Common Cancer In Dogs

What Is Cancer In Dogs?

"Your dog has cancer". These words are guaranteed to strike fear into the heart of any dog owner. It's an alarming diagnosis, but knowledge is power. If you know more about the disease process, you'll better understand what's likely to happen to your dog, and how best to treat him. Cancer is the result of abnormal cells multiplying out of control. These cells can spread throughout the body, leading to organ failure and death.

What Type Of Cancers Can Your Dog Get?
Cancer can occur anywhere.
The top five cancers in dogs are breast cancer,TVT, bone cancer, skin cancer, cancer of the mouth, and cancer of the lymphatic system.
As you'd expect, breast cancer is most common in female dogs, but it does also occur in males. This tumor usually occurs in middle aged to older dogs, particularly if they are not spayed,or were spayed as a young adult. This is because the hormones associated with the heat cycle can trigger abnormal growth of the mammary cells.

• The symptoms are hard to miss - firm, irregular lumps or masses can be felt under or near a nipple. The lumps usually appear in the mammary glands between the back legs. They grow rapidly and can develop smelly ulcers on top.  It may be a good idea to remove the lump before it becomes dangerous.

Treatment for this type of dog cancer is surgery to cut away the lump, and chemotherapy. If the dog hasn't been spayed, then this is also done, to remove the hormones that may trigger a recurrence of the cancer. Unfortunately, in many dogs, by the time breast cancer is diagnosed, it has already spread to the internal organs, and the outcome is not good.

• Osteosarcoma is the most common bone cancer in dogs, and it is not a nice disease. It tends to occur in middle aged, large breed dogs, and it most often develops at the ends of the long bones of the leg. As you'd expect, the first indication that there is a problem is usually when the dog starts to limp. The limp progressively gets worse, and a painful swelling may develop where the tumor is growing. The cancerous bone isn't as strong as normal bone, and it may suddenly break.

Bone cancer is extremely painful, and by the time it is diagnosed, it has usually already spread to the lungs. Treatment commonly involves amputation of the leg. Most dogs do very well with only three legs, and they feel better with the painful tumor removed. Chemotherapy can extend their life, but many dogs with osteosarcoma don't survive past one year, even with treatment.

Many people associate skin cancer with too much time in the sun. That's also true in dogs, but the most common skin cancer in dogs isn't related to sun exposure at all. It's called a mast cell tumor, and they usually appear as fast growing ulcerated nodules on the legs or body. They can be aggressive and spread to the internal organs. It's important that when these tumors are removed, that a wide margin of normal skin is taken too. With radiation and chemotherapy, dogs with mast cell tumors can enjoy a good quality of life for several years.
There are many different types of tumor that can develop in a dog's mouth and throat. They all cause similar symptoms: bad breath, pain and difficulty eating, and sometimes bloody saliva. Most tumors aren't found until the disease is fairly advanced, so it's a good idea to regularly look inside your dog's mouth.
These tumors can spread into the bone of the jaws, and treatment often includes surgical removal of part of the jaw. Although dogs do seem to cope with this, it can make eating more difficult. This is often followed up with radiation therapy to try and increase survival time. As with the other cancers we've discussed, these tumors don't have a good prognosis, with many dogs not surviving for much more than a year after diagnosis.

• Lymphocytes are cells which are produced in the bone marrow, and are part of the body's immune system. As with any other type of cell, they too can become cancerous. This is called lymphoma. When they do become cancerous, they can damage any organ that has lymphatic tissue. There are four common areas where lymphoma develops - the lymph nodes, the gastrointestinal tract, the bone marrow and the skin. Symptoms vary depending on which part of the body is affected, but in most cases, dogs will also vomit, stop eating and develop a fever.

Without treatment, dogs with lymphoma only survive a few months after diagnosis. Chemotherapy can lead to remission in most cases, where the signs of cancer disappear, and the dog is essentially normal. Remission can last for as much as a year, but the cancer often reappears.

Why Do Dogs Get Cancer?

