Dogs are prone to many types of cancers; 1,100 of every 100,000 dogs will get cancer. There are now many different treatments for canine cancers. But in order to be treated, they first need to be diagnosed.
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Symptoms
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Symptoms of canine cancer include strange lumps or bumps, especially those that grow quickly or bleed; sudden lameness; strange bleeding from any body opening; breathing problems; chronic constipation; losses of energy or appetite.
Appearance
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Any growths or tumors on a dog should be checked out by a vet. Not all tumors will be cancerous. These growths need a biopsy or fine-needle aspiration to determine if the lumps contain cancer cells. This can help diagnose skin cancers, mammary gland cancers, soft tissue cancers and sometimes bone cancers.
Location
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If the tumor is inside of the body and not easily visible and the veterinarian suspects cancer, the dog will need an X-ray, ultrasound or MRI in order to locate the tumor. And endoscopy is used for nasal, throat or stomach tumors while a colonoscopy is used for rectal tumors.
Other
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Other diagnostic tools used to detect cancer in dogs includes exploratory surgery, taking a sample of lymph node or bone marrow fluid with a fine needle; urinalysis and blood tests. Blood tests check for a rise in white cells or certain hormones; it will not detect cancer cells.
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