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Dog Cancer Can Be Effectively Treated, Allowing Your Dog to Continue a Healthy, Happy Life

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Dog Cancer Can Be Effectively Treated, Allowing Your Dog to Continue a Healthy, Happy Life WHAT EVERY DOG OWNER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT CANCER Copyright © 2017 Marc Smith DVM & PET | TAO Holistic Pet Products, LLC All Rights Reserved Feel free to email, tweet, blog, and pass this e-book around the web… but please don’t alter any of its contents when you do. Thanks! pettao.com Copyright © 2017 Marc Smith, DVM & PET | TAO Holistic Pet Products, LLC 1 WHAT EVERY DOG OWNER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT CANCER WHAT EVERY DOG OWNER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT CANCER Dogs get cancer just like people do. Because cancer is so common in dogs, owners must be aware of the signs and symptoms of cancer. If discovered early, many types of dog cancer can be effectively treated, allowing your dog to continue a healthy, happy life. Our goal is to share information with you about the different dog cancer symptoms, dog cancer treatments, and different preventative measures readily available. Attentive owners can spot dog cancer symptoms as soon as they appear and seek veterinary help immediately. Often, early identification of cancer marks the difference between life and death. If your dog experiences any of the symptoms described below, you should seek veterinary care as soon as possible. Although these symptoms are not proof of cancer, all are possible signs of cancer. Remember, the earlier cancer is identified, the better. Copyright © 2017 Marc Smith, DVM & PET | TAO Holistic Pet Products, LLC 2 WHAT EVERY DOG OWNER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT CANCER Evidence of Pain Evidence of pain or obvious limping while your dog is walking, running or playing is often a sign of arthritis, joint, or muscle issues in older dogs. Signs of pain can also, however, be signs of bone cancer. Changes in Bathroom Habits Cancer can make a dog need to go to the bathroom more. Other related signs of cancer are blood in the urine or stool. If you notice any of these symptoms, contact your veterinarian immediately. Lethargy or Depression Cancer often makes dogs act more “lazy” all of a sudden. Not wanting to play or go on walks, or sleeping much more than usual can all be signs of cancer. Coughing or Difficulty Breathing Coughing and abnormal breathing can be caused by cancer as well as by heart disease and lung disease. Cancer causes these symptoms when it metastasizes to the lungs. Change in Appetite Cancer can cause loss of appetite. Oral, esophageal, and digestive tract tumors are the most common causes of appetite loss. The general malaise caused by cancer can also decrease the appetite in some dogs. Weight Loss Copyright © 2017 Marc Smith, DVM & PET | TAO Holistic Pet Products, LLC 3 WHAT EVERY DOG OWNER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT CANCER Cancer is one of many things that can cause your dog to lose weight. If you notice weight loss in combination with any other symptom on this list, definitely see your vet. Non-Healing Wounds Cancer, infection and skin disease are all possible causes of non-healing wounds. Your pet should see your veterinarian for any non-healing wound. Abnormal Discharges Cancer causes a wide variety of abnormal discharges. If your dog suffers from any type of abnormal discharge including pus, blood, vomiting or diarrhea, see your vet immediately. Abnormal discharges accumulating inside your dog’s body can cause a distended or bloated abdomen. Abnormal Odors See your vet immediately if you notice foul or offensive odors emanating from your dog’s mouth, ears, or elsewhere. Foul odors can be a sign of cancer or other chronic health issues. Lumps and Bumps Not all lumps and tumors are cancerous, but all should be checked by your vet. Most vets perform a needle cytology to diagnose whether or not the abnormality is a cancerous tumor or a simple lipoma (fatty non-cancerous tumor) that will not cause harm. As we explained earlier, the above list is not definitive proof of cancer. But any one of these symptoms is a good reason for a trip to your veterinarian! Copyright © 2017 Marc Smith, DVM & PET | TAO Holistic Pet Products, LLC 4 WHAT EVERY DOG OWNER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT CANCER Owners also need to know that some forms of cancer are more lethal than other forms of cancer. For example, dog skin cancer can easily be treated by surgery, but dog lymphoma and bone cancer (osteosarcoma) can metastasize through the body very quickly and cause death. “The Dog Cancer Survival Guide” by Demian Dressler and Susan Ettinger is an excellent resource. We keep a copy of this book in our clinic. The Dog Cancer Survival Guide is full of helpful information and tips for helping your dog survive cancer. Copyright © 2017 Marc Smith, DVM & PET | TAO Holistic Pet Products, LLC 5 WHAT EVERY DOG OWNER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT CANCER Different Types of Cancer and Associated Symptoms In order to keep your dog healthy, you must be aware of dog cancer symptoms. The earlier cancer is detected and treated, the better the prognosis will be for your dog. Most dog owners will spot a lump and know it could possibly be a cancer symptom. But what about the other types of cancer? Symptoms of other types of cancer are often not as obvious. Dog Bone Cancer Symptoms Bone cancer (osteosarcoma) can affect any breed of dog, but is most common in larger breeds. Unfortunately, this bone cancer spreads very quickly throughout the body and the prognosis is usually poor. The signs of bone cancer may be subtle or profound and include: • Swelling • Lameness • Joint pain • Bone pain • Fatigue • Anorexia Occasionally a mass or inflammation is found around the tumor area. Copyright © 2017 Marc Smith, DVM & PET | TAO Holistic Pet Products, LLC 6 WHAT EVERY DOG OWNER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT CANCER To determine whether or not your dog has bone cancer, your veterinarian will likely utilize x- rays, biopsies, blood tests, bone scans and CAT scans to view the area of the tumor and determine its severity. Dog Colon Cancer Symptoms Two types of colon cancer exist in dogs: adenosarcoma and lymphoma/lymphosarcoma. Adenosarcoma is diagnosed when the tumor(s) grow from the apocrine glands located on each side of the rectum. Lymphoma/Lymphosarcoma is diagnosed when the lymph nodes or lymphoid tissues in the gastrointestinal tract are affected. Dog colon cancer symptoms are very similar to the symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Colitis. In fact, both IBS and colitis can actually lead to colon cancer. The signs of colon cancer include: • Constipation • Struggle to pass feces • Blood in stool • Mucus in stool • Increased thirst • Frequent urination • Vomiting • Weight loss for no apparent reason Progressed colon cancer can also cause high fever, changes in behavior, hair loss, skin rash, and muscle weakness. Copyright © 2017 Marc Smith, DVM & PET | TAO Holistic Pet Products, LLC 7 WHAT EVERY DOG OWNER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT CANCER To determine whether or not your dog has colon cancer, your vet will probably perform a urinalysis, blood test, take abdominal x-rays, and possibly perform a colonoscopy and biopsy to verify the diagnosis. Dog Liver Cancer Symptoms The most common form of liver cancer in dogs is hepatocellular carcinoma, a malignant tumor of the epithelial cells of the liver. Unfortunately, the outward symptoms of liver cancer usually do not appear until the disease reaches an advanced stage. The symptoms of liver cancer are: • Loss of appetite • Weakness • Lethargy • Weight loss • Diarrhea • Vomiting • Excessive thirst • Enlarged liver • Abdominal hemorrhage • Jaundice To determine whether or not your dog has liver cancer, your veterinarian will perform a thorough exam, blood work, electrolyte panel and urinalysis. Your vet may perform a needle biopsy of the liver. A needle biopsy involves taking fluid and cells via needle from the liver. The sample is then sent off to a lab to be analyzed microscopically. Copyright © 2017 Marc Smith, DVM & PET | TAO Holistic Pet Products, LLC 8 WHAT EVERY DOG OWNER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT CANCER Dog Skin Cancer Symptoms Many different types of skin cancer exist in dogs. Because of this, skin cancer manifests in many different forms in dogs. The most common type of skin cancer in dogs is Basal Cell carcinoma. Basal cell tumors form in the deepest layer of the skin, the epithelium. Basal Cell tumor most commonly appear in older dogs. While 3-12% of all tumors are Basal Cell tumors, less than 10% of Basal Cell tumors are cancerous or malignant. There are no real symptoms from the tumor alone. Basal Cell tumors may spread to other parts of the body, including organs, which can cause serious problems. Basal Cell tumors can be spotted fairly easily. Basal Cell tumors usually appear as a raised, hairless masses around the head, neck or shoulders. Your veterinarian will be able to give a certain diagnosis by taking a small sliver of the tumor and examining it. Your veterinarian may also do a urinalysis and a count of all blood cells in the body. Another fairly common type of skin cancer in dogs is Epidermotropic Lymphoma. Epidermotropic lymphoma spreads through cells in the immune system. Dogs of all ages and breeds are at risk, but older dogs have an increased chance of developing Epidermotropic lymphoma. Symptoms include: • Itching Copyright © 2017 Marc Smith, DVM & PET | TAO Holistic Pet Products, LLC 9 WHAT EVERY DOG OWNER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT CANCER • Loss of hair • Scaly skin • Redness of skin • Loss of pigment • Skin ulcers or masses, often around eyes, mouth and nose • Lesions Your veterinarian will do a urinalysis and a count of all blood cells in the body. Some veterinarians take radiographs to look for tumors inside of your dog. A biopsy of the tumor must be sent to a veterinary pathologist to confirm the diagnosis.
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