Canine Thymoma

Thymoma, or cancerous cells around the thymus, is a rare disease in canines. It can be treated, and removal of cancerous tumors is an effective method.

What is thymoma?

Thymoma is a tumor of the cells outside the thymus, an organ located near the breastbone. It is in a class of cancers called mediastinal cancer, which is a form of lymphosarcoma, or cancer of the lymph nodes.

Thymoma in dogs

According to pubmed.gov, thymoma is a rare cancer that can affect any breed of dog. It is most prevalent in German Shepherds, and it generally occurs in older dogs.

Symptoms

Symptoms of thymoma include dsypnea (trouble breathing) and excessive thirst and urination.

Diagnosis

In order to determine whether your dog has thymoma, your veterinarian will perform tests that will include a urinalysis, a complete blood count, aspiration of the suspected infected area, an abdominal exam and a chest x-ray, according to Oncolink.org.

Treatment

According to pubmed.gov, removal of thymoma tumors is an effective cure. In more complicated cases, radiation and chemotherapy treatments may be necessary.

References

• National Cancer Institute: General Information About Thymoma and Thymic Carcinoma
• Pub Med: Canine Thymoma
• OncoLink: Lymphosarcoma in Dogs