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Dog Articles & Tips Do You Know? Dogs (and cats) get Breast Cancer, Too! October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month (www.komen.org) for people. However, do you know that both female and male dogs get breast cancer, too? In fact, mammary tumors are the most common malignant tumor in female dogs and the second most common tumor in dogs of both sexes. Of course, dog mammary cancer is most prevalent in females. Dogs normally have five mammary glands on each side of their abdomens. About 65 % of tumors occur in the two (on each side) glands closest to the hind legs. In about 50% of cases, one or more glands can show irregular growths at the same time. Mammary tumors can be hard or soft, well-defined lumps or diffuse swellings, and fast or slow growing. Generally, benign tumors are small, soft, and slow growing while malignant tumors are fast growing, irregularly shaped, and feel like a small piece of gravel under the skin that does not move around. Regardless of what you think a lump feels or looks like, if you find one on your pet immediately take him or her to your veterinarian, because according to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), “Fifty percent of all breast tumors in dogs and 85% of all breast tumors in cats are malignant” (http://www.avma.org/). Furthermore, there are different types of benign tumors and different types of malignant tumors. Only through a biopsy can your vet determine what the growth on your dog is. Please regularly check your dog all over for any signs of a growth or something unusual anywhere on his or her body. Bath time is the perfect opportunity for this exam. The good news is that mammary cancer is almost completely preventable! There is a direct link to mammary cancer and the hormones progesterone and estrogen. Therefore, dogs that are spayed before their first heat cycle (between 6 to 12 months old) will have almost no chance of ever developing the disease (.05%). Dogs spayed after their first heat will have an 8% chance of developing mammary cancer, and that rate goes up to 26% in dogs spayed after their second heat. This article is a basic introduction to canine mammary cancer. For more information, please visit the following Websites: http://www.morrisanimalfoundation.org |