Urothelial carcinoma in dogs: treatment, prognosis and clinical trials

Dogs · USA & Canada

Understanding urothelial carcinoma

Urothelial carcinoma is a cancer of the lining of the urinary tract, most often the bladder or urethra. In dogs it commonly develops near the bladder neck, where surgery can be difficult and tumor growth can threaten urine flow. It can also spread to lymph nodes and distant organs, so both local anatomy and stage matter.

What does the prognosis look like?

This cancer is usually managed rather than cured. Typical survival times in published treatment studies range roughly from 6 to 18 months, but the groups differed in tumor location and treatment. Disease involving the prostate or blocking urine flow generally carries a worse outlook. Difficulty passing urine is urgent regardless of any survival estimate.

What matters next

Protect urine flow first. Ask exactly where the tumor is and whether it is narrowing the bladder outlet or urethra. Difficulty passing urine, repeated straining with little or no urine, or worsening kidney values can make the situation urgent. Once urine flow is safe, location and stage guide medical, radiation, interventional or selected surgical options.

Where are you now?

Urination is still normal

This is the time to establish tumor location, stage and a plan for monitoring urine flow before obstruction becomes an emergency. Medical treatment is commonly used even when the dog is still urinating normally.

Urination is becoming difficult

A weak stream, repeated straining, or inability to pass urine can become urgent. Ask early how urine flow will be maintained if obstruction worsens rather than waiting for complete blockage.

Treatment has already started

Track symptoms together with imaging measurements and exact drug dates. Stable disease can be a meaningful response in urothelial carcinoma; lack of complete tumor disappearance does not automatically mean treatment has failed.

The cancer has spread

Systemic treatment becomes central, while local measures may still be needed for urine flow or pain. Previous drugs and metastatic sites help determine what remains reasonable.

If you are waiting for oncology

Protect urine flow first. Increasing straining, a weak stream or inability to urinate can become urgent. While waiting, clarify whether the tumor involves the trigone, urethra or prostate, whether obstruction is developing, and whether a BRAF test or tissue confirmation is still needed.

Questions to ask your oncologist

Where exactly is the tumor and is urine flow at risk?
Do we have enough evidence for diagnosis, or is tissue still required?
Which medical, radiation or interventional options are realistic if obstruction worsens?

How the diagnosis may appear in the record

The same disease may be called urothelial carcinoma or transitional cell carcinoma. The record should state whether it involves the bladder apex, trigone, urethra, or prostate. A positive urine BRAF mutation test strongly supports the diagnosis in the right setting; a negative result does not rule it out, and some trials still require cytology or tissue confirmation.

Changes to watch for at home

Blood in urine, frequent attempts, accidents, pain, recurrent infection-like signs, or a weakening urine stream can occur. Repeated straining with little or no urine, vomiting with urinary difficulty, marked pain, or collapse is urgent. Symptoms can worsen even when the last scan was stable.

How it is usually treated

Most dogs are treated medically because bladder and urethral location often makes complete surgery impossible. NSAID-based therapy, chemotherapy and combinations of the two are commonly used. Radiation, surgery in selected locations, stents or other interventional procedures may be added when local disease or urinary obstruction becomes the main problem.

What can affect treatment choices

Tumor location, whether urine flow is threatened, kidney function, metastatic spread and prior treatment are the main factors. A bladder-apex tumor and one involving the trigone or urethra can require very different approaches.

Tests that may matter

Urinalysis, urine culture and imaging of the bladder, urethra and kidneys help define the problem and rule out infection or obstruction. A urine-based BRAF test can support the diagnosis in some dogs, but tissue or cytology may still be needed depending on the case and trial requirements.

Treatment options available now

7 clinical trial listings currently in our catalog.

Check eligibility

Off-label targeted therapy: sorafenib + piroxicam

Sorafenib is a human multi-kinase inhibitor that a veterinary oncologist may be able to prescribe off-label. A 2026 prospective phase II study treated 43 dogs with muscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma using sorafenib plus piroxicam as first-line therapy. Twenty-seven dogs (62.8%) had a partial response, 11 (25.6%) had stable disease and five (11.6%) had progressive disease. Median progression-free survival was 175 days and median overall survival was 407 days.

When it may be considered: This may be worth discussing for a dog with active muscle-invasive bladder or urethral urothelial carcinoma, including selected dogs with metastatic disease, when urine flow and kidney function are adequate. The study excluded dogs with tumor-related hydronephrosis, complete urethral obstruction, end-stage disease or end-stage kidney disease. It did not establish benefit for cats or superficial urothelial tumors.

