Adrenal cancer in dogs

Not every adrenal mass is malignant or hormonally active. A veterinarian needs to interpret imaging, hormone tests, blood and urine findings, symptoms and the dog's general health together. Management may involve surgery, medicines that control hormone production, cancer medicine or comfort-focused care.

The adrenal glands sit near the kidneys and make hormones involved in stress responses, blood pressure, salt balance and other body functions. A tumour in the gland's outer layer can produce cortisol or other steroid hormones; a tumour arising from the inner region can release adrenaline-like hormones. Some masses produce no excess hormone.

Possible signs include increased drinking and urination, panting, a swollen-looking abdomen, muscle weakness, hair or skin changes, reduced appetite, vomiting, weight change or episodes of collapse. These signs have many possible causes, so their presence alone cannot identify an adrenal tumour.

Bring a list of all medicines and supplements, a timeline of changes in drinking, urination and appetite, and any previous test results. The veterinary team may use abdominal imaging to examine the mass, nearby blood vessels and other organs, while laboratory testing can assess organ function and hormone activity.

Surgery may be considered when the mass can be removed and the dog is fit enough, but adrenal operations can be complex because major vessels are close by. Ask whether referral to a veterinary surgeon or oncologist is appropriate, what stabilisation is needed first, and how pain, hormones and blood pressure will be managed. Never change hormone-related medicine suddenly without veterinary instructions.

Contact a veterinarian promptly for repeated vomiting, refusal of food or water, profound weakness, a painful or enlarging abdomen, marked restlessness, or a sudden change in drinking and urination. A dog already taking hormone-control medicine also needs assessment if weakness, diarrhoea, vomiting or poor appetite develops.

Go to an emergency veterinary service for collapse, breathing difficulty, pale gums, seizures, inability to stand, severe abdominal pain or uncontrolled bleeding. Call ahead if possible and take the dog's medication containers and recent veterinary information.

Ask whether the mass appears hormonally active, whether it involves nearby vessels, what signs suggest spread, and which tests would change the plan. Discuss the goals and burdens of surgery or medical treatment, the expected recovery needs, how monitoring will work and which changes in behaviour or appetite should trigger an urgent call.