Cancer and your pet ... what you need to know!
Introduction: Let’s talk about the “C”-word…Cancer. Not an easy subject to broach, and equally difficult to talk about. Let’s be honest, most of us would be horrified to hear that our pet has received this diagnosis. Most people will have some sort of experience with cancer, whether personally, or through a friend or family member. This experience likely leaves us with a very specific and subjective impression of what a diagnosis of cancer means, and also the effects of the treatment process and its financial, emotional and physical cost. This said, I would like to try to give some facts about this disease, and to offer some helpful information regarding its diagnosis and treatment in our pets. Prevalence of cancer in pets: It has been my experience over the years that cancers of various kinds are increasing in prevalence in the pet population. In fact, it may be that almost 50% of dogs over the age of 10 years could develop some form of cancer, thus constituting a major cause of ...