Important limitations and monitoring: This was a single-arm study performed at one Japanese center and used a historical piroxicam-only comparison, so it does not prove that the combination is better than current standard treatments. Sorafenib is not approved for canine urothelial carcinoma, and access and cost vary. Blood pressure, kidney values and liver enzymes need close monitoring. Hypertension occurred in 49% of dogs; one dog developed grade 3 acute kidney injury. The regimen should be considered and supervised by a veterinary oncologist, not started independently.

2026 prospective phase II study (Scientific Reports) →

cPD-L1 immunotherapy with vinblastine and deracoxib for canine invasive urothelial carcinoma

Purdue University Veterinary Hospital / Werling Comparative Oncology Research Center · USA

Location

Purdue University Veterinary Hospital, 625 Harrison St, West Lafayette, IN 47907

Study details

Actively recruiting

What is being offered: cPD-L1 monoclonal antibody, vinblastine and deracoxib in one of three treatment sequences; all dogs receive all three drugs

Who may qualify: Active tumor required; Serum creatinine lte 2; Planned chemo

May not qualify if: Librela; Cytopoint; Current supplements

Costs / coverage: 🟡 Partially funded. Owners pay $300 per Purdue study visit; the study covers the remaining Purdue costs for cancer treatment, response monitoring and management of potential treatment side effects.

Contact: Lindsey Fourez, Purdue clinical trials technician — lfourez@purdue.edu; 765-494-1130

Official study / enrollment information →

Evaluation of TLR agonist Z-007 in dogs with cancer

Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University · USA

Location

Henry and Lois Foster Hospital for Small Animals, 200 Westboro Rd, North Grafton, MA 01536

Study details

Recruiting

What is being offered: Dog study of IV or intratumoral Z-007 for solid tumors including carcinomas, sarcomas and melanoma. Public criteria include a generally 2–7 cm repeat-biopsy-accessible tumor plus medical/laboratory requirements; no prior immunotherapy or autoimmune disease. Investigator prescreening required.

Who may qualify: Confirmed cancer diagnosis required; Min weight kg: 7; Measurable

May not qualify if: Prior immunotherapy

Costs / coverage: 🟡 Partially funded. Z-007 treatment through Day 63 and treatment of Z-007/biopsy-related side effects are covered; other owner costs should be confirmed with Tufts.

Contact: clinicaltrials@tufts.edu

Official study / enrollment information →

Experimental EGFR/HER2 tumor vaccine

Therajan / participating veterinary oncology centers · USA

Participating locations

Hope Veterinary Oncology, 1885 Knoll Drive, Ventura, CA 93003, Ventura, CA
Bridge Animal Referral Center, 8401 Main St, Edmonds, WA 98026, Edmonds, WA
WSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital, 205 Ott Rd, Pullman, WA 99164
MedVet Salt Lake City, 331 W Bearcat Dr, Salt Lake City, UT 84115
MedVet Cleveland, 20400 Emerald Pkwy, Cleveland, OH 44135
MedVet Pittsburgh, 2810 Washington Rd, McMurray, PA 15317
MedVet Cincinnati, 3964 Red Bank Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45227
IVO Integrative Veterinary Oncology, 2501 N. 32nd Street, Phoenix, AZ 85008, Phoenix, AZ
Veterinary Cancer Concierge Services, 1086 Long Ridge Road, Stamford, CT 06903, Stamford, CT

Study details

Currently enrolling at nine confirmed sites; Chicago, Richmond and Missouri are not enrolling

What is being offered: USDA-regulated EGFR/HER2 peptide-vaccine study led by Therajan. The current Canine Cancer Alliance status page identifies nine locations without a non-enrolling warning: Ventura, Edmonds, Pullman, Salt Lake City, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Phoenix and Stamford. Its same roster marks Chicago, Richmond and Columbia, Missouri as currently not enrolling. Stamford was separately confirmed on Veterinary Cancer Concierge Services' current trial page, which provides its intake pathway, eligibility materials and appointment location. Site-specific eligibility, scheduling and costs vary; MedVet restrictions apply only to its hospitals. Bridge also considers pulmonary carcinoma and high-grade mast cell tumor after records review, but those site-only indications are not mapped to the shared protocol record.

Who may qualify: Anticipated survival over 3 months; Standard of care therapy; Histology or long bone osa exception

May not qualify if: Other immunotherapy; Alternative therapy; Other clinical study

Costs / coverage: The investigational vaccine is provided at no charge; site visits, conventional treatment, administration and monitoring may be owner-paid. VCCS publishes a $695 charge for each vaccine appointment plus required testing. Confirm exact site-specific costs before enrollment.

