Prostate cancer in dogs – signs and what to do

Updated 2026-09-30 · 1 sources

Based on: PDSA

Book a vet visit

Book a vet appointment if you think your dog has this – a vet needs to confirm it and plan the treatment. Prostate cancer is cancer affecting a dog's prostate gland.

What to do now

What you can do now

Contact your vet.
Note when it started, how often it happens and what else you see.
Take a photo or short video to show the vet.
Keep fresh water available.

Don't

Do not give any human medicine.
Do not wait if it gets worse.

What it is

Prostate cancer is uncommon in dogs, but when it occurs it tends to be aggressive, fast-growing and quick to spread around the body.^[1] It can cause problems with weeing and pooing, blood in the urine, tummy pain and back pain.^[1] It can be very difficult to treat; some treatments can slow growth and control symptoms, but none will cure your dog.^[1]

Signs

Difficulty pooing and weeing
Flat or ribbon-shaped poos
Blood in the urine
Leaking urine
Discharge from the penis, often bloody
Back pain
Tummy pain
Wobbly back legs
Low energy
Reduced appetite

Causes and risk factors

Small breeds, including West Highland White Terriers, Shetland Sheepdogs, Scottish Terriers and Beagles

How a vet finds out

Physical examination
Blood tests
Urine tests
X-rays
Ultrasound
Biopsy

How vets treat it

Surgery
Antibiotics
Anti-inflammatories
Pain relief
Steroids
Chemotherapy
Radiotherapy
Medication

Breeds prone to this

Veterinary charities list these breeds as more likely than others to get this condition. Each breed page lists the inherited conditions documented in the breed.

What the experts say

“It mostly affects small breed dogs such as the Scottish Terrier, Shetland Sheepdog, Beagle, Wirehaired Fox Terrier, and West Highland White Terrier.”
— PDSA [1]

If your pet is struggling to breathe, has collapsed, is having a seizure or can't stand up: go to the nearest vet now.

Not sure how serious it is?

OkPaw asks a few quick questions about your pet and tells you in 30 seconds whether it can wait. Free on Google Play for Android.

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Common questions

What signs can prostate cancer cause in dogs?

Signs can include difficulty pooing and weeing, flat or ribbon-shaped poos, blood in the urine, leaking urine, discharge from the penis, back pain, tummy pain, wobbly back legs, low energy, reduced appetite and weight loss.^[1]

How may a vet check for prostate cancer?

A vet may examine the prostate gland with a rectal exam or an ultrasound scan, and may suggest blood tests if the prostate is enlarged or abnormal.^[1]

Can prostate cancer in dogs be treated?

Some treatments can slow prostate cancer growth and control symptoms, but none will cure your dog and the cancer will continue to progress.^[1]

Sources

PDSA

How this page was made: written with the help of AI from the sources below, then checked claim by claim against those sources. Urgency levels follow OkPaw’s fixed safety rules. It is guidance, not a diagnosis. How we write our pages