Tag: pet cancer

Close to 10 million dogs and cats are diagnosed with cancer annually. There are many reasons given for these worrying numbers. With most homeowners turning to commercial pet foods, the long-term effects of chemicals used to produce them could be the main reason why this otherwise rare pet ailment is quite common today.

Common types of pet cancers

Lymphoma

This cancer is commonly known as lymph cancer. This condition is mostly observed in middle-aged pets. One of the most common signs of these cancers is the prevalence of lumps under the pet’s skins. From clinical studies, this type of cancer is prevalent in some pet breeds. Considering that there is no specific cause of lymphoma in pets, this cancer is more of a genetic predisposition. Without treatment, the pet will die within 4-6 weeks.

Intestinal cancer

This type of pet cancer shows symptoms of blockage or inflammation of internal passages. As such, this makes early detection quite a challenge considering that it can easily be confused with constipation or a digestive issue. The prognosis of this type of cancer ranges from mediocre to very poor depending on where the tumor is located.

Bladder cancer

Like intestinal cancers, bladder cancers tend to be very difficult to detect. This is attributed to the fact that urinary tract infections are quite common. In most instances, most veterinarians only test cancer as a last resort after realizing that these infections do not respond to antibiotics. Cancerous growths in the bladder are not easy to remove as bladder cancers tend to be relatively invasive and spread quickly to surrounding tissues.

Skin Cancer

Being the largest organ on the body, it is the most susceptible to cancerous growths. This type of cancer could affect the skin, glands, follicles, and other supportive tissues around the skin. Ideally, skin cancers in pets appear as lumps or lesions under the skin that simply do not go away. Skin cancers are easy to detect than other types of cancers and this improves the pet’s chances of survival.

Conventional cancer treatments tend to be quite invasive. As such, most veterinarians advice against the use of chemotherapeutic drugs in treating pet cancers. Instead, they recommend a holistic approach that targets the underlying cause of the problem and not just the disease.…