I’m going to begin with cancer because my lovely Timo, a Rottweiler mix, has osteosarcoma, bone cancer. It was discovered quite by accident, as she showed no signs of illness. One day, the beginning of December 2008,Timo and my German Shepherd, Quanah, were playing when Quanah accidentally stepped on Timo’s right front leg. Timo let out a cry and upon examining the leg, I couldn’t detect any damage, but she began limping. I called my vet to look at the leg and while it was a bit painful, we decided to wait and see if there was any improvement. Timo continued to limp, so the following week I opted to take her for x-rays. After reading the x-rays, the radiologist felt the problem was more than a simple cyst as originally thought as the bone appeared to be very fragile. The next step was to have a biopsy performed. When the results came back and I was told she had, at the most, only 6 months to live, I was devastated.
Some Types of Dog Cancer
Osteosarcoma – bone cancer
Mast cell tumors – malignant skin cancer
Lymphosarcoma – malignant cancer of the lymph system
Hemangiosarcoma – malignant tumor of lining of blood vessels, usually fatal
There are other types of cancer, the same ones that affect humans. Following is a list of dogs that are prone to the disease. This is just to make you aware that these are some breeds that may develop cancer – Golden Retriever, Vizsla, Greyhound, Irish Wolfhound, Saluki, Scottish Deerhound, Burnese Mountain Dog, Boxer, Great Dane, Great Pyrenees, English Mastiff, Rottweiler, Saint Bernard, Kerry Blue Terrier, German Shepherd, Dogue de Bordeaux. Since cancer in dogs is on the rise, and in young dogs as well, it’s important to take your dog, no matter what breed, for check-ups twice a year or when you suspect something is wrong.
The pharmaceutical company Pfizer has came out with the first cancer fighting drug for dogs called “Palladia.” It has been approved by the FDA. This drug is not quite as effective in tests as was hoped. However, if it helps any dogs, it will be worthwhile.
May, 13, 2010
It was recently noted that 60% of Golden Retrievers die of cancer, more than twice the average rate for all breeds.
Dr. Demian Dressler, who’s specialty is canine cancer, makes 3 points, early in his book “The Dog Cancer Survival Guide.”
1. Your dog does not have an expiration date.
2. The word “prognosis” translates from the Greek as “educated guess.”
3. Veterinarians practice medicine, they haven’t perfected it yet.
For more up-to-date news on the cancer front, follow Dr. Dressler’s blog, DogCancerNews online.
To learn more, see:
- About Chemotherapy
- Another Weapon in the Cancer Battle
- Australia-Promising Canine Cancer Vaccine
- BPA Poisoning Our Pets
- Bladder Cancer
- Bone Cancer Dogs Funding OSA Trial
- Brain Cancer
- Brain Cancer Treatment for Dogs
- Could This Be Another Weapon Against Cancer
- Feeding a Dog on Chemotherapy
- Listeria-based Vaccine for OSA
- Log of Timo’s Fight with Cancer
- Mast Cell Tumors (Mastocytomas)
- Microchips and Cancer
- New Blood Test Detects Canine Cancer
- New Study in Canine Osteosarcoma
- New Therapy for Canine Cancer
- Obesity in Dogs and Cancer Connection
- Ongoing Cancer Trials Give Hope
- Promising Treatment for Lymphoma
- Resiniferatoxin for Cancer
- What’s New in Cancer Treatment for Dogs
- What’s New in Cancer Treatments for Dogs: Page 2
