About Canine Cancