Signs and Symptoms of Cancer in Dogs
Canine cancer can take many different forms and appear anywhere making it challenging to determine. Even age and breed are irrelevant to it.
The signs are often the same as those in people, but the difference is our pets can’t tell us what is going on.
Tumors are arguably the most obvious indication that a dog has cancer. However, its important to note that not all lumps and bumps are malignant.
Some other symptoms associated with dog cancer include:
Pay attention if a dog who was once active starts to spend all of his time lounging around.
Also, have you noticed your dog drinking or relieving itself more than usual? This one you shouldn’t ignore.
Diagnosis of Cancer in Dogs
Your dog will undergo a thorough physical examination from your veterinarian, who may also suggest several laboratory tests to rule out or confirm other systemic illnesses.
For a more thorough diagnosis and control of the illness, more testing could be required such as urinalysis, complete blood count, blood serum chemistry, and urine-specific gravity.
If your doctor suspects canine cancer as the reason for the excessive thirst, know that vets now can detect cancer sooner than ever.
Thanks to improved diagnostics, they can also choose the best course of action for each patient.
The diagnosis of dog cancer will be based upon fine needle aspiration, which draws a sample of cells from the tumor using a syringe and a thin, hollow needle.
In some cases, a biopsy may be imperative wherein the doctor takes a sample of tissue from the lump to make a certain diagnosis.
The majority of canine tumors are cancerous; thus, the doctor will need to use advanced imaging (ultrasounds, CT scans, or MRIs) to assess the severity of the condition.
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Advances in veterinary diagnostics not only means dogs are now living longer and with a better quality of life than ever before, but it also means the likelihood of diagnosing cancer during a dogs life has increased. As with people, known carcinogens can have a detrimental effect on dogs (e.g., second hand smoke, exposure to ultraviolet rays, and obesity) and are associated with an increased risk of developing cancer.
Cancer not only compromises a dogs quality of life, but it is also the leading cause of non-accidental death in dogs. Other diseases are more common (e.g., obesity, chronic kidney disease, allergies) but cancer remains the most common fatal disease.
