By R.G. Elmore, D.V.M.
Copley News Service

Q: We were recently shocked when our veterinarian told us that it is likely that our 11-year-old hound has testicular cancer and should be castrated as soon as possible. We have been devastated by this diagnosis and recommendation. Our dog has been very good at hunting and has sired several litters. His puppies have performed well and even won in some big shows. Although we do not want our dog to die because of his cancer, we do not want him to lose his maleness this late in his life.

Is this a common problem in old male dogs? Should we have the surgery performed? Are we overreacting to this bad news?

A: Your reaction to being informed that your dog has cancer is not unusual. Whether in humans or our animals, having cancer is not good. However, research has provided us with many new and effective approaches to handle this frightening disease condition. Be assured that having your dog castrated will not likely result in any changes to his personality or cause him to lose his dignity. This surgical procedure is routine for most veterinarians and should not cause your dog a great amount of discomfort.

Your treating your dog as you always have in the past will help him have an uneventful and speedy recovery. Your reaction to having your dog castrated will likely have a large impact on how he reacts to the surgery.

While testicular cancer is fairly common in older intact male dogs, it is not a frequent diagnosis in dogs in general. The low incidence is probably due to the fact that most male dogs are castrated while they are still very young.

Testicular cancer is most common in dogs in which the testicles did not descend into the scrotum. In these dogs, the testicle remains in the abdomen. Research has shown that dogs in which one or both testicles do not descend into the scrotum while a puppy are 13 times more likely to develop testicular cancer than normal dogs.

Testicular cancer can lead to an enlarged prostate gland, enlarged mammary glands, enlarged nipples, symmetrical hair loss, anemia, and the tendency to attract other male dogs. Castration is the best treatment and prevention for testicular cancer in dogs. You should follow your veterinarian's advice regarding having your dog castrated. Hopefully, your dog will have many more years of life with you.

Q: Not long ago our dog picked up a grape that my husband accidentally dropped on the floor and ate it! Of course our dog played with the grape for a while before eating it because she really did not know what to do with it. After this happened I started to wonder if grapes are poisonous for dogs. I have heard that raisins should not be fed to pets.

A: Although both raisins and grapes are toxic for pets, one eaten occasionally is usually not harmful. Raisins and grapes can cause acute gastrointestinal problems such as vomiting and kidney failure. Other clinical signs of poisoning due to eating grapes and raisins include lethargy, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. Eating raisins and grapes can cause death in pets. Accidents happen! However, toxic substances should not be intentionally fed to pets.
Send e-mail to copleysd@copleynews.com or write to Pets, Copley News Service, P.O. Box 120190, San Diego, CA 92112-0190. Only questions of general interest will be answered in this column.

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