What If Your Dog Has Cancer? - By M. Bruno

Cancer in dogs is more common that many people would trend to believe. Studies indicate that that approximately 25% of dogs will contract cancer at some time in their life and that almost 50% of all dogs older than the age of ten years will die of cancer

If your dog contracts cancer, the affected areas can include but are not limited to the skin, organs, bone and organs. Cancer in your dog may progress gradually or with rapidity.

The good news is that treatments exist for cancer in dogs . While canine cancer can be fatal it is not necessarily a death sentence. The first thing you must do is determine if in fact your dog does have cancer.

There are ten common symptoms of cancer in dogs, taken primarily from the American Veterinary Medical Association, these are:

• Unusual swelling that either remains or grows

• Sores which will not heal

• A loss of weight in your dog

• Discharge or bleeding from an opening on your dog’s body

• Bad breath or offensive odor that emits from your dog

• Trouble eating food or swallowing

• A loss of interest in exercise or a loss of stamina

• Lameness in your dog or evidence of stiffness

• Trouble with urination, defecating or breathing

If you detect any of these symptoms in your dog. Don’t panic. Taken individually, theses canine symptoms may be indicative of something that is not cancer and may not be serious at all. Make an appointment with your veterinarian for an exam for your dog. If cancer is the problem, he will help you develop a treatment plan. If canine cancer is not the cause, your vet may prescribe a remedy to alleviate and heal the condition.

Cause of Cancer in Dogs

There are various causes of cancer in dogs. The National Canine Cancer Foundation says that cancer can be attributed to factors such as excessive exposure to carcinogenic agents which include chemicals.

We believe that this should be a cause of concern for any dog parent who regularly feeds commercial dog food to their dog as carcinogens have been discovered to exist in some popular dog food brands. You can find out what is in the dog food you use at http://www.dogs-4life.com/dog-food-that-kills.html Other causes of canine cancer include viral infections and UV or X irradiation.

What is the Best Cancer Treatment for My Dog?

Because there are different types of cancers, there are different treatments prescribed be veterinary oncologists. The success of treating cancer in your dog hinges on a number of factors. Some of those factors are early detection and diagnoses of the cancer by your veterinarian, and the specific treatment recommended and used in your dog’s battle against canine cancer.

Early detection may include your vet doing a biopsy, some X-rays and consulting with an expert in canine radiology to review the results. If cancer is diagnosed, your vet may recommend surgery or refer you to a canine oncologist.

Your best chances for success often depend upon early diagnosis of canine cancer. This is true because in early stages of cancer in dogs there is less likelihood of the cancer having spread to a point where treatment becomes unproductive.

Once an early diagnosis of canine cancer has been confirmed, your veterinary oncologist may suggest a variety of treatment options such as drugs, surgery and/or radiation.

If your dog has been generally healthy, she deserves a chance to live the balance of her life feeling as well as possible for as long a time as possible. If you can extend the life of your 13 year old terrier by a few years, and provide a good quality of life to your dog as a result of canine cancer treatment, your persistence in helping your dog will have been rewarded.

My small 8 year old dog suddenly became ill and no vet could determine the cause. She died after enduring 2 weeks of pain and misery on Mother’s Day morning. Learn how to keep your dog healthy, extend her life and save on veterinary bills at http://www.dogs-4life.com/veterinary-secrets.html

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