Symptoms

• Lymphoma is so named because it affects lymph nodes, often appearing as swollen glands under the neck, in front of the shoulders or behind the knee. They can also appear as lesions around the mouth and on the skin that can itch or be ulcerated. Lymphoma can also affect lymph nodes that aren't visible in the chest or abdomen, which can cause difficulty breathing or vomiting, diarrhea or pain in the abdomen. General symptoms for all types include weight loss, anorexia and fever.
  
  

Types

• There are four main types of lymphoma: multicentric, alimentary, mediastinal and cutaneous. The most common type is multicentric, accounting for about 80 percent of reported cases. This type appears as the swollen glands around the neck, shoulders or groin area and can grow to the size of golf balls overnight. Alimentary occurs in the digestive tract, and the rare mediastinal form occurs in the chest. Cutaneous also affects the skin but may cause superficial lesions around the mouth or on the skin.
  
  

Warning

• Approximately 60 percent of dogs with lymphoma have no symptoms except the large lumps, which often aren't noticed unless the owner is routinely feeling for new bumps. Since lymphoma is a cancer of white blood cells, it can easily spread to the liver, spleen, lungs and bone marrow, which can be fatal.
  
  

Diagnosis

• Veterinarians use a combination of tests to diagnose lymphoma, including blood tests, aspiration, biopsies, X-rays or ultrasound. The exact tests depend on the location of the tumors.
  
  

Treatment

• Lymphoma treatment is considered one of the most successful canine cancer treatments as nearly 90 percent of patients respond in some way. However, canine lymphoma is considered treatable but often not curable. Typical treatment involves a multi-agent chemotherapy that includes L-asparaginase, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin and prednisone. Surgery and radiation are considered ineffective because, once infected, lymphoma spreads throughout the body, not just the affected lymph nodes. Fortunately, canine chemotherapy does not have the same side effects as human chemotherapy and can increase your dog's life span one to two years. Approximately 85 percent of dogs don't experience any side effects during treatment.