Symptoms

• Lymphoma is the most common cause of high blood-calcium levels in canines. Also referred to as hypercalcemia, it may increase the risk of depression, weight loss and vomiting.
  
  

Characteristics

• Lymphoma tends to spread throughout the body and affect various lymph nodes. Often, a lump under the jaw will be detected in canine recipients. However, the disease may similarly affect organs.
  
  

Treatment

• If lymphoma symptoms are recognized, dog owners are recommended to seek professional advice. Unfortunately, the only treatment option for canine lymphoma is chemotherapy, according to the University of Illinois.
  
  

Outcome

• Chemotherapy will attempt to prevent the rapid growth of tumor cells. Canines with multicentric lymphoma, a type found in multiple places of the body, respond better than those diagnosed with other types, such as gastrointestinal.
  
  

Considerations

• The median survival time depends on the severity of the disease. However, average survival times for multicentric cases treated with chemotherapy is estimated as one year after diagnosis. Dogs that do not undergo therapy are expected to live four to six weeks after diagnosis, according to the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine.