Canine bladder neoplasm - presumed TCC

Re: Canine bladder neoplasm - presumed TCC

Michael Woodhouse — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 22:22:40 GMT

Have a discussion with the owners. Opening the bitch up to spay it would let you have a good look at the bladder with a big hole..

Might allow you to biopsy a bit? I have seen a pyo with some localised peritonitis and if we had something like that going on around the bladder neck there is the possibility that the spay may be curative?

Equally you may put the dog through an operation for her to die shortly after. This is a job for informed consent!

Meloxicam supposedly does the same job as Piroxicam, they used it for this @ the RVC when I was a student. I have done the same.

Re: Canine bladder neoplasm - presumed TCC

Bob Russell — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 12:58:58 GMT

We have a Springer Spaniel that was diagnosed with a bladder tumour (unfortunately the biopsy was not specific). The tumour was several cms across 3 1/2 years ago - still going strong. Occasional haematuria but on target to die of old age.

With this one the specialist recommended surgery but the owners declined. He was given a very guarded prognosis because of the area of the bladder affected!

Re: Canine bladder neoplasm - presumed TCC

Martin Atkinson — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 12:36:24 GMT

What are your criteria for assuming its a tumour? I recently had a male cat with obstructive bladder disease, catheterised reasonably easily no crystals, bladder felt grossly very thickened and pneumocystogram showed gross thickening in portionsof the bladder with very uneven mucosal surface, it was odds-on neoplastic. There were bits of flesh floating around in the urine which were sent with a urine sample for cytology and all came back as purely inflammatory. I know that doesn't exclude neoplasia but there was a dramatic improvement with anti-inflammatory treatment and antibiotics and the bladder feels grossly normal now. Have advised biopsy but O cant afford further investigation. I have assumed this is severe FLUTD and we're continuing with Cystease but serum Ca remains high so still suspicious. Moral: unless you're sure its neoplastic I would perform the pyo if it is one and maybe do a full thickness punch biopsy from the suspicious area of the bladder while you're there. Some animals do seem to go on a long time with bladder tumours so long as they can pee but clearly needs a guarded prognosis.