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Dogs + Diagnosis

  • An epulis (plural epuli) is the clinical name for a swelling on the gums. Several different tumours share this name, often of different origins including the tooth-socket lining and lining epithelium of the mouth.

  • Oral fibrosarcomas are rapidly growing, malignant tumours originating from the fibrous connective tissue of the mouth. The tumours are rarely cured by surgical removal.

  • Oral melanoma (malignant melanoma or melanosarcoma) is a tumour of melanin pigment producing cells (melanocytes). The cancers are rapidly growing and unfortunately are rarely completely cured by surgical removal.

  • Oral papillomas are benign tumours of the epithelial lining of the mouth and throat caused by papillomaviruses. The viruses are specific for that species of animal and fairly site specific but can be transmitted to skin or eyes if the protective outer epithelium is damaged.

  • Squamous cell carcinomas are malignant cancers originating from the lining cells of the mouth. They are locally invasive and often recurrent.

  • Infection of the external ear canal (outer ear) by mites, bacteria or yeast, is one of the most common types of infections seen in dogs.

  • The otodectic mite usually infests the ears and can result in otodectic mange. This causes irritation leading to bacterial infections which can result in otitis externa.

  • Some ovarian cancers are benign and others malignant. In some cases, removal of the affected ovary will be curative. Spread to other internal organs (metastasis) is possible with some types, particularly the larger tumours.

  • Even when undergoing relatively routine procedures such as neutering the assessment of pain and its control are very important for your dog.

  • Under normal conditions, digestive enzymes produced by the pancreas are activated when they reach the small intestines. In pancreatitis, these enzymes are activated prematurely in the pancreas instead of in the small intestines.