Urine test for canine bladder cancer

My beloved Jack Russell Terrier, Arlo, 9.5 years old was diagnosed with a UTI and then started bleeding uncontrollably. He almost bled to death but got a transfusion and survived. Now the doctor thinks he has bladder cancer, but I live in Singapore and here there is no BTA test kit diagnostic like in the US, only exploratory surgery to look. How have your pets been diagnosed with cancer? Only ultrasound? Biopsy? BTA urine based rapid test? I am looking for the BTA test kit to get it here to Singapore as Arlo is not strong enough yet to go through a surgery to figure it out. Any experiences to share? 

 

On 9/18/2009 arlosmom wrote:

My beloved Jack Russell Terrier, Arlo, 9.5 years old was diagnosed with a UTI and then started bleeding uncontrollably. He almost bled to death but got a transfusion and survived. Now the doctor thinks he has bladder cancer, but I live in Singapore and here there is no BTA test kit diagnostic like in the US, only exploratory surgery to look. How have your pets been diagnosed with cancer? Only ultrasound? Biopsy? BTA urine based rapid test? I am looking for the BTA test kit to get it here to Singapore as Arlo is not strong enough yet to go through a surgery to figure it out. Any experiences to share? 

While you are waiting for some to respond to this post, go to the upper right corner of this page, you will see "Search".  Type in UTI or TCC and you will have many many previous posts regarding these subjects.  Hopefully you find the information you are asking for - also suggestions for diet, etc.

Diana 

Diana

My heart goes out to you and your beloved pet. My dog was diagnosed back on the 10 of this month. She had a few UTI's since July. They found irregular cells. After a third opinion from a vet, he took the time to really examine her and said the cells where irregular shaped, black spots, and he also said the cells he is seeing are what he sees in other TCC patients. He felt her bladder and found a mass. He recommened an ultrasound and maybe a biopsy. I have done my research and know that this type of cancer is "like mold spores". It is aggresive. I chose not to put my girl through it. The outcome will be the same. So I am focusing on her quality of life. She is now on piroxicam daily (it can be harsh on the belly) she takes 10mg prilosec and 10mg of prevcid. She is on a dose of Baytril daily for UTI's as she is prone to them. She can have tramadol for pain. I give her boiled chicken, chicken broth, a scoop of pumpkin (to help with BM's as tramadol can bind her). This morning I have just bought her Pet Promise canned dog food. I heard this is good because of no byproducts.

Zoe, has had good luck so far with the piroxicam. It is very inexpensive. It cost me $4.20 for a months supply. NEVER give it on an empty stomach!!! Make sure your dog has taken stomach protectors!!!

Please know that you are not alone on this journey. I thank my higher power every day for the time he gives me with her. I watch her carefully. I know she will let me know when her time on this earth is up.

 Good Luck to you in whatever you choose for your little one. Some have chose to operate, others have not. Put your questions out there and do your research. Take care

Tracy

Urine screening test
A new urine screening test for transitional cell carcinoma is now also available (V-BTA test; Polymedco Inc; Redmond, Wash.) The test is a latex agglutination assay for glycoproteins released from the basement membrane of the bladder affected by cancer. The test has a sensitivity of 90 percent and a specificity of 78 percent. Interference with the test (causing false positives) occurs with marked glucosuria (4+), heavy proteinuria (4+) or pyuria/hematuria (>30-40 WBC or RBC/hpf). Therefore a negative test has an accurate negative predictive value of 95 percent, but a positive test result would mean that further evaluation is indicated to rule-in or rule-out neoplasia.

Hope this will give you some info.....my vet did not seem too keen on this due to the false positives...he said the best was an ultrasound & possible biopsy....but her did warn that I could cause seeding of the cancer. That is why I decided against it.

Hang in there my friend.

Tracy & Zoe (my baby girl :o)