Early Detection Wins Again!!!!

Nasal filtration of cigarette smoke is apparently very efficient in dogs, so naturally occurring lung cancer is rare. We frequently find malignant tumors in dog’s lungs, but this is when they have spread there from other sites, such as the mammary gland or bone.
Diagnosing cancer is easy in some cases, and very difficult in others. Most skin tumors are benign, but visual inspection doesn’t guarantee the diagnosis. Any skin lump that grows rapidly, changes suddenly, or bothers the dog, should be considered for surgical removal. Definitive diagnosis is only accomplished by sending a biopsy sample to a lab for microscopic exam. Some exceptions to this general rule do exist. Lipomas, benign fatty tumors, can reliably be identified by aspirating the mass with a small needle. A rapidly growing lump in a mammary gland that ulcerates through the skin, causing infection or bleeding, is almost certainly cancerous. Aggressive nasal or oral tumors are usually malignant. A routine x-ray may show typical changes of bone cancer, but the more involved myelogram is usually needed to see the outline of a tiny but debilitating tumor on the spinal cord.
Cancers that affect internal organs are frequently difficult to deal with. Routine blood tests can reliably identify problems such as kidney failure and liver failure, but there is no blood test to identify cancer as the cause of the organ failure. However, the common CBC (complete blood count), may be all that is needed to find blood cancers, or leukemias. Imaging techniques, using X-rays or ultrasound, may show a large mass on a spleen, but biopsy is still required to differentiate a malignant tumor from a hematoma (pocket of blood and clots). Tumors of the stomach or colon may be sampled using an endoscope, but the majority of the intestinal tract can only be reached via exploratory surgery. For tumors anywhere in the abdomen, exploratory surgery allows an attempt at removal, at the same time that the diagnosis is made. However, if the diagnosis is cancer, then the problem will likely come back. Many dog owners face the agonizing decision of either putting their companion to sleep, or having costly procedures performed that may cause additional pain and discomfort for the sick dog. And the decision needs to be made with no guarantee that the animal will live through the procedure, be cured, or just have an improved quality of life before the disease returns.
Non-surgical cancer treatments, alone or in combination with surgery, can also be used in dogs. Some cancers respond to radiation, but this is usually expensive and only performed at large teaching hospitals that are not accessible to all dog owners. Chemotherapy, the use of drugs to kill cancer cells or slow their growth, is frequently practiced by local veterinarians. Sometimes this is also expensive, and side effects in susceptible dogs may cause discontinuing the drug before it’s had a chance to help. Even when these treatments are employed, the goal is usually to get the cancer in remission and buy the dog some quality time, but not to expect a cure.
There are no simple measures to take that will significantly reduce a dog’s chance of developing all forms of cancer, but there are some practices that will help. Obesity is a risk factor in some cancers and can be avoided by paying attention to diet and exercise. Spaying a female before her first heat practically eliminates the chance of her developing mammary tumors later in life. Each heat cycle she goes through increases her risk dramatically. Ovarian and uterine cancers are uncommon in intact bitches, but not seen after a spay. Similarly, neutering the male eliminates the possibility of testicular tumors and makes prostate cancer unlikely.http://www.espomagazine.com/vet/sept...