Angiosarcoma is a type of cancer that appears when an aggressive metastasis forms in a blood vessel. It grows quickly and is very invasive. Unfortunately, dogs with angiosarcoma usually don’t show any signs until the lump has grown quite large, making it difficult to treat. Ultimately, the lump ruptures and causes heavy bleeding. Often dog owners discover they have angiosarcoma only after their pet has collapsed.
Four different types of angiosarcoma
There are four different types of angiosarcoma that dogs can develop, especially Golden Retrievers. Cutaneous angiosarcoma is the cutaneous form of cancer. So, Can golden retrievers get cancer? Cancer appears as red or black growths in areas of the dog that have less hair, such as the stomach. It is the least dangerous and can be removed easily by surgery. It also has the best chance of a complete cure, which means that the chances of the cancer returning are low.
- Subcutaneous hemangioma
Subcutaneous hemangioma is a type of cancer that forms under the skin. The top layer of skin usually looks completely normal, but under it there is a dark red blood growth. Subcutaneous angiosarcoma is very dangerous because up to 60% of this type of cancer is endogenous.
- Visceral androgenetic sarcoma: the type that affects the spleen of the dog
Visceral and visceral sarcoma affects a dog’s spleen. Although the spleen is not a necessity for life, it still plays an important role in blood and lymph function. They are especially dangerous because, whether benign or malignant, they tend to open and bleed excessively. You may choose to have your dog undergo a splenectomy, which is a procedure in which the spleen is removed. However, since this type of cancer grows rapidly, there are no guarantees that your dog is cancer-free.
- Visceral androgenetic sarcoma: the type that affects the heart of the dog
Visceral angiosarcoma is a type of cancer that affects the heart. Like splenic angiosarcoma, heart cancer can be life threatening. A dog’s heart is located inside a sac called the pericardium. With this type of cancer, the pericardium becomes so filled with blood that there is no other room for it, which puts an enormous strain on the heart. Since it is so full, there is nowhere to fill with the blood that it needs to pump to sustain life.
- Cutaneous angiosarcoma
The final type of angiosarcoma your dog may develop is cutaneous angiosarcoma. It is caused by excessive exposure to the sun, so it can be prevented. However, the causes of the other species have not been established. Human angiosarcomas sometimes occur due to exposure to certain chemicals, such as vinyl chloride, but it is not known if this affects dogs. Some breeds are more likely to develop angiosarcoma, so there is likely to be a genetic link between the strain and cancer. Golden Retrievers are one of the most common breeds to suffer from this form of cancer, along with German Shepherds.