Dogs can get many of the same types of cancer that humans can. Some cancers are genetically related and others occur because dogs are exposed to the same environment and carcinogens as humans. Dogs cannot tell when something is wrong. It is up to the owners to watch for signs and take the dog to the vet at the first indication that something is not normal.
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Hemangiosarcoma
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Canine hemangiosarcoma is incurable. It is a tumor that occurs in the endothelial cells that line the blood vessels. It can strike any dog at any age, but it is more prevalent in older dogs and in golden retrievers, German shepherd dogs, Portuguese water dogs, Skye terriers and other pure breeds. The fact that it develops slowly and causes no pain means it is usually not diagnosed until it is in the last stages. Treatment includes surgery and chemotherapy, but the six month recovery rate is less than 50 percent.
Lymphoma
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Lymphoma is more common in dogs than it is in humans. Lymphoma can strike any dog at any age. It first appears as swollen glands in the neck, shoulders and knees. However, it can strike the glands deeper in the body where it is harder to detect. If it is not detected early, the dog can have an accumulation of fluid in the chest that causes breathing problems and/or diarrhea, vomiting or painful abdomen. Treatments include prednisone and chemotherapy. In most lymphomas, remission of 12 to 18 months is possible as are multiple remissions, but some of the more aggressive types will not respond to any treatment.
Melanoma
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Melanoma is a skin cancer, and dogs with dark skin are most susceptible. It is most common in breeds such as the Gordon setters, standard and miniature schnauzers, doberman pinschers and Scottish terriers, and there could be a genetic connection that causes the cancer. Melanomas that appear in the hair are usually benign, but if it develops in the mouth or in area such as the toenail beds, it is incurable, basically because these have usually already spread to other parts of the body. Radiation can extend the life span, but not against cells that have spread.
Osteosarcoma
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Osteosarcoma is a primary bone cancer that usually strikes the long bones of the legs, but can also affect the skull, spinal column and ribs. It is most prevalent in the largest breeds such as the Scottish deerhounds, great Danes, rottweilers, great Pyrenees, greyhounds and mastiffs. A puppy who is put on a special diet to increase its growth rate is at a higher risk. The tumor is aggressive and fast spreading and, in many cases, has spread before it has been diagnosed. Treatment includes removal of the tumor and an aggressive treatment with chemotherapy, but only about 50 percent of the dogs survive from the cancer one year, less than 30 percent two years and less than 10 percent three years.
Soft Tissue Sarcomas
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Soft tissue sarcoma rarely spreads to other parts of the body, but the tumor does have deep roots, so surgery is necessary. The outcome depends on different factors such as the grade of the tumor, how invasive it is and the location of the tumor. Removing some normal tissue is also important to make sure all of the cancer cells are removed.
Soft tissue sarcomas originate in the connective tissues. In grade one tumors, where the whole tumor has been removed, no further treatment is necessary. In grades two and three, there is chemotherapy and, if there is a high risk the tumor will reoccur, radiation.
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