and care.

But, for the canine ulcer, it is required that not only should you consult your veterinarian, but also follow these tips to improve the condition:

1. The ultimate goal for the management of a gastrointestinal ulcer in dogs is to determine the exact cause of the ulcer and then eliminate it. There may be various causes, such as food, drugs, pathogens, accident etc, but in this case, it seems related to the prostate cancer, which may occur due to an inflammatory response of the body towards cancerous tissues in the prostate gland.

2. Flagyl for dogs can help in the management of the condition, but it is better to consult your veterinarian for more effective options, such as omerprazole, antacids and some anti inflammatory agents. Surely, the inflammatory response of the body towards the prostate cancerous tissues is worsening ulcerative lesions in your dog's stomach.

3. Try a bland diet. You can feed your dog food containing cottage cheese and rice or chicken and rice.

4. Do not try any additional supplements, vitamins etc as these can enhance the production of gastrointestinal enzymes, thus worsening the condition.

5. To support the prostate gland and cellular integrity in the body, you can try some natural remedies. These will surely help to reduce the stress on your pet. For the prostate gland consider ProsPet, and for cellular strength consider C-Caps.

6. In case you notice any urinary incontinence, high fever, pain, vomiting and urinary tract infections etc, consult your veterinarian. All of these symptoms represent metastases (spreading) of the canine prostate cancer.

7. Usually, a stomach ulcer takes 6 – 8 weeks to heal if treated properly. It is better to go to your veterinarian for a detailed and specific treatment for the ulcer. Monitoring of the condition is necessary.

We hope this helps. Again, all the best to you and your dog as you struggle with the dog prostate cancer and dog ulcer condition.