| Cancer is a very un-predictable disease even in dogs. | | | | back in the nose than just at the tip. |
| You can't really tell which dog breeds will be | | | | Symptoms of oral cancer are usually bleeding, |
| susceptible to cancer forming in or on their bodies, | | | | persistent growth of the cancer cells, pain, change in |
| and there is virtually nothing you can do to prevent | | | | how they eat, weight loss, and lethargy. Let's look at |
| the cancer from forming if they are genetically | | | | weight loss and eating patterns first. If you dog is |
| predisposed to the disease. There are several types | | | | experiencing pain in the mouth generally they will not |
| of cancer and in this article we are going to look at | | | | want to eat the dry hard food. They typically begin |
| oral cancer. There are two areas in which oral cancer | | | | to avoid the food even when they are hungry. They |
| can form: in the mouth or in the nasal cavity. Each | | | | may even start eating soggy pieces that have landed |
| area has its own symptoms to look out for and can | | | | in the water bowl. Not eating of course will lead to |
| be deadly if left untreated. We are going to look at | | | | the weight loss. This is typically the first symptom or |
| both cancers and help you with treatments so you | | | | symptoms that you will see. You may also see the |
| can understand what your dog may have to go | | | | masses if you check your dogs teeth on a daily basis. |
| through. | | | | The bleeding will usually result the longer the illness |
| In the oral cavity a dog can grow tumors or a mass | | | | goes on. This is usually towards the last stages of |
| that looks like a lump. These lumps can form on the | | | | the disease where death could be imminent. They |
| gums or in the bone in the mouth. If they form on | | | | can choke on the blood as well as experience |
| the lips, gums, or skin around the mouth you will be | | | | lethargy due to blood loss. |
| able to recognize them a little easier. With bone | | | | Once you have realized your dog's health has |
| cancer in the mouth it is hard to see the symptoms | | | | deteriorated you should seek a vet. They will offer |
| when they first appear. With oral cancer in the mouth | | | | you three or four methods of treatment depending |
| you will usually see a black formation that is small at | | | | on their facilities and what has worked best in the |
| first and it will continue to grow. There may be a | | | | past. Usually the first option is surgery to remove the |
| couple of spots of black lumps depending on the | | | | masses from the gums or nasal cavity. They will |
| progression of the disease. When the disease | | | | suggest the removal of bone for the bone cancer in |
| progresses these lumps can make the gums bleed, | | | | the jaws, but this can be extremely expensive and |
| the teeth fall out, and they can spread. You should | | | | difficult as they have to reconstruct the jaw once |
| also realize that some types of oral cancer can be | | | | they have removed the mass. Radiation is another |
| benign, which means they are not harmful to your | | | | choice offered. It works to minimize the growth of |
| dogs health. In most cases the cancer is malignant | | | | the cells as well as kill the mass that has already |
| and can result in death. For nasal cancer the dog will | | | | formed. This is usually the best method if you do not |
| form these lumps in the nasal passages. It can be | | | | want to undergo surgery for your dog. |
| difficult to see these lumps as they can be further | | | | |