Dog Bladder Tumor

by Carole Janveaux
(Apohaqui, NB Canada)

My dog is a springer spaniel and she is 12 years old. She has been bleeding for 9 weeks. First I found she was leaking from the bladder. She sleeps on the bed and I put a cotton waterproof lining and there was a lot of leakage.

One morning there was alot of blood. She is a very clean dog. She does not like to be dirty. I have her groomed every 8 weeks.

I called the Vet immediately and brought her in. A urine sample was taken and it was not good. The Vet put her on 2 weeks of antibiotics. I returned to the Vet and only traces of blood appeared which I was shocked because she was still bleeding.

I was given another week of antibiotic and incontinence pills and she was still blleding. That is when I knew it was more serious. The question I have is what would be her life expectency?

I am struggling with this is because I do not want her to suffer. I am away from home 12 hours I have someone coming in the ensure she can go out.
I feel I am being selfish by not releiving her of her misery.

Please help me

Vet Comments Dog Bladder Tumor Prognosis

Hi Carol,

I am not quite sure what is going on with your dog based on the information you provided. Has she been definitively diagnosed with a bladder tumor based on a physical exam, urinalysis, x-ray, ultrasound, and/or a bladder tumor antigen test?

If she definitely has a bladder tumor (presumably a transitional cell carcinoma), I’m afraid her prognosis is not good. Studies differ a bit on how long dogs generally survive after diagnosis but somewhere in the area of about 3 months if the tumor has already spread outside of the bladder to around 6-7 months if it has not.

Transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder is a fatal disease. If this is her diagnosis and you think her quality of life is declining and you are not able to improve it with medications, hospice care, etc., euthanasia would probably be in her best interest.

You and your dog are in my thoughts.

Regards,

Jennifer Coates, DVM