Contact: Hope Veterinary Oncology — 805-626-6551; Bridge Animal Referral Center — 425-697-2272; Washington State University — 509-335-0711; MedVet Clinical Studies — clinicalstudies@medvet.com; MedVet Pittsburgh — oncology.pittsburgh@medvet.com; IVO — 602-841-0626; Veterinary Cancer Concierge Services — info@vetcancerconcierge.com.

Official study / enrollment information →

Lapatinib plus fractionated radiation therapy for canine transitional cell carcinoma

Colorado State University Flint Animal Cancer Center · USA

Location

Flint Animal Cancer Center, 300 W Drake Rd, Fort Collins, CO 80523

Study details

Actively recruiting — listed on CSU current clinical trials page

What is being offered: Daily oral lapatinib plus NSAID and 15 radiation fractions, with monthly follow-up for three months. Source timetable says 15 daily treatments within seven days of starting pills; this inconsistency requires study-team clarification rather than a guessed schedule.

Who may qualify: Confirmed cancer diagnosis required; Active tumor required; Planned radiation; radiation washout: 42 days; chemotherapy washout: 14 days; Nsaid tolerant

Costs / coverage: 🟡 Partially funded. Lapatinib, recheck examinations, study bloodwork, urinary ultrasounds/sedation and $3,000 toward discounted radiation are covered; some side-effect funding is available. Owners pay initial examination/diagnosis including cystoscopy/biopsy, NSAID medication and radiation costs beyond study support.

Contact: CSU Flint Animal Cancer Center Clinical Trials — (970) 297-4001; online clinical-trial consult form

Official study / enrollment information →

Gilvetmab plus epacadostat for canine bladder urothelial carcinoma

University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital · USA

Location

University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital, 1008 W Hazelwood Dr, Urbana, IL 61802

Study details

Actively recruiting — confirmed on the institution’s current clinical-trials page

What is being offered: Standard palliative piroxicam and gabapentin plus randomization to gilvetmab alone or gilvetmab with oral epacadostat for six months, followed by six months of observation

Who may qualify: Active tumor required; Measurable; Cytology or braf and visible bladder mass

May not qualify if: Prior chemo; Prior local radiation; Prior immunotherapy

Costs / coverage: Fully funded after eligibility, with up to $500 support for protocol-related adverse events treated at Illinois. Owner pays the initial consultation and eligibility diagnostics.

Contact: Rebecca Kamerer, Clinical Trials Coordinator — rmoss81@illinois.edu · 217-300-6453; appointments 217-333-5300

Official study / enrollment information →

Compassionate-Use Protocol for Advanced Non-Resectable Tumors

UT Southwestern Veterinary Research and Oncology Clinic · USA

Location

Veterinary Research and Oncology Clinic, 5801 Forest Park Rd, Dallas, TX 75235

Study details

Current

What is being offered: Investigational therapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy and combination approaches under a prospective compassionate-use protocol

Who may qualify: Confirmed cancer diagnosis required; Active tumor required; Min weight kg exclusive: 2.5; min expected survival weeks: 3 weeks; Adequate organ function

May not qualify if: Severe systemic disease

Costs / coverage: ⚪ Owner-paid. The protocol brochure states that owners fully pay for the study, although possible subsidies may be available.

Contact: Paige Neumann, Research Study Coordinator — 214-645-6221; VROC@UTSouthwestern.edu

Official study / enrollment information →

Single-fraction SABR for progressive canine lung metastases

Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine · USA

Location

Henry and Lois Foster Hospital for Small Animals, 200 Westboro Rd, North Grafton, MA 01536

Study details

Recruiting

What is being offered: Single highly focused radiation dose for dogs with 2–10 progressive pulmonary metastatic nodules. The primary tumor, regional nodes and any non-pulmonary metastases must already be controlled; progression must be documented over 6–8 weeks, and all progressive lung lesions at least 5 mm must be safely treatable. Prior systemic therapy is allowed; cytotoxic chemotherapy pauses around SABR, while tolerated targeted therapy or immunotherapy may continue with radiation-oncologist approval. Tufts prescreening is required.

Who may qualify: Confirmed cancer diagnosis required; Active tumor required; Metastatic; Measurable lung metastases; Planned radiation

Costs / coverage: 🟡 Partially funded. The study covers SABR, the one-month follow-up, adverse-event rechecks related to lung toxicity, and up to $860 toward the 2–3-month CT visit. Owners pay pre-enrollment bloodwork, chest imaging, treatment-planning CT, and diagnostic confirmation.

Contact: Tufts Clinical Trials Office — clinicaltrials@tufts.edu; owner and referring-veterinarian prescreening questionnaires on the official page

Official study / enrollment information →