Читать книгу Animal Behavior for Shelter Veterinarians and Staff - Группа авторов - Страница 145

Ovarian tumors only occur in the intact bitch. Those that have had an ovariectomy or ovariohysterectomy have had their ovaries removed, thus completely eliminating the risk of ovarian cancer (Greenlee and Patnaik 1985; Klein 2001).

Some ovarian tumors will secrete excessive hormones. Those secreting estrogen may result in the bitch showing signs similar to estrus, including the development of an enlarged vulva and solicitation of male attention (McEntee 2002). If estrogen levels continue to rise, bone marrow suppression (Sontas et al. 2009) and/or hair loss may occur (Mecklenburg et al. 2009). Bone marrow suppression may lead to lethargy, anorexia, and epistaxis.

Most ovarian tumors, however, result in non‐specific clinical and behavioral signs (McEntee 2002). These signs may include a painful abdomen, which may be due to ascites, pressure from the tumor on other organs, and/or discomfort if the tumor is large. The bitch may also be anorectic, appear constipated, urinate frequently, or show signs of discomfort when lying down due to the physical size of the tumor putting pressure on other organs.