Dr Syedah Asma Andrabi
Since the earliest times, discoveries in veterinary oncology has run parallel with the human findings. Humans have developed interest in pet rearing since ages and with time, they became more conscious about the health of their furry friends.
However, when it comes to cancers, animals are denied basic care, despite the fact that remarkable advancements have been made in cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment. This is because of lack of awareness among the pet owners regarding such a dreadful disease, although rate of occurrence of cancers in dogs is roughly the same as that of humans. Approximately 1 in 4 dogs will, develop cancer at some stage in their life, while there is less information about the rate of cancer in cats. Nevertheless, some cancers, such as lymphomas, are more common in cats than in dogs. Therefore, raising awareness is the first step to beating the disease. November has been chosen as a National Pet Cancer Awareness Month, which was created, by Nationwide and the Animal Cancer Foundation in 2005, with a goal to raise both money and awareness to fight the leading killer of pets and to enlighten the pet owners about pet cancers and encourage its prevention and the care needed by their pets.
What is Neoplasia, tumor and Cancer?
Neoplasia is the uncontrolled or abnormal growth of cells or tissues in the body, and the abnormal growth itself is called as neoplasm or tumor. Neoplasm can be benign or malignant. Benign neoplasm often grows slowly but do not invade the surrounding body tissues whereas malignant neoplasm grows at various rates, invading the tissues around them, and spread, or metastasize, to other parts of the body.
The word “tumor” is commonly used to describe the actual swelling. The word “cancer” is often confused with neoplasia, but only malignant neoplasms are true cancers.
What are the symptoms in Pets?
All the pets, especially dogs of all ages, breeds and sizes are at a risk of developing cancer, but chances of the disease are high in old age. For the early detection and successful treatment of cancer, it is important to know the signs and symptoms in the initial stage of the disease. In general, most common symptoms of pet cancer are lethargy, weight loss, anorexia, vomiting, diarrhea, behavioral changes, uncontrolled bleeding from the mouth, nose or other body openings, difficulty in breathing and lumps or bumps that increase in size, change their shape, or texture, non-healing wounds. If your pet is experiencing any of the symptoms, seek veterinary care as early as possible.
Diagnosis
Cancer is often tentatively diagnosed based on the medical history and physical examination of the pet. Additionally, blood tests, radiographs (x-rays), and ultrasound helps in confirming the disease. For most tumors, cytology (withdrawing some cells from a mass to examine under a microscope) is preferred diagnostic test that can rapidly confirm certain types of cancers. A biopsy (tissue sample taken from the neoplasm for examination under a microscope) is often necessary to confirm the diagnosis and help determine if the neoplasm is benign or malignant. Lymph nodes cytology or biopsy is helpful in determining the spread of neoplasm. In addition, advanced imaging such as computed tomography (CT) scan, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or positron emission tomography (PET) scan can also improve the understanding of the tumor’s location and possible treatment options.
Types of pet Neoplasms
Common cancers in dogs include mammary and uterine tumors in females, lymphoma common in golden retrievers or boxers, bone tumors (osteosarcoma) in males, skin tumors (mast cell tumors and soft tissue sarcomas), tumors of the oral cavity and nasal tumors. In cats, common cancers include tumors of the gastrointestinal tract (lymphoma), oral tumors (squamous cell carcinoma), lung tumors and nasal tumors.
Is neoplasia preventable?
Unfortunately, the cause of neoplastic diseases is often unknown, so, it becomes very difficult to prevent it. However, the risk of developing the neoplasm can be reduced in pets by following certain preventive measures such as spaying female pets before 12 months of age and neutering male dogs to eliminate the risk of testicular cancers. In addition, incorporation of healthy balanced diet, maintaining healthy weight, regular exercises, establishing simple lifestyle and avoiding second hand smoke or exposure to toxins will promote overall health of your pet and help him live better life. Nonetheless, the best way to manage neoplasia in pets is its early detection. So, regular visits should be made to your veterinarian.
Pet Cancer Treatment
Chemotherapy is one of the preferred treatments in pets with malignant neoplasms as they often tolerate it better than humans do. Other treatments include combination of therapies like surgery, radiation, immunotherapy and palliative care. Because each treatment has its own benefits and potential side effects, therefore a veterinarian usually develop a treatment plan customized to the pet’s specific needs and these plans are based on age, health status, and the type of cancer. In addition, pain management is also an important aspect of treatment.
Is neoplasia curable?
Some types of neoplasia are curable, while others can only be managed by decreasing their spread to prolong the comfort and lifespan of the pet as much as possible. The two biggest factors, which determine the success of treatment for neoplasia, are stage of neoplasia that is how large and how far it has spread in the body and the type of neoplasia that indicates the chance for response to therapy, and both local invasion as well as the rate of spread to other parts of the body .
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