Cancer in Dogs: Types, Symptoms, Prevention, and Treatment

Picture this, you are taking a stroll around a playground in the middle of a housing area. As you were casually walking along the path, you stumbled upon the sight of a dog. But then you understood that this dog wasn’t just any dog, it is the friendly neighbourhood dog Buffy, but Buffy was always a cheerful dog, why does he look sad, why does he look like a dog that is dying. Now Buffy was still conscious but bore all the signs of poor caretaking and acted in a way that was described as far from energetic. However, he also possessed some signs of its former glory hidden in its lackluster fur and sad eyes. The condition or state Buffy has ended up in is due to the fight between Buffy and the ever-present threat called CANCER which slowly and painfully saps away the Buffy’s life.

Now if you are reading this article and own a pet dog, I am fairly certain that you would not want your dog to be in that position under any circumstances, or I can only hope that you wouldn’t. Dogs of all ages are susceptible to cancer especially the older dogs. It can be devastating to know that a man’s best friend has been diagnosed with cancer, therefore, taking precautionary measures would be the best thing to do. So the following article is to discuss the topic about Cancer in Dogs : Types, Symptoms, Prevention, and Treatment

Cancer in Dogs : Types and Treatment

Mast Cell Tumor

Mast cell tumors are a form of skin cancer.  Mast cells are cells that reside in the connective tissues, especially the vessels and nerves that are close to the external surface of your dog (skin, lungs, nose, and mouth).  Mast cell tumors are graded according to their location in the skin, presence of inflammation and how well they are differentiated. The biopsy of a MCT provides important information that determines whether additional therapy, such as another surgery, radiation therapy or chemotherapy, is needed. For more information, please visit: Mast Cell Tumors in Dogs

Melanoma

Similar to human beings, malignant melanoma is a type of skin cancer in dogs that affects pigmented cells known as melanocytes. Dogs often develop benign tumors in pigmented cells that do not metastasize, which are called melanocytomas. These tumors are found on areas of the dog’s body that have hair. Most malignant melanomas occur on the mouth or mucous membranes, although about 10% of the time they are found on parts of the body covered with hair. They tend to grow extremely fast and are likely to spread to other organs, including the lungs and liver. As for their treatment chemotherapy is often used in combination with surgery and/or radiation therapy. For more information, head towards: Melanoma in Dogs

Lymphoma

Lymphoma is a cancer of a type of blood cell (lymphocytes) and lymphoid tissues. With lymphoma the cancer cells invade and destroy normal tissues. There are over 30 variations of lymphoma infection for dogs depending on the area it attacks in the body of the dog The most common type of lymphoma is the multicentric lymphoma whereby it attacks the lymph nodes of the dog, and coming in second is alimentary lymphoma whereby the cancer is present in the intestines. As the disease progresses, lymphoma can affect other organs in the body as well. Depending on the grade of the lymphoma cancer with it being high or low grade, treatment for it may vary from chemotherapy with a combination of drugs to surgery for immediate action. For more understanding on this subject matter, please head to: Canine Lymphoma

Bone Cancer (Osteosarcoma)

Osteosarcoma frequently affects the upper or lower long bones of a dog’s front legs. These are called the humerus, and the radius and ulna, respectively. The long bones of the rear legs can be affected, as well; these are the femur, tibia and fibula. The jaw and other facial bones, as well as the ribs and vertebrae, can also be subject to osteosarcoma. The first sign of osteosarcoma usually is a slight but progressive limp in an adult dog that has no prior history of trauma or injury. Over time, the areas where the bone tumors are located will become swollen, hard and extremely painful. Also, treatment for bone cancer is chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or surgery depending on the severity of the cancer. To know more, head on to: Bone Cancer (Osteosarcoma) in Dogs

Hemangiosarcoma

Hemangiosarcoma is a highly malignant cancer that can spread rapidly, causing tumors almost anywhere in the body. It is most often found in the dog’s heart and spleen. Many times it is in the advanced stage before it is diagnosed. Surgery remains the primary method of treatment for all dogs with HAS, since cutaneous tumors are curable with surgery alone. Other forms of treatment are chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and radiotherapy as well.

Cancer in Dogs: Symptoms & Prevention

As a dedicated and caring owner towards your pet it wouldn’t hurt to know general symptoms that may indicate that your pet dog is suffering from cancer. Here are 6 symptoms that may indicate cancer in your dog:

• Lumps & Bumps on or under the skin of your dog. These bumps needn’t necessarily be cancerous but a sure way to know is to take your pet to the veterinarian.
• Abnormal Odors or Discharges from your dog. Odors from the dog’s mouth, ears, or other parts and discharge of blood, pus, vomiting, diarrhea from any body part of your dog.
• Non-Healing Wounds or Wounds with No Apparent Cause. These symptoms point to infection, skin disease, and possibly cancer.
• Weight Loss. This is a sure sign of something being wrong with your dog especially if it is sudden and be sure to mention it to your vet.
• Coughing or Difficulty in Breathing. If it didn’t consume something unusual this symptom could indicate heart and lung disease present in your dog and cancer as well.
• Evident Pain in Your Pet. When it is visually noticeable when your dog has trouble moving about the area then it is a clear sign to take it to the vet as soon as possible

We hope that this article has provided you comprehensive insights on cancer in dogs, and how to spot symptoms, prevention and prescribe the right treatments. Perhaps as a wise prevention measure, you may consider getting your dog covered with MSIG Take It Easy Pets Insurance to protect them against some of the potential illnesses mentioned here.