Cancer is one of the primary killers among all breeds of dogs but some breeds are more susceptible than others to certain types of cancer. Cancer can occur at any time in a dog’s life but it usually doesn’t rear its ugly head until a dog grows older. Treating dogs with cancer can be difficult for a veterinarian because the correct diagnosis can be challenging with the large number of different types of cancer that affect dogs.
Canine cancer can easily spread through a dog’s body, meaning that early detection and treatment is of paramount importance to a pet’s health and longevity.
One of the more common types of cancer found in most dog breeds is oral cancer. These cancers can be identified by the gradual, or sometimes sudden growth of tumors in a dog’s mouth. If these growths are cancerous and malignant, the dog may suffer considerably before any outward symptoms are seen. Even when the growths are benign rather than malignant, they can still be dangerous or deadly to a dog.
Liver cancer is the most common cancer affecting the major organs in the body. Tumors of the liver can develop quite suddenly, but usually take months or even years to fully develop. It’s very possible that a dog may be suffering from liver cancer for quite some time until the tumor becomes large enough that it begins to cause symptoms that indicate the presence of a cancerous growth in a dog’s body.
Bladder cancer is one of the leading forms of cancer in many dogs. Like other kinds of urinary tract diseases, bladder cancer can develop without the owner realizing it, and when it reaches a certain stage of growth it can have very painful consequences for a dog. This form of cancer is one of the most difficult ones to treat, partially because surgical removal of the infected tissue is difficult or even impossible.
Bone cancer is more commonly found in larger dog breeds who tend to have a higher rate of bone cancer and at an earlier age than smaller breeds. It is believed that the reason for this statistic is that the bones of larger breeds are growing and reproducing much more quickly than the bone cells of smaller dogs, allowing mutations to develop which can result in cancer.
A responsible pet owner will want to watch their pet for the ten early warning signs of cancer in a dog:
* Abnormal swellings that persist or continue to grow
* Sores that won’t heal
* Weight loss
* Loss of appetite
* Bleeding or discharge from any opening of the body
* Offensive odor
* Difficulty when eating or swallowing
* Reluctance to exercise or loss of stamina
* Persistent lameness or stiffness
* Difficulty breathing, urinating, or defecating
It also helps to be aware of known and suspected cancer causing agents which include:
• second-hand smoke
• radiation exposure
• certain viruses
•chemical additives and preservatives in food
No one wants to lose a pet to cancer. When the unthinkable does happen it can be as devastating as losing a member of the family to cancer. Learn to watch for the early warning signs and keep your dog away from all known cancer causing agents.
Saratani ni moja ya mauaji ya msingi kati ya aina zote za mbwa, lakini baadhi ya jamii ni zaidi ya kuathiriwa kuliko wengine kwa aina fulani za kansa. Saratani yaweza kutokea wakati wowote katika maisha ya mbwa lakini kwa kawaida haionyeshi kichwa chake kibaya mpaka mbwa akzeeka. Matibabu ya saratani ya mbwa inaweza kuwa ngumu kwa daktari wa mifugo kwa sababu utambuzi sahihi unaweza kuwa changamoto na idadi kubwa ya aina tofauti za saratani ambazo huathiri mbwa. Saratani ya mbwa inaweza kuenea kwa urahisi kupitia mwili wa mbwa, ikimaanisha kwamba kugundua mapema na matibabu ni muhimu sana kwa afya na maisha marefu ya mnyama. Mojawapo ya aina za kansa zinazopatikana kwa kawaida katika jamii nyingi za mbwa ni kansa ya mdomo. Saratani hizo zaweza kutambuliwa kwa ukuzi wa hatua kwa hatua, au nyakati nyingine kwa ghafula wa uvimbe katika mdomo wa mbwa. Ikiwa uvimbe huo ni wa kansa na mbaya, mbwa huyo aweza kuteseka sana kabla ya dalili zozote za nje kuonekana. Hata wakati uvimbe huo ni mzuri badala ya mbaya, bado unaweza kuwa hatari au kuua mbwa. Saratani ya ini ni aina ya saratani inayopatikana kwa wingi na huathiri viungo vikubwa vya mwili. Uvimbe wa ini waweza kutokea ghafula, lakini kwa kawaida huchukua miezi au hata miaka ili ukue kikamili. Inawezekana sana kwamba mbwa anaweza kuwa na kansa ya ini kwa muda mrefu mpaka uvimbe uwe mkubwa vya kutosha kwamba huanza kusababisha dalili zinazoonyesha uwepo wa ukuaji wa kansa katika mwili wa mbwa. Saratani ya kibofu cha mkojo ni mojawapo ya aina kuu za kansa katika mbwa wengi. Kama aina nyingine za magonjwa ya mfumo wa mkojo, kansa ya kibofu cha mkojo inaweza kutokea bila mmiliki kugundua, na inapofikia hatua fulani ya ukuaji inaweza kuwa na matokeo mabaya sana kwa mbwa. Aina hii ya kansa ni moja ya magumu zaidi kutibu, kwa sababu kuondolewa kwa tishu iliyoambukizwa ni vigumu au hata haiwezekani. Saratani ya mifupa ni ya kawaida katika mbwa wakubwa ambao huwa na kiwango cha juu cha saratani ya mifupa na katika umri wa mapema kuliko mbwa wadogo. Inasemekana kwamba sababu ya takwimu hii ni kwamba mifupa ya mbwa wakubwa hukua na kuzaa haraka kuliko seli za mifupa ya mbwa wadogo, na hivyo kuruhusu mabadiliko ya chembe za urithi kutokea ambayo yanaweza kusababisha kansa. Mmiliki wa mbwa mwenye jukumu atahitaji kumtazama mbwa wake kwa ishara kumi za mapema za onyo la saratani katika mbwa: uvimbe usio wa kawaida ambao unaendelea au unaendelea kukua, vidonda ambavyo havitapona, kupoteza uzito, kupoteza hamu ya kula, kutokwa na damu au kutokwa na maji kutoka kwa sehemu yoyote ya mwili, harufu mbaya, uvimbe, virusi, virusi, virusi vya kemikali, na vihifadhi katika chakula. Wakati jambo lisilowezekana linatokea, linaweza kuwa lenye kuhuzunisha kama vile kupoteza mshiriki wa familia kwa sababu ya kansa. Jifunze kuangalia ishara za mapema za onyo na kuhifadhi mbwa wako mbali na vimelea vyote vinavyojulikana vinavyosababisha kansa.