Is bile duct cancer hereditary in dogs? Is my Yorkie's sister at risk?

Jaundice is caused by so many internal issues, that it is impossible to tell you if this is a contagious thing or not. I would highly recommend discussing with the vet that treated her brother what condition he had and if it is contagious or not. Then you have to look and see if his issue was congenital (something he was born with). If it was, then her being a sibling does mean she may also carry the genetic defect to succumb to the disease as well unfortunately. However, you still need to know what the condition is specifically in order to know if there are any possible preventative measures you can take for Joplin. Jaundice can be caused by a congenital liver defect, which is a long list of possibilities. Hopefully we can find out what the brother had soon. If that is not possible, then your next step should be to get Joplin a DNA test to find out what diseases she is susceptible to,. Ask your vet about this and they should be able to test her right away. I hope that Joplin does well and continues to be a happy healthy puppy moving forward. Take care!

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Unfortunately there is no test to check for "cancer genes" in dogs. I'm very sorry to hear that Ollie's sibling recently passed from cancer. While some cancers can be genetic in origin, Ollie is not necessarily at increased risk of developing the same cancer that his brother did. That being said, it is always recommended that dogs have at least annual exams performed by your veterinarian, and as they get older, have bloodwork performed to check for any underlying organ issues. There is no blood test for cancer, but it can help us determine if certain organs are not functioning as they should. It will be important for you to monitor for any unusual clinical signs that may suggest Ollie is becoming sick - such as lethargy, decreased appetite, vomiting, weight loss, diarrhea, etc. As long as he is continuing to act normally at home, I would not be concerned!

Cancer is indeed one possibility, unfortunately without knowing the history of your dog and without further testing such as CT scan, ultrasound or MRI it would be impossible to give you a professional opinion regarding the diagnosis.

I am sorry to hear that Jasper isn't feeling well. Cancer of the pancreas is a possibility, as well as a insulinoma, or a pancreatic abscess. During the surgery, the veterinarian will likely remove the mass, if possible, or biopsy it so further testing can be done to determine what it is. It is quite possible that surgery can be curative for an insulinoma or abscess. During the surgery, the veterinarian will also look around Jasper's belly to see if there appears to be anything else abnormal, including lymph nodes.

I’m so sorry you lost both parents - cancer sucks! Golden Retrievers do seem to be a little more likely to develop certain types of cancers than other dogs (particularly lymphoma and hemangiosarcoma), but keep in mind any dog can develop cancer at any time. If you love Golden Retrievers, get one! Otherwise I think a mixed breed might be your best bet to avoid hereditary cancers.

The bile acids results are certainly consistent with a dog that has a portosystemic shunt. Dogs with liver shunts do not always display the common neurologic signs, like circling or head pressing. Yorkies are also prone to developing lymphangiectasia which could be causing the gassy issue, or even IBD - but I would work up the possible shunt first. I think nuclear scintigraphy is a logical next step based on the information you have provided. Here is some more information about portosystemic shunts: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=2533 Intestinal lymphangiectasia: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=1381

It is not likely that there is a connection between her medications for the chronic kidney failure and the synovial sarcoma. Synovial sarcomas are very aggressive soft tissue tumors that tend to metastasize as well. Here is some good information: http://vetsurgicalcenter.com/synovialcellsarcoma.asp Unfortunately at 13 years tumors seem to be the most common cause of death in dogs. I am very sorry for your loss.