Cancer

The cause of hemangiomas is idiopathic (unknown). These growths usually don't appear until at least middle age. Thin-skinned, light-colored breeds often experience hemangiomas. You'll most likely find a hemangioma on the dog's trunk or legs, especially hairless areas like the lower abdomen.

An herbal extract from China is showing great promise in slowing cancer growth, and giving dogs more quality time with their guardians. When researchers at the Chinese Institute of Material Medicine discovered a region of China that did not have malaria, they found that its people drank a decoction (simmered tea) of Artemesia annua L. at the first sign of malarial symptoms.

Mast cell tumors (MCTs) are the most common form of malignant skin cancer in dogs, accounting for approximately 7% to 21% of all skin...

Many dogs do just fine after amputation necessitated by osteosarcoma. A new vaccine may help them continue to enjoy life even longer.

An organism that grows in stagnant water is widening its reach in the U.S. Sometimes referred to as “swamp cancer,” pythiosis in dogs has a high mortality rate if not diagnosed and treated early enough.

without any hesitation

Cancer has to be the most feared diagnosis in all of medicine, one that sends patients and their families on a bewildering journey through statistics, treatment options, and life-or-death decisions that have to be made right now. Cancer has become so widespread that the care and treatment of its human patients is one of the world’s largest industries. Now cancer affects a significant percentage of veterinary patients as well.

Cancer profoundly alters a dog's metabolism, even before any malignancies are advanced enough to be detected; these changes persist even after remission. Ask any dog owner about his biggest health fears for his pet, and his response is likely to include cancer. It's a leading cause of death in canines and can be indiscriminate, striking young and old dogs alike.

The high-tech world of modern medicine has so many weapons that its “war on cancer” arsenal promises something for everyone. But all along, there have been patients, physicians, veterinarians, and animal caregivers who refuse chemotherapy, radiation treatments, surgery, prescription drugs, and other oncology protocols.

Veterinary oncologists say that cancers in humans and in dogs are incredibly similar, in terms of growth and prognosis. That's good news for both species, as research of human or canine cancer may yield insight about and new treatments for this deadly disease. In addition, many of the tactics that reduce the incidence of cancer in humans, veterinary oncologists say, can be used by pet owners to reduce the chances that their dogs will develop the disease. Here are four things you can do to help prevent cancer in your dog.

Lymphoma accounts for 7 to 24% of all canine cancers and approximately 85% of all the blood-based malignancies that occur, making it one of...

Uh-oh. What’s this lump? Any growth on your dog’s body deserves attention, especially one that wasn’t there last time you checked. It could be a sebaceous cyst (a sac filled with sebum, a cheesy or oily material, caused by clogged oil glands in the skin), an abscess (a pus-filled swelling caused by infection), or – everyone’s worst nightmare – a cancerous tumor. But in most cases, the lumps we discover as we pet and groom our dogs are lipomas, which are benign (non-cancerous) fat deposits, also known as fatty tumors. An estimated 1.7 million dogs are treated in the United States for lipomas every year, and according to one survey, American veterinarians average 25 lipoma removals annually at a cost to owners of $635 million. Lipomas tend to emerge as dogs reach middle age and increase in number as dogs get older. A dog with one lipoma is likely to get more. Lipomas are most often found on the chest, abdomen, legs, or armpits (axillae). These fatty lumps aren’t painful and they usually stay in one place without invading surrounding tissue.