Cancer is a pervasive illness that affects all people. Everyone has a friend, relative, or pet who has battled cancer. November is Pet Cancer Awareness Month, and now is the time for you to become informed about the causes of cancer, warning signs, and ways you can help prevent cancer in your pets. Please share your stories about your pets and cancer in the comment section below.
Both dogs and cats are susceptible to cancer, but it occurs about twice as often in dogs as it does in cats. Diagnosis in cats can be more difficult, though, due to their ability to hide warning signs. This means that cancer in cats is usually detected later than in dogs and it can be more difficult to treat. There are also certain dog breeds that can be more likely to have inherited a susceptibility to cancer, such as Boxers, Boston Terriers, Golden Retrievers, Great Danes, and Saint Bernard’s.
Cancer Affects Everyone
- 4-8 million dogs are touched by cancer each year
- 1 in 4 dogs and cats will be diagnosed with cancer
- Cancer is the number one killer of dogs over 2 years old
- It accounts for 50% of all disease-related pet deaths
- Cancer is the number one disease killer of children
- 16,000 companion animals are diagnosed with cancer daily
- 50% of dogs over the age of 10 will be diagnosed with cancer
- 46,000 people are diagnosed with cancer daily
- 46 children are diagnosed with cancer daily
- One out of 330 people will develop cancer before the age of 20
November is Pet Cancer Awareness Month, and now is the time for you to become informed about the causes of cancer, the warning signs, and ways you can help prevent cancer in your pets.
So, What Is Cancer and What Causes It?
Cancer is caused when your cells grow uncontrollably, and spread to surrounding areas of your body. Cancer can present as a localized tumor and remain in one area of your body, or it can spread throughout the body. Read more about cancer and join a walk in your area to promote education and cancer research by visiting Puppy Up! Foundation here.
Cancer can have several different causes:
Naturally Occurring Chemicals
Plants naturally produce chemicals they use to fight off predators, and they can affect you or your pet negatively as well, by causing mutations in DNA.
Man-Made Chemicals
Pesticides, herbicides, chemical food additives and preservatives, cleaning products, and second-hand smoke are a few examples of man-made chemicals. Read about natural and artificial preservatives in pet food here.
Irradiation (Exposure to the Sun)
Skin cancer is a big worry for people, but is not as common in household pets, although white or partially white animals with low pigmentation are at a higher risk.
Inherited Susceptibility
An abnormal gene can be inherited from a parent, and that may make a pet or person more likely to develop cancer at some point in the future, but will not automatically mean cancer will develop.
Vaccinations
There is evidence that some healthy dogs have developed cancer and other health issues as a result of vaccinations, and dogs with cancer should not receive vaccinations as they can negatively affect the immune system. Fibrosarcoma, or soft tissue sarcoma, is a type of cancer associated with injections and vaccinations (also called injection-site sarcoma). Read more about vaccinations and cancer here. If you’re wondering whether to vaccinate, you can read more here.
What Signs Should I Watch?
Here are ten early warning signs, or the “Ten L’s” of canine cancer of which you need to be aware:
- Lumps
- Lesions
- Lameness
- Loss of Appetite
- Lethargy
- Loss of Weight
- Loud Odor
- Loss of Normal Body Functions
- Loss of Blood or Bloody Discharge
- Labored Breathing
If you see these signs in your pet without an explanation-especially if you see more than one of the Ten L’s-then you need to get in to see your vet for an examination.
Treatment Options are Available
If your pet does get the dreaded diagnosis, there are treatment options available to him:
Surgery
This is a good option if the cancer is localized and has not spread to other areas of the body, or if it is not in a dangerous place for surgery to be performed.
Chemotherapy
This puts toxic chemicals in the body that will kill cancer cells-however it will kill normal cells as well, thus making people and pets very sick as they go through the process.
Radiation Treatment
This involves a beam of radiation that’s directed at cancerous cells and avoids normal cells. This works only when the cancer is localized to one area.
Immunotherapy
Stimulating the immune system to fight off cancer on its own by attacking cancer cells.
A Combination of Treatments
Many people choose to combine some of the above treatments depending on their pet’s situation.
No Treatment
Some pet owners will choose not to treat their pet’s cancer depending on budgetary restrictions and prognosis. Consider quality of life and the amount of pain your pet is in. If your pet receives a cancer diagnosis and treatment recommendation from your vet, then I recommend that you seek a second opinion, and see if there is a veterinary oncologist near you. Different veterinarians have different opinions on the best course of treatment, and you owe it to your pet to hear all of the options available! Read more about the importance of multiple veterinary opinions and about Dr. Mitchener, a veterinary oncologist in Memphis, here.
What Can I Do to Help Prevent Cancer?
Make sure you do your part to prevent cancer:
- Use green cleaning products and don’t expose your pet, or yourself, for that matter, to harsh chemicals.
- Feed your dogs and cats good quality food. READ THE LABEL!!! Cheap grocery store brands contain chemical additives and preservatives and they are harmful to your pet, just like eating only processed foods, chips and ice cream every day would be harmful to you.
- Some dogs can benefit from sunscreen, especially if they are white, short-haired, and spend a lot of time outdoors.
- Make sure to neuter/spay you pet at 6 months! This will prevent the possibility of testicular cancer in males, and greatly reduce the instances of breast cancer in females.
- Do your research about vaccinations and see if you think the pros outweigh the cons. Consider vaccines that last 7 years instead of going to the vet every single year.
- Watching your dog’s weight and getting plenty of exercise together will also be helpful. Having a positive outlook on life has helped for humans, so why not pets?
If you do these things, you will at least be one step ahead of the game!
