Oral cancer, or cancers of the lips and mouth, are the fourth most common type of cancer in dogs. The disease is easier to treat if it is diagnosed early.
-
Symptoms
-
Dogs with lip cancer will have a growth on the lip. Growths may also be found inside the mouth. The dog may have swollen neck glands, bad breath, and have difficulty chewing. Addition symptoms include bleeding from the mouth and loose teeth.
Diagnosis
-
A veterinarian can diagnose cancer by conducting a blood test and urinalysis. The doctor will do a complete physical to check for growths in the mouth or swelling in the neck. He may also take X-rays to see if the cancer has spread to the chest or other parts of the body. Finally, he will take a biopsy of the growth to see what kind of tumor the dog has.
Treatment
-
Cancer of the lip or mouth is usually treated by surgically removing the tumor. Radiation therapy can be used in cases where the tumor was not entirely eradicated or if the dog has an especially aggressive kind of cancer. The chemotherapy drugs mitoxantrone and piroxicam are also used to treat certain types of tumors.
-