Similar to humans, the hormones in a dog’s body change as they get older and it is common to see an enlarged prostate gland because of too much of certain hormones. Prostate disease does not usually cause pain but it can make urination and defecation difficult. The four most common types of prostate disease are infection (prostatitis), prostatic cysts, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and cancer (prostatic neoplasia).

Since this condition is so common, your veterinarian can usually discover an enlarged prostate at your dog’s annual examination, which is why it is so important to see your veterinarian regularly. Most types of prostate disease are harmless and do not need treatment, but it is better to be on the safe side in case there is an infection or if it is cancerous.

Prostate disease is an enlarged prostate gland and it is the number one disorder seen in male dogs that have not been neutered. As a matter of fact, prostate disease affects 60% of male dogs over five and close to 95% of male dogs before they are 10 years old. Neutering your dog before puberty will almost eliminate the chances of prostate disease. The dog’s prostate gland size is regulated by the amount of sexual hormones released from the testicles.

In many cases, there are no obvious symptoms and may go unnoticed until the prostate gland gets large enough to cause painful urination, infection, or pain when walking. The most common symptoms seen in these cases are:

There are many sources of prostate disease, but each type has its own causes. The most often reported for each type are:

To get a diagnosis, the veterinarian will need to know all the symptoms you have noticed, when they started, and if they have been getting worse. You will also need to let the veterinarian know if there have been any changes in behavior, recent illnesses, or injuries. A comprehensive physical assessment will be done to check your dog’s vitals (i.e. blood pressure, heart rate, temperature) and the veterinarian will also do a rectal examination to check the size of your dog’s prostate gland.

To rule out any underlying illnesses, the veterinarian will do a complete blood count (CBC), blood gas and chemical profile, fecal examination, urine culture, and prostatic fluid culture. Digital radiographs (x-rays) of the abdomen and prostate will be done to check for signs of prostatic cancer. It may be necessary to do an ultrasound, MRI, or CT scan to get a better look at what is going on. If the veterinarian finds a tumor, it will be biopsied to find out if it is malignant (cancer).

If your dog has an infection (prostatitis) the treatment will be about eight weeks of antibiotics and a follow-up with the veterinarian. If there are cysts or abscesses, the veterinarian will drain and remove them. This may be an outpatient surgery where your dog can go home that day or the veterinarian may want to admit your dog to the hospital for observation after surgery. The best treatment for BPH is castration to remove the testes and stop the release of hormones (testosterone). Cancer will require surgical removal of the tumors, chemotherapy, and possibly radiation treatments.

The veterinarian may prescribe hormonal therapy medication to stop this from happening again if your dog is not neutered. The best way to prevent prostate disease is to have your dog neutered. Be sure to follow all of the instructions the veterinarian gives you and return for the follow-up appointment to have your dog’s prostate checked again. It is important to have your dog’s prostate checked regularly if he is still sexually intact.