My dachshund has an anal gland mass. How fast does it spread? Pain?

You are very welcome and honestly, though we wish you weren't in this situation, we're very glad to here. The progression growth for this type of tumor varies greatly by pet. This could be something that has been going on for a while and may always be there without showing much symptom. You'll want to continue monitoring her for any discomfort and report any changes to your doctor. At that time, if it ever comes, you might discuss changes her diet to a softer food. Be sure any changes are made with approval of your treating physician though. With Kidney and Pancreatic concerns diet can be very important. Please let us know if you have any questions of concerns.

I'm so sorry to hear about Reshmk's diagnosis. There are many variables that come into play when discussing life expectancy, and unfortunately not all of them can be predicted. Anal gland adenocarcinoma can be locally invasive and sometimes the tumor gets big enough to cause significant pain and discomfort for the dog, or can grow to a size that inhibits normal/comfortable defecation. So, sometimes the limiting factor is a determination of quality of life based on the direct activity of the mass and its effects on a dog's comfort level. Other times, we can have less direct symptoms related to the cancer, either due to metastasis and those effects on the organs, or due to hypercalcemia, which is a common secondary issue with this type of cancer. Hypercalcemia can lead to excessive thirst and urination most commonly, or can cause GI upset, vomiting, and decreased appetite. These symptoms of hypercalcemia can sometimes initially be managed with medications, but often decisions about quality of life are made when the dog feels ill and medications can no longer control the symptoms. The best one to offer input on a specific survival time would be your vet, who knows the details with Reshmk's cancer and how aggressive it appears, but with the knowledge that it has already been diagnosed in the regional lymph nodes, I would anticipate a survival time of 6 months or less, as the general survival time even with surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy is still less than 3 years. I'm so sorry again about this sad news. I hope this helps.

With no treatment, and depending on the severity and spread of the tumor, Shep may only have a couple of months left. I would speak to her vet who will give you a better idea of her survival time. I'm sorry you are facing this!

Hi, sadly it is probably an anal sac carcinoma. I think by the sound of the dimensions and the age of Tink, that it would be kinder to put Tink to sleep when she starts to be in pain. sorry to sound a bit brutal but we need to make Tink's welfare the main priority, I am sure she is a very much loved member of the family. Thinking of you at this difficult time.

I'm really sorry to hear this. Unfortunately, surgery is the mainstay of treatment. It is the only proven method to influence survival of dogs with these tumors. Usually dogs with this type of tumors also have kidney failure or high calcium as well which can complicate things. Metastasis (spread) can also be a problem. There is a drug called Palladia (a chemotherapy agent) that is usually given to the dogs after surgery however, I am unsure if it is helpful without surgery being done first. You would have to consult with a veterinary oncologist about that. That being said, that medication is extremely expensive. There is not much that can be done short of surgery and chemotherapy. If you cannot afford treatment then all you can do is make her as comfortable as possible and when it gets to the point that her quality of life is no longer good then you should consider humane euthanasia so she does not suffer. There are no over the counter medications that can be recommended. Hopefully this article will answer more of your questions. ( https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/anal-gland-tumors ) Again, I am sorry to hear this. I hope this helps. Best wishes.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Hurley. Anal gland cancer typically spreads to lymph nodes in the abdomen first. However, there are lymph nodes present in the groin region where her bumps appear to be located. Based on how large they look, there is a good chance the cancer has spread. Her veterinarian would need to take a sample of each bump with a small needle. The cells are evaluated under the microscope to determine if cancer cells are present. I hope this information helps!

Gumbo definitely is at increased anesthetic risk (risk of adverse events during anesthesia and risk of poor recovery) at age 14 (7-8 years of age is considered geriatric), even with normal blood work (normal liver/kidney values). In addition those are extremely large masses and surgical removal could definitely affect anal tone (result in incontinence) assuming that anesthesia and recovery do go well. There is also a possibility that the type of cancer Gumbo has is metastatic and has already spread to the lungs for which the prognosis is poor (chest rads would be recommended prior to proceeding with surgery). I would recommend bringing Gumbo to have the anal glands checked regularly to make sure that they are empty. I also recommend keeping Gumbo as comfortable as possible as consulting with your veterinarian about treatment and humane endpoints if the masses become ulcerated.