My dog has prostate cysts making it hard to pee. Can they be removed?

Poor Bob! This is likely benign prostatic hyperplasia. Unfortunately, the best treatment is to neuter him. You can ask your vet to prescribe him some anti-inflammatories to see if this helps but sometimes it doesn't work. For dogs used for breeding, there is also a product called finasteride to help treat this but I am not very familiar with this drug so I would talk to your vet in more detail about whether it would be safe for Bob. I will attach an article below. Also, sometimes drugs will work temporarily but eventually the problem comes back. I would also make sure the vet checked his urine to ensure he doesn't have an infection in his urine. Finally, if your vet thinks his prostate is painful, he may have a prostatitis which will require antibiotics. I hope this helps! http://www.merckvetmanual.com/reproductive-system/prostatic-diseases/benign-prostatic-hyperplasia-in-small-animals

Hi there. Prostate removal is not a surgery that is normally done in dogs. I'm wondering if you meant that your veterinarian recommending neutering Harley? This is generally a very effective way of treating prostatic enlargement - so yes, I would agree that this is a good idea if the enlarged prostate is causing any problems such as difficulty peeing or pooping, or bleeding from the penis. His injured paw is a separate issue. He may have injured it in the fight with his brother, or by jumping off of something. He could also have arthritis or some other issue such as a bone tumor causing the pain and limping. I would recommend taking him to the vet to have this checked, as he may need x-rays to help determine the problem. Your veterinarian can also prescribe pain medication for him to help make him more comfortable.

Hello, I’m so sorry about your pup. It’s a bit unusual for them to develop cancer unless it’s a venereal disease. We would need more specific information about a urineanalysis, cytology, surgery report and bloodwork to give you a better idea as to what may be going on. However it sounds like what you really need to determine exactly what is going on and what type of cancer she has if any would be to pursue further care with an internist or an oncologist. Speak to your veterinarian about a referral to see an internist. Again it’s a bit unusual for a dog this young to develop cancer in the bladder. A very bad UTI may indeed cause some cysts vs cancer will typically cause more solid tumors. We hope you can get further answers soon, best of luck.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Unfortunately, for larger masses / cysts, full anesthesia is required to remove them. Some masses can be removed using local anesthetic while the patient is awake, but not in all cases. If it is quite a large cyst, unfortunately, the only 100% solution would be to remove it entirely. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further. You can also inquire about freezing the cyst, which depends on the size and location of the mass / cyst.

Intact dogs with prostate infections are usually treated with antibiotics. Ideally a culture of the urine will help guide the antibiotic choice but sometimes a culture isn’t available. If this becomes a repeating problem then neutering may be recommended. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

It is hard to look at x-rays through the PetCoach system, but I do not see any bladder stones. There does appear to be some gas in the bladder, which may have been inadvertently introduced through catheterization or could indicate the presence of a gas-producing bacteria. The prostate is significantly enlarged, to the point where it could constrict the urethra and cause straining to urinate. The urinalysis shows a possible infection, which could come from the bladder or prostate. I would not start urinary alkalizers without the certainty of oxalate stones. I would start antibiotics appropriate for a prostate infection and have Sheldon neutered ASAP, which can help with BPH https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/prostate-enlargement/

Unfortunately prostate problems are very common in intact male dogs, and there is a chance he could have prostate cancer. Without seeing Cooper in person, I can't say for sure what his chances are that it's cancer, but it certainly would be a differential for me in in a senior, intact dog. Dogs are also very stoic about pain and illness, and a lot of times they are quite ill before showing any outward signs. That means they can be acting fine one day, and then be quite ill the next day. Keep in mind as well that just because you don't see visible blood in his urine, it doesn't mean blood isn't present in microscopic amounts. The next steps would be a urine analysis, abdominal x-rays and/or ultrasound to visualize the prostate, and a prostate biopsy. These tests will help confirm if Cooper has cancer, and I would speak to your vet about doing them. I hope this helps!