May is Pet Cancer Awareness Month. Cancer is a terrible disease that affects both humans and pets alike. For Pet Cancer Awareness Month, we hope to educate our customers and help them spot the early signs of cancer. We also hope to educate about forms of cancer prevention and ways to protect our pets. Although cancer is treatable, its treatments are not always successful if it’s detected too late.
As a business specializing in pet care and my own education and experience as a veterinary care nurse, I take this topic seriously. Cancer affects everyone involved, and with the proper education and knowledge for the signs and prevention, we can save a couple more lives.
Cancer Prevention
Prevention for all forms of pet cancers is unknown; however, some known pet cancers can be prevented by spaying and neutering your pets. Spaying your female pets reduces the risk of mammary gland tumors forming. Similarly, neutering your male pets will eliminate the chances of testicular cancers with the removal of the organ.
Other forms of prevention include reducing the amount of time your dog spends out in the sun. Just like humans, too much sun exposure can lead to skin cancers. For cats, make sure you vaccinate your cat against feline leukemia. This disease can cause different forms of cancers if your cat is infected. Preventions from cancer caused by the external environment also include reducing chemical exposure to your pets. This can include avoiding cigarette smoke, or any unwanted radiation, or chemical ingestion and exposure.
Signs to Look For
The signs of cancer in pets are similar to those for humans. Some pet cancer warning signs are: swollen lymph nodes or changing/growing lumps, chronic weight loss, chronic vomiting or diarrhea, unexplained bleeding or poorly healing wounds, or bad breath. Other signs can include unexplained lameness, difficulty breathing or eating, and visible discomfort due to heat or pain.
It’s essential to give our pets frequent massages and inspect them to check if you can feel or see any abnormalities. This is a great way to bond with your pets while ensuring they are healthy and not feeling any pain. Keeping an eye on behaviour changes, eating habits, and excrement changes can indicate that something is wrong as well.
There aren’t always visible signs of symptoms early on, but if you suspect anything odd or off about your pet, be sure to visit your veterinarian for their professional opinion.
Pet Cancer Treatments and Care
There are numerous treatments available to pets with cancer, just as for humans. Treatments for pet cancer include: surgery, cryosurgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and immunotherapy. Your veterinarian will determine the type of treatment. It will depend on the type and stage of cancer, as well as the health levels of your pet. Most treatments can take a toll on our pet’s health as the treatment needs to be intense for such a severe illness. The good news is that if it’s discovered and treated early on, cancer can be eliminated.
Caring for a sick pet is a lot of work and responsibility. In this vulnerable state, it is vital to give as much affection and attention as you can. Your pet will not be feeling like their usual self, and giving them lots of love throughout treatment will provide them with the comfort of knowing you are by their side.
Despite our best efforts to protect our fur babies, their genetics and old age may have different plans for them. Some breeds are more prone to cancer, and old age is a cause of cancer as well. This nasty disease doesn’t always have a cure; however, keeping our pets healthy and doing our best to protect them from unnecessary dangers or exposure is the only thing we can do. For Pet Cancer Awareness Month, take the time to check up on your pet to make sure they are doing well and do not have any noticeable lumps, bumps, or spots. Check out our team of pet care specialists, and let us show you why you can trust us with your pets!