The incidence of cancer in our domestic animals is rising quite rapidly. The disease not only develops terribly frequently in our dogs and cats, but also in rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets, pot-bellied pigs and birds. The numbers are astonishing. According to a 1997 Morris Animal Foundation survey, 47% of all dogs die of some cancer, 32% of all cats. After I lost three cats and a dog to various cancers over 15 years, I decided to investigate the causes and solutions. The causes are many, including, but not limited to, environmental, dietary, hereditary issues and just plain old age.
One solution is early detection. Veterinarians and other animal health care workers believe that detection plus prompt diagnosis and treatment increase the chances of a recovery, or at least of a longer, happier life for the animal. In some cases, it may mean "curing" the cancer if the disease is caught early enough. The warning signs are, in some cases, the same signs that alert veterinarians to other illnesses. Nevertheless, it is essential for an animal guardian to note changes in a pet's activity, attitude and appearance.
Here are what the majority of veterinarians indicate as the possible symptoms of cancer in animals:
Any abnormal swelling or lump that keeps growing (of course, not all growths are cancers or malignant, but they all bear checking out)
Nonhealing sores
Weight loss for no apparent reason
Loss of normal appetite
Bleeding or other discharge from a body opening such as nose or mouth
A foul odor, especially from the mouth
Difficulty eating or swallowing
Loss of strength and disinterest in normal exercise
Lameness or stiffness that continues
Difficulty breathing, defecating or urinating and
Any other change in behavior. (For example, with some dogs with bone cancer the first sign of a problem could be limping.)
In 1998 Marion S. Lane and the staff of the Humane Society of the United States wrote that "your best offense in protecting your dog [pet] against serious illness is a good defense" -- including regular visits to your trusted veterinary doctor; spaying or neutering which helps prevent diseases of the reproductive organs and also helps prevent overpopulation and abandonment of pets; screening exams that your veterinarian recommends, especially as your animal ages; and careful observation and prompt investigation of "anything out of the ordinary."
According to Steven E. Crow, D.V.M., malignant tumors identified during regular exams are more likely to be cured "than cancers which are already causing clinical signs of illnesses."
Cancers are not always preventable, but they often are. Lifestyle changes ---including but not limited to a more nutritious diet and fresher water, more exercise and attention, less stress, and possibly fewer vaccines-- will help prevent several forms of cancer. The earlier you see unusual symptoms in your companion animals, the sooner you can help them feel better and avert costly surgeries or other invasive procedures. Touching your animals, observing them closely and spending as much time with them as possible will make them healthier and happier, and, as a result, you'll be happier, too.
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