The most common stomach tumor is adenocarcinoma, which rapidly spreads to the regional lymph nodes, liver and lungs

Treatment is largely palliative

Long-term prognosis is poor

What is it?

• Cancer of the stomach comprises less than 1% of all cancers that dogs get making it a relatively uncommon disease
• There are many types of stomach cancer, however, adenocarcinoma is the most common type found in dogs
• Adenocarcinomas can diffusely affect the stomach making it leathery and nondistensible
• It may form a tumor that is a polyp that has a narrow stalk
• Other dogs develop a carcinoma that forms plaques with an ulcer and this type is predisposed to rupturing
• The stomach is the first part of the digestive tract that begins digestion of proteins with acid produced by its cells
• In cats, lymphoma is the most common tumor and chemotherapy is the primary treatment

Anatomy

• The stomach is a dilated portion of the gastrointestinal system
• Functions
  • reservoir for ingested food
  • produces acid to help break down proteins
  • churns food to mechanically break down food

Signs

• Signalment
  • These tumors are most commonly seen in dogs that are between 7 and 10 years of age
  • The rough-coated collie, Belgium shepherd dog and Stafford shire bull terrier are predisposed to developing this type of tumor
  • Males tend to develop this tumor more commonly
• Signs of stomach cancer may include
  • chronic vomiting
  • loss of appetite
  • weight loss
  • vomiting of blood
  • black tar-colored stools
  • abdominal cramping
    

Diagnosis

• To diagnose this condition x-rays following barium may be beneficial
• Endoscopy, which involves passing a camera into the stomach via the mouth, may provide a higher diagnostic yield than x-rays
• Ultrasound of the abdomen may also be very useful to diagnose the presence of a mass in the wall of the stomach
• Surgical exploration of the abdomen and stomach biopsy provides the best diagnostic tools for this condition
  
  

Homecare

• After surgery, you can continue to give your pet a prescribed pain reliever to minimize discomfort
• It’s also extremely important to limit your dog’s activity and exercise level during this post-operative period
• An ant-acid is commonly prescribed for 2 to 3 weeks after surgery, while the stomach is healings
• The healing process will be monitored by the surgeon with one follow-up exam, 2 weeks after surgery

Prognosis

• At the time of diagnosis about 75% of all dogs will have spread of the tumor from the stomach
• Typical survival following surgery to remove a gastric carcinoma is about 8.5 months