Effects of Cancer on your Pet
Cancer is not limited to human beings, as dogs to are able to carry and suffer from the disease. They, too, will experience the abnormal growth of tissues, also called neoplasia. The common types of cell carcinoma you will hear among dogs are tumors of the nose and sinus, melanoma, lymphoma, mammary cancer, osteosarcoma, and mast cell tumors. About half of the cancer cases you hear will be of skin tumors, with more than half of those being benign. As a pet owner, it is understandable that you live in the fear that your dog may one day get some form of cancer. Apart from accidents, it is one of the main causes of death among those pets. When your dog is found to have cancer, everything about its ownership changes, from the emotional turmoil that accompanies the discovery to the changes that must be put in place to take care of the pet. Things get worse when you remember that dogs cannot tell you where, when, and how much pain they are suffering.
Dogs get cancer in various ways, the most common being the foods we feed them. Food preservatives can become carcinogenic in the dog’s stomach, thus increasing the risk of them getting cancer. Food processing methods are also likely to lead to the condition. Fluoride, for example, is known to cause them bone cancer. If it is contagious, dogs can pass them amongst each other through sexual intercourse, and also if one licks the tumor area. High voltage power lines also affect them the same way they do humans, causing cancer. They could also be at risk due to vitamin deficiencies, which you are not aware of until it is too late. They could also get it when suffering stress, depression, and chronic inflammation. Dogs with unnatural sleep cycles and the pollutants in the air could all help the spread and development of cancer in the dog. They could also get it from the pharmaceuticals in our water sources. Human beings are also partly responsible, when they produce second-hand smoke while smoking, just as they affect fellow humans.
It, therefore, helps if you are a pet owner to know how to spot the symptoms of cancer early enough, so you can get your beloved pet the necessary medical attention. A good practice is to keep regular veterinary appointments for your pet. You also need to read more about your specific breed, as some of them are more likely to get cancer than others. In case you suspect cancer is present, you need to schedule a surgical biopsy to reveal detailed information. An ultrasound can also be done to reveal even more info. When you know more about the condition, something can be done to make things better for the pet.
Apart from the diagnosis, it is important to talk to the vet to know how best you can prevent the dog from getting cancer. They will advise you on the foods to avoid, the practices to avoid, and what healthy practices to adopt.
As a way of detecting the presence of cancer, there are cancer test kits that make the process much easier. You can head to this site for more info and a great selection.