Is cancer about to kill your dog?

If you look closely at the photo above, you will see a growth at the flank (abdominal region) of the dog. This growth was very small like the one in the picture below (like a boil). A growth was previously removed by a veterinarian 8 months earlier before this one appeared at the pinkish region near the tumor. This growth or tumor is about 10 inch in diameter giving the dog huge discomfort especially when he wants to sleep. He always lies on the other side of his body to avoid that tumor. We treated the dog surgically some 6 months ago and none have appeared since then. The dog above is about 7 years of age while the one below is a Caucasian dog about 10 years of age.

Cancer is becoming a household term everywhere due to the increase in incidences especially among humans such that any abnormal growth is given the name -Cancer. Tumors in form of Neoplasms are often called cancer which is wrong but the name is easily understood when used to refer to tumors or carcinomas. Cancer is actually supposed to refer to the abnormal growth of body tissues that have the ability to migrate to other tissues of the body where they are not often found – a process called metastasis.

Let us categorize these Tumors into the two different types: Benign Tumors and Malignant Tumors. Benign tumors are abnormal tissue growth that is localized and do not spread while malignant tumors are the type that actually spread to other tissues of the body. We can safely say that benign tumors are not cancerous while malignant tumors are cancerous.

Both benign tumors and malignant tumors do occur in dogs and can lead to the death of the animal if treatment is not done early. To an ignorant dog owner, tumors, especially ones found on the skin might be seen to be a boil or wound. This abnormal growth might look insignificant and can be taken for granted until there is nothing that can be done to save the pet.

Many scientists have tried to explain cancers or tumors and its cause but it is still very difficult to actually pinpoint the cause of cancer or tumors exactly. Some theories have it that some dangerous rays like the sun rays, x-rays, and other powerful rays can lead to such abnormal growths. To justify the sun rays as a cause of skin cancer for instance; Dogs with melanin deficiency (albinos) often have skin tumors or cancer common among them. Some chemicals or food products are also said to be carcinogenic (able to cause cancer) when eaten or inhaled. Research is still ongoing to solve the increasing rate of cancer-related deaths among humans and animals.

To understand cancer, simply imagine a body cell that lost control and starts to multiply uncontrollably. Normally the body has a mechanism to regulate cell growth but with cancer cells this regulation is lost and the cells multiply continuously leading to some swelling at a particular part of the body (benign) and others simply increase and migrate to other parts of the body where they are not normally found thereby disrupting the normal functions of those organs and tissues. Death usually results when the migration of these cell overwhelms the body.

We have seen cases of breast cancer and some benign tumors in dogs especially on the skin (like the one in the photos) that we diagnosed early and treatment carried out with resultant success. Some were too bad that nothing could be done at that time but to relieve the animal with symptomatic treatment in other to prolong the life of the animal using chemotherapy and other forms of relief.

We advise that owners of dogs and other animals do check their pets regularly or have a veterinarian examine any abnormal growth on any part of the animal’s body in other to be able to have an early diagnosis and treatment when cancer occurs.