There are four main influences in the development of cancer in dogs, and some of them can be managed to reduce the risk of the disease. Let's look at them one at a time.
1. Genetics: There are genes that have been identified in some breeds of dog that seem to increase the risk of them developing cancer. German Shepherd Dogs often develop hemangiosarcomas (a tumor of blood vessels), whereas osteosarcomas are common in Rottweilers. The fact that some types of tumors are more common in certain breeds suggests that these tumors have a genetic basis.Tumors develop due to damage to DNA. It's also possible that a dog is born with damaged DNA in his cells.
2. Infection and inflammation: Papilloma virus usually causes harmless growths in a dog's mouth. However, there appears to be a link between papilloma virus infection and the tendency for a dog to develop aggressive cancer of the mouth(warts).
Chronic inflammation of an area may also trigger the growth of cancer. One example of this is when a broken limb has been repaired with plates and screws. If the screws become loose over time, then the irritation to the bone may lead to osteosarcoma in the area.
3. Hormones: There are very strong links between hormones and breast cancer in dogs. Spaying a female dog before their first heat virtually eliminates the risk of breast cancer later in life. However, if she is spayed after 2 years of age, spaying doesn't protect her at all. Similarly, a tumor known as a perianal adenoma (a tumor of the tissue around the anus) is much more common in entire male dogs.
4. The environment: In people, there have been connections made between exposure to pesticides and the development of cancer. There doesn't appear to be as strong a link between environmental toxins and cancer in dogs, so this may not be such an important influence. It does appear that being exposed to tobacco smoke may increase the risk of cancer of the nose and sinuses. Sun damage can lead to skin cancer in dogs.
While we can't always prevent our dogs developing cancer, there are steps we can take that will reduce the risk. Female dogs should be spayed before their first heat. Male dogs with an undescended testicle should be neutered, because the retained testicle is more likely to become cancerous. Dogs with thin hair coats and pale skin should not be allowed to sunbathe. If you are going to buy a dog of a breed which has a higher incidence of cancer, choose the parents carefully, so you've got the best chance of avoiding any genetic cancers in your dog.

Common Symptoms Of Cancer In Dogs

Look for areas of swelling. An example is osteosarcoma, where the tumor causes swelling on a leg. Cancer may also appear as a wound or ulcer that doesn't heal. Squamous cell carcinoma of the skin causes raw areas on pale hairless parts of the body , and mast cell tumors form little ulcerated nodules on the skin.
It's often easy to notice abnormalities on the outside of our dogs, but many cancers grow in internal organs. These cancers can cause vague symptoms of ill health, include weight loss, drinking to excess, or vomiting or diarrhea. Perhaps an elderly dog just doesn't seem to be doing well. That's also a good indication that you need to visit your veterinarian for a checkup.
If you do notice anything abnormal, make an appointment with your vet sooner rather than later. Cancer treatment in dogs usually has a better outcome if it is started early, so getting a quick diagnosis is crucial.

Dog Cancer Treatment

These days, there are several options available to treat dogs with cancer. Some dogs will be cured, and some will go into remission. However, for many dogs, the best we can hope for is an improved quality of life and a bit more time with them. Caring for your dog with cancer can be very costly, because often more than one treatment type is needed. The most obvious first choice is surgery, if possible. Removing a tumor can relieve pain and make dogs more comfortable. It can also mean that other therapies, such as radiation, are more successful because there are fewer tumor cells left to kill.
Chemotherapy involves using drugs to kill tumor cells. The idea is to kill the dangerous cells while leaving normal cells unharmed. The drugs do this by specifically attacking rapidly growing and dividing cells. Because there are normal cells in the bone marrow and intestine that are also dividing quickly, they can be affected by the chemotherapeutic drugs. This can lead to side effects such as vomiting and diarrhea for a few days after treatment.
Radiation therapy involves using a focused radiation beam to kill tumor cells. It too can affect rapidly dividing normal cells, so veterinarians try and protect surrounding parts of the body as much as possible. They also spread out radiation treatments to allow normal cells to recover.

Mammary Gland Surgery In The Dog
This view is of the patient just prior to preoperative preparation of the surgical area for surgery.  The large mass between the fourth and fifth nipple is evident.	The surgeon, employing sterile technique, begins the incision near the masses in the glands, being careful not to incise any tumor tissue.	Hemostasis (controlling bleeding) can be challenging in these surgeries due to the mass of tissue to be removed as well as the vigorous blood supply to the area.
One side of the three mammary glands is dissected down to the abdominal wall; then the opposite side is dissected.	Care is employed to remove all the mammary gland tissue but also to leave enough normal tissue that closing the incision will not create excessive tension along the surgical closure.	Blood vessels are tied off and the row of three mammary glands is lifted away from the patient.  Some veterinarians will remove all five glands even if no evidence of tumor in other glands is present.
A major artery and vein to and from the area is the Caudal Superficial Epigastric vessels.  Lymph channels drain from the last three mammary glands through this small channel through the abdominal wall.	After removal of the mammary glands (along with the tumor tissue) the incision is closed in layers from deep to superficial.  The goal is to comfortably close the incision with no tension being placed on the skin.	In this case the skin is closed via two simple continuous sutures to decrease surgical and anesthetic time.  The patient is placed on pain control medication for a few days and sutures are removed in 12 days.

අළුත උපන් සීබ්‍රා පැටවා……..

වසර 17 කට පසු දෙහිවල සත්ත්ව උද්‍යානයේ සීබ්‍රා පැටවෙකු උපත ලබා තිබේ.
සත්ත්ව උද්‍යාන ආරංචි මාර්ග පැවසුවේ 2008 වසරේ චීනයෙන් මෙර ටට ගෙනා සීබ්‍රා යුවලකට දාව මෙම පැටවා උපත ලබා ඇති බවයි.
දිගු කාලෙකින් පසු පැමිණි අමුත්තා දැක බලා ගැනීමට ජනතාව විශාල වශයෙන් මේ දින වල දෙහිවල සත්ත්ව උද්‍යානයට පැමිණෙමින් සිටී.
මේ වන විට දෙහිවල සත්ත්ව උද්‍යානයේ සිටින සීබ්‍රාවුන් සංඛ්‍යාව පහක්.

Common health problems in rabbits

abscesses

symptoms:-

Lumps, possibly with scabs on top, on the rabbit's body.
Weight loss, lumps, hesitant eating, if abscess is in the rabbit's head area.

Abscesses in a rabbit's body are usually the result of an injury. They are a pus filled lump that needs to be treated by a vet either with drugs or by surgery.
There are a variety of causes of abscesses in a rabbits head area, such as injury, infection or tooth problems. These abscesses tend to be more difficult to treat, especially at an advanced stage.
Running your hands, simultaneously, down both sides of your rabbit from head to tail, feeling for lumps and watching to see if they flinch, can help you spot abscesses at an earlier stage.
At feeding times, by regularly watching your rabbit eating, you will see if they are less enthusiastic, or eating for shorter periods of time. If they are living with a mate, an empty food bowl is no indication that they are ok, as their mate is probably eating their share!

Take your rabbit to the vet straight away.

bloat

symptoms :-

Rabbit lethargic, restless, not eating, not pelleting, hard swollen stomach.

Bloat can be caused by rabbits eating too many greens, spoiled food, mouldy hay a lack of fibre in their diet,or stress. This causes an imbalance in the bacteria in the intestines and their gut stops working, resulting in a build up of gas in the stomach. You can reduce the likelyhood of your rabbit getting bloat by ensuring your rabbit eats fresh hay daily, this helps to keep their gut working and prevent the build-up of gas.

You should take your rabbit to the vet straight away, as this is often fatal.

coccidiosis

symptoms:-

Rabbit has diarrhoea, bloated stomach, sits in a corner, is shaking, makes a loud grinding noise with teeth.

Coccidiosis is caused by a parasite that lives in the rabbit's intestine or liver. It is highly contagious, so their hutch must be cleaned thoroughly.

You must take your rabbit to the vet straight away, as your rabbit will become weak and die. If your rabbit has a mate they should be checked by your vet also.

constipation

symptoms :-

Rabbit not eating, producing few pellets.

Whether rabbits suffer from constipation is debatable, it is usually a sign of another problem that is causing them not to eat (nothing going in, nothing comes out). Try removing dry food, and feeding them fresh hay, fruit and veg. Provide fresh water. Allow plenty of exercise.

If after 24 hours your rabbit's condition has not improved, take them to the vet. If your rabbit is not eating anything you should go to the vet straight away.

diarrhoea

symptoms :-

In mild cases, rabbit produces a small amount of smelly runny droppings. In severe cases, rabbit produces smelly, very runny droppings, has lack of appetite, is lethargic and listless.

Rabbit diarrhoea is usually caused by them eating too many greens, especially if spoiled or deteriorated. It can also be caused by stress, damp bedding, cold or draughts, or an infection. In mild cases where appart from a small amount of diarrhoea, your rabbit is lively and eating. Remove all food, clean their home, feed only fresh hay, provide fresh water, and keep them warm. Clean your rabbit if necessary, with mild soapy water (baby shampoo is ideal).
If the problem persists or your rabbit has recuring bouts of diarrhoea, you should consult your vet as there may be a medical cause, such as an infection.

Severe cases are often fatal, especially in young rabbits and must be taken to the vet straight away.

e. cuniculi

symptoms:-

Usually none, rabbit may have increased thirst and urination, and weight loss.

Encephalitozoon cuniculi is a parasite that is estimated to infect 50% of all domestic rabbits, and a rabbit can live a full life without you even being aware they are infected. It is either passed from mother to baby before birth, or from a rabbit consuming something contaminated with an infected rabbit's urine. It reproduces in the kidneys and can damage these in the process, causing the symptoms mentioned above. It can also form cysts in the brain, leading to neurological damage, resulting in more visually obvious illnesses such as head tilt, seizures, and hind limb paralysis. If a rabbit gets stressed or is suffering from another illness they seem to be more likely to develope the problems caused by E. cuniculi.

Blood tests are the only way to detect whether your rabbit is infected. If so, there are treatments available to get rid of the infection. However, any damage already caused by the infection is unlikely to be reversed, so, after getting your rabbit, the sooner they are treated the better.
You could just assume your rabbit has E. cuniculi, which is highly likely, and treat them without doing a blood test.

Ask your vet for advice.

fly strike

symptoms:-

Listless, lack of appetite, aggressive cleaning of the bottom area.
Look out for flies bothering your rabbit, even sitting on their back.

Fly strike is caused by flies laying eggs in a rabbits fur, usually around the bottom area. Within 12-24 hours your rabbit will have maggots eating into it's skin. Symptoms, such as those listed above, don't usually occur until the infestation is well under way, so it is important to check your rabbit often for maggots, especially during the summer. If your rabbit is healthy and keeps itself clean, once a week should be enough, messy rabbits must be checked at least every other day, ideally daily.
If your rabbit, for whatever reason, doesn't keep itself clean down below it is especially prone to fly strike, and you should treat your rabbit with one of the lotions available, that prevent maggots from developing.

Take your rabbit to the vet straight away.

gastric hairball

symptoms:-

Rabbit has loss of appetite, produces smaller, harder and fewer pellets.

Through grooming themselves, especially when moulting, rabbits can get a build up of fur which stops food moving from the stomach to the intestines. Regularly grooming your rabbit, ensuring they have plenty of fresh hay to eat, and allowing them regular exercise will reduce the likelyhood of this occurring.
If you suspect your rabbit of having a furball, you can try giving them half a teaspoon of mineral oil, or two teaspoons of fresh pineapple juice, which can help break it down.

Take your rabbit to the vet as soon as possible.

heat stroke

symptoms:-

Rabbit rapidly breathing, has flared nostrils, laying down at full stretch.

During hot sunny weather, it is vital your rabbit's hutch and run are positioned in a sheltered area, to help it keep cool.
If you suspect your rabbit has heat stroke, move it to a shaded area, and place a cool wet cloth on its body and forehead. Encourage to drink water that is ideally room temperature.

If you see no improvement within a couple of hours, take to the vet.

hind-limb paralysis

symptoms:-

Rabbit loses, partial or complete, use of the back legs

This is either the result of neurological damage, such as that caused by the E. cuniculi parasite, and the controlling signals not being sent. Or damage to the spine, preventing the controlling signals reaching the legs. Being dropped, trodden on, kicking out when being held, or falling from someplace they have managed climb to, are some ways that a rabbit can damage their spine. Learn how to pick up your bunny, and only do so when necessary.
Their spine can be damaged from general wear and tear as they get older, especially if overweight.

This condition will not get better on it's own and must be treated by a vet.

malocclusion of the teeth

symptoms:-

Rabbit is less willing to eat, eating less or no food, is drooling.

A rabbits teeth are continually growing and due, either to hereditary problems, a damaged tooth or incorrect feeding, the teeth do not meet properly, and are not sufficiently worn down during eating. They become longer, moving out of alignment with the opposing tooth. The back teeth can form sharp edges, which cut into the rabbit's cheek or tongue, depending on which way the tooth has been forced to grow, and the rabbit will be reluctant to eat.
Providing plenty of fresh hay, and ensuring they eat it by not giving too much pellet food, is vital to keep their teeth worn down. Provide them with something to knaw on for extra wear of the front teeth. See feeding for diet information.

Take to the vet for teeth to be trimmed.

mites of ear

symptoms:-

Rabbit shaking their head, excessively scratching behind their ears.
The rabbits ears become inflamed, lose fur, and develop brown encrustations.

Ear mites are caused by an infestation of parasites in the rabbit's ear, which if treated early with an ointment from the vet should cause little problem. If left untreated it can fill the ear and become very painful, and may cause an ear infection leading to further problems such as Torticollis (see below).

Take to the vet.

mites of fur

symptoms:-

Rabbit is frequent scratching, has bald patches, brown deposits, dandruff.

Mites are usually found on the back of the rabbit, and can be easily treated by your vet. You must thoroughly clean your rabbits living area to prevent reinfestation.

myxomatosis

symptoms:-

Rabbit has runny eyes, swelling around the eyes and genitals.

Myxomatosis is caused by a virus that is spread by contact with an infected rabbit, or by a bite from an insect, such as fleas or mosquitoes. It is rare for a rabbit to survive this, so it is important you vaccinate your rabbit every year.

Take your rabbit to the vet.

running eyes

symptoms 1:-

Rabbit has watery eyes.

This may be caused by your rabbit being exposed to a draught, in which case the draught should be eliminated. It could also be caused by a speck of dirt in their eye, or be the result of dusty hay. In this case you should wipe your rabbit's eye with cotton wool soaked in warm, salted water that has been boiled and left to cool. Wipe from inner to outer corner of the eye.

If the eye continues to water take your rabbit to the vet, as there may be a more serious underlying cause.

symptoms 2:-

Rabbit has red and swollen eyes, with pus discharge.

This is likely to be an infection and you must take your rabbit to the vet.

snuffles

symptoms:-

Rabbit frequently coughing and sneezing, has thick white discharge from the nose, has matted front paws from cleaning their nose.

Most rabbits sneeze occasionally, usually their nose has been irritated by dust, dirt or a strong smell, and they are trying to relieve it. Sometimes this is accompanied by clear mucus, this may indicate your rabbit has a cold. Make sure it is kept warm and this should pass after a few days.

If you suspect your rabbit may have snuffles, it is important you keep your rabbit warm and dry, this is very serious, and can lead to pneumonia.

You should take your rabbit to the vet straight away.

torticollis (head tilt)

symptoms:-

Ranging from the rabbit's head being held to one side to complete loss of balance.

Torticollis, also known as wry neck or head tilt, is the result of a disturbance to the rabbit's balance mechanism, often the result of an inner ear infection. This is treated with antibiotics and anti-inflammatories with varying degrees and rates of success. It can also be the result of neurological damage, usually caused by E. cuniculi, and the rabbit will be treated for that aswell. In severe cases the rabbit is often unable to eat or drink and, while waiting for the course of treatment to work, will need to be given food and water via a syringe (orally!). You should also keep them confined to a small area well padded with hay, to prevent them rolling around and hurting themselves, until they recover some of their balance.

This condition is often more distressing for you than the rabbit, and, even in severe cases, rabbits can make enough of a recovery to live a happy life.

viral haemorrhagic disease (VHD)

symptoms:-

Rabbit has loss of appetite, difficulty breathing, bleeding from nose and bottom, is fitting.

VHD is extremely contagious, it can be transmitted by animals, people, vehicle wheels, bird droppings or even on the wind. Usually a rabbit will die within 2 days of catching the disease, showing no signs of illness.
Take to the vet.

Health problems of Dalmatian dogs

 Deafness

Approximately 8% of all Dalmatians are completely deaf (bilaterally deaf);another 22% is deaf in one ear (unilaterally deaf or unilaterally hearing). There is no cure for congenital deafness...

The only way to reduce the incidence of deafness in any breed so afflicted is through careful, responsible breeding. NO bilaterally deaf dog of any breed should be allowed to reproduce. Owners of unilaterally deaf dogs are strongly encouraged to have those dogs spayed/neutered; and should be urged to remove unilaterally deaf dogs from their breeding line/stock Statistically, if just one parent of a litter is unilaterally deaf (assuming the other parent is bilaterally hearing), the chances of completely deaf puppies DOUBLES!!!

  Urinary Stones
The one health problem that is unique to Dals is their potential to form urate bladder stones.
While many breeds have the tendency for kidney stones, and other urinary tract problems, Dalmatians are unique in the cause. Provide plenty of fresh water for your dalmatian. Allow him to urinate frequently. Feed a dogfood that is low in purines (under 24%). A lamb and rice diet is one that works quite well. Low purine snacks including, carrots;celery,peeled or cored apple slices,string cheeze is also a good choice.

 Every Dalmatian has the potential to form stones; although few actually do. When one suspects a Dalmatian is having bladder stone problems, especially if blocked, it is of extreme importance that the dog be taken to a vet immediately! A blocked urethra is a life-threatening condition, and a Dalmatian can die within a matter of hours if not treated properly & promptly.

 Epilepsy

Epilepsy in Dalmatians:

Dalmatians like many other breeds can and do have epilepsy, or seizure disorders. Some are labelled idiopathic , meaning no known cause and may be inherited. These usually occur between the ages of 6 months and 5 years this is called PRIMARY EPILEPSY. Seizures can be caused by many other things such as blows to the head, distemper, ingestion of poisonous substances, this is called SECONDARY EPILEPSY. Seizures can also be associated with hypothyroidism. There are several types of seizures,

  MILD:

Which can be just as simple as staring into space momentarily.

 MODERATE:

Which is called grand mal, the dog will fall down, convulse, lose control of bladder and bowels, lose consiousness, maybe froth at the mouth, this usually lasts for 3-5 mins, often followed by a period of restlessness, pacing bumping into objects, loss of balance, this can last from 1/2 hr to several days.

 SEVERE:

This can occur in two forms STATUS EPILEPTICUS, which involves the dog losing consciousness for 30 mins or more, and CLUSTER SEIZURES multiple seizures within a short period of time, both can be life threatening and a vets help MUST be sought.

 Hip Displasia

Hip displasia does exist in dalmatians, however it really isn't common. If a dalmatian is to be used in a breeding program it should not get affected with hip displasia.

  Skin and Coat Disorders

1) Allergy. A large majority of Dalmatians exhibiting these signs are allergic.These allergens may be inhaled as in the case of airborne pollens, molds, etc.; ingested as with food allergens; injected as with flea saliva; or merely contacted as with local irritants coming in contact with the skin.

2) Stress. Add to allergy the physiological stress associated with travel, excitement, change in routine and diet (all that baiting!). Biologically, stress is associated with an increase in production of steroid hormones called glucocorticoids. Normally, glucocorticoids allow dogs to meet the special needs of stressful situations, but they may also have the unfortunate effect of decreasing the "barrier function" of normal canine skin. When inflammation already exists, the glucocorticoid response may permit bacteria, normally kept in check on the skin, to flourish.

3) Humidity and Heat. Veterinary dermatologists consider changes in humidity and temperature also to be significant factors in the onset of these hive-like reactions. These changes may be associated with the ambient or skin environment, such as:

• climatic differences between home and the show site;
• drying of the skin;
• occlusion of pores in the skin by special grooming products.

It has been suggested that the non-itching form of this syndrome is more directly related to these environmental conditions than it is to allergies.

4) Mange

5) Dermatomycosis

6) Pyoderma

Prevention

Keep the Dalmatians free of fleas & ticks;

Use hypoallergenic shampoos, alternating with antibacterial shampoos if necessary. Do not bathe them too frequently.