Posted on April 18, 2010 by: WayCoolDogs

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Mesothelioma in dogs do not develop until they reach eight years of age or older. The earliest diagnosis  in dogs has been documented in seven-week puppies on up to 15 years of age. Symptoms in dogs younger than seven weeks of age may suggest several other things. One may be congenital mesothelioma – having more of a chance to occur frequently as the dog ages. This is because the disease invades the mesothelium area and works its way through the body, developing tumors in the dog’s chest cavity.

Abdominal mesothelioma in dogs and humans occurs because of second-hand exposure to asbestos dust. This will result in a medical diagnosis of the mesothelioma disease. Of all the asbestos diseases, mesothelioma has many different types –  but not all develop in dogs.

However, like humans, dogs have mesothelial cells in their abdomen, lungs and heart which can become damaged by asbestos fibers, turning cancerous over time. Mesothelioma in dogs can also develop in the peritoneium, a lining of the abdominal cavity, and the pericardium, the lining of the heart.

Signs and symptoms of mesothelioma in dogs

Early symptoms of mesothelioma in dogs are non-specific, which can lead to a delay in the diagnosis. Showing no symptoms at all in the early stages, the dog can show subtle signs of viral pneumonia, chest pain, a persistent cough, and a build-up of fluids in the chest. The right lung will be affected 60% of the time, with both lungs involved simultaneously occurring only 5% of the time.

• Muffled heart sounds
• Night sweats
• Fever
• Weight Loss
• Exercise intolerance
• Abnormally rapid breathing
• Abdominal discomfort
• Decreased lung sounds
• Weak peripheral pulse
• Changes in sleeping patterns
• Pulmonary edema and/or enlarged to globoid heart
• Abdominal distension
• Lethargy
• Hepatomegaly

Meothelioma risk factors

The breeds that are highly susceptible to developing mesothelioma tumors are the German Shepherds, Irish Setters and Bouvier des Flandres, with the male sex more apt to develop it in any breed. Dogs that live in urban settings are also at a higher risk for the development of mesothelioma in dogs. This can be compounded because of exposure to herbicides, algaecides, defoliant, wood preservative, germicide, fungicide and molluscicie.

Mesothelioma types

The three most common types of mesothelioma in dogs are pleural mesothelioma, peritoneal mesothelioma, and benign mesothelioma—with many other types known but not as common. Each type of mesothelioma in dogs  is named after the area where it begins—with all caused by asbestos exposure. Also, all types of mesothelioma cause the same type of symptoms—with epithelial mesothelioma the most common, the least difficult to treat, and has the highest survival rate.

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