What Does Cancer Have to Do with My Pet?

Hopefully, nothing! But cancer is a reality for many animals. And – as with humans – prevention and early detection are your very best defenses against cancer in your pet.
A Couple of Ounces of Prevention One simple safe practice for cats is choosing the safest vaccine. Although it may seem convenient to choose the three-year vaccine, it’s been associated with fibrosarcoma. The once-a -year vaccine is considered a better option.
Another simple preventive practice is that of titer testing for your dog. This a blood test administered by your vet that will tell you within 15 minutes whether or not he needs any vaccines. The presence and strength of natural or vaccine-initiated immunities to certain diseases can be measured quickly and accurately.
Know Your Pet: What’s New, Baby? Investigate all new bumps. You have your own routine with your pet. Certain tasks like brushing her fur or trimming his toe nails put you in frequent touch so that you’re the first to notice any change. Mast cell tumors are very common and can usually be easily removed. When caught early, these tumors are usually easily cured.
Lumphoma is common and often first felt as enlargement of the lymph nodes. To see where lymph nodes are on dogs.
Spay and Neuter For both dogs and cats, earlier is better than later since each heat cycle increases their chances of mammary cancers. Something else to consider is that male dogs almost always develop prostate or testicular cancer as they age if they remain intact.
Apply Sunblock To avoid squamous cell carcinoma, apply sunscreen to light colored or hairless dogs that are outside during peak sunny hours. Sunglasses and large, floppy hats are optional.
Town N Country Support Through the years, our hospital staff has served patients and their owners who have walked through chemo and surgeries. We have shared laughter and tears, through good times and bad. If your pet should need it, our local hospice has a recovery support center.
If you have any questions about your pet, diagnosis or treatment, give us a call. Our goal is to keep your pet healthy and happy, and offer the best care when your pet has an illness.