How will my vet know that my dog has a brain tumour?
Your vet may suspect that your pet has a brain tumour because of the signs you describe. The brain cannot be seen on standard x-rays so special diagnostic tests are needed to allow your vet to take pictures of your pet’s brain. Diagnosis of brain tumours is based on imaging the brain either with a CT or an MRI scan. Although these tests are very good for detecting the presence of a mass in the brain, they are not good at identifying the exact nature of this mass, ie whether it is a tumour, inflammation or even bleeding within the brain. A sample of the fluid from around the brain may need to be taken to rule-out an inflammation of the brain and, in rare cases this can reveal the presence of a certain type of tumour called lymphoma. In order to confirm the exact cause of the mass and, if it is a tumour to find out how malignant it is, a tissue sample must be collected. This sample can be obtained either by inserting a biopsy needle through the skull. If surgical removal of the mass is p
