Canine Cancer Detection

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.

  1. Symptoms

    • 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

    • 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

    • 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

    • 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.