About Canine Cancer

 

Approximately one in three dogs will be diagnosed with cancer during their lifetime, and cancer currently accounts for about half the deaths of all dogs over the age of 10.  Overall, cancer is the leading non-accidental cause of death in dogs.   And, it’s on the rise.  The types of cancers that affect dogs are often very similar to those faced by humans and include:

 

¨ Lymphoma—Cancer of the lymph nodes.  Also called lymphosarcoma.

 

¨ Hemangiosarcoma—An incurable tumor of cells that line blood vessels.

 

¨ Melanoma—Skin cancer.

 

¨ Osteosarcoma—Bone cancer.

 

¨ Mammary tumors—Breast cancer.

 

¨ Bladder cancer

 

¨ Mast cell tumors—Highly malignant tumors that form on the skin.

 

 

Breeds that tend to have a higher incidence of cancer include Golden Retrievers, Boxers, German Shepherds, Cocker Spaniels, Flat Coat Retrievers, West Highland White Terriers, Rottweilers, Doberman Pinschers, Schnauzers, Bernese Mountain Dogs, Great Danes, Greyhounds, and Standard Poodles.

Cancer in dogs is generally treated in one of three ways—surgery, radiation or chemotherapy, with chemotherapy being the most common.  Frequently, a combination of these approaches will be used depending on the type of cancer diagnosed.  While holistic, natural approaches to cancer treatment can be used as a primary method of treatment, the conventional treatments listed above generally provide the highest likelihood of cure or remission.  Holistic treatments can then supplement these conventional approaches to minimize side effects and boost the body’s natural healing powers.  Cancer treatment for animals is always focused on providing the animal with the highest possible quality of life for the longest amount of time possible.  While this philosophy is extremely important, it can sometimes come at the expense of a cure, such as in those cases where a more aggressive treatment plan could potentially wipe out the cancer completely, but sacrifice too much of the animal’s quality of life and is therefore scaled back to ensure their comfort and ability to perform basic tasks. This is one of the reasons that lymphoma, for example, is a deadlier disease in canines than in humans. 

The good news is that thanks to the emergence of “Veterinary Oncology” as a field of study, and the dedication of countless researchers and veterinary cancer specialists, cancer treatment for dogs has come a very long way in the past three decades.  Many types of cancer CAN now be cured through conventional treatments, or put into remission for longer periods of time than ever before.  The bad news is that, while treatment options for dogs with cancer have improved significantly over the years, treatment is often very expensive, and for some pet owners with limited resources, they literally have to make the decision of treating their pet, or paying the bills.  Over the course of treatment, it is not uncommon to spend several thousand dollars between diagnostic testing, treatments, surgery, medications and other vet-related expenses.  For those without easy access to information about canine cancer, many pet owners wrongly assume that cancer is automatically a death sentence and make the choice to euthanize their pets without considering other traditional or holistic treatment options.  In both of these cases, dogs that may have a chance of achieving remission and maintaining their quality of life for months, or even years, are not given the chance to survive. 

 

Even for those who are able to provide every available treatment option for their pup, the results of cancer treatment are still not where they need to be.  For example, lymphoma, which is one of the more common forms of cancer in dogs, has a cure rate of only about 5% when conventional chemotherapy treatment is used.  The rest, have an average survival rate of one year, with 25% of those surviving 2 or more years.  This is not good enough. We have to do better for our faithful companions and friends.

 

To learn more about different types of canine cancer, Click Here .