You may find it hard to believe but your pet can also develop many types of cancer. Breast Cancer occurs due to abnormal cell reproduction or growth in the mammary glands of female dogs. This condition can be painful to your friend and is highly recommended that you visit your vet.
How Breast Cancer Affects Your Pet
What breast cancer can do to your pet depends on how far the condition has progressed and whether or not your pet has received the proper treatment. These tumors can be malignant or benign. The malignant tumors can spread quickly to other areas in your pet's body while the benign can't spread, but it can cause significant damage due to its growth and invasion of surrounding tissues. Breast Cancer or mammary gland tumors are the most common tumors in dogs.
Common Symptoms of Breast Cancer
Is difficult to detect breast cancer on pets since they cannot tell you about their pain or where it is located. However, there are some common symptoms like: Abnormal Lumps That Continue to Grow, Lesions That Will Not Heal, Weight Loss, Little or no Appetite, Discharge or Bleeding from Bodily Orifices, Foul Body Odor, Difficulty Eating, Drinking and/or Swallowing, Tiring Easily and Loss of Energy, Varying Degrees of Lameness, Difficulty Breathing, Difficulty Urinating and/or Defecating and Bloody Urine and/or Stools.
Treatments for Breast Cancer
The possible treatments for breast cancer in can include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, hyperthermia, cryosurgery or immunotherapy. Your veterinarian will choose which option is the best base on your pet's condition. Surgery and chemotherapy are the most effective if the tumor is detected on time. In general, the prognosis for cancer patients is not good.
Breeds Affected
Any breed of cat or dog can develop breast cancer; however, some are more predisposed to the condition than others. As stated above, animals that are spayed when they are young are less likely to develop this pet health condition. Listed are the breeds most commonly affected by breast cancer and conditions that can make other animals vulnerable to it. Common Breeds: Poodles, Brittany and Cocker Spaniels, English Setters, Pointers, Fox and Boston Terriers and Siamese Cats.
Pet Insurance
When adding a dog or cat to your family you want to make sure your pet is happy, healthy and protected. During its lifetime your pet is exposed to many illnesses and diseases and some breeds are affected by a congenital disease which is a condition existing at birth. At these moments when your pet is ill or maybe needs surgery, you want to be protected for the unexpected and high veterinarian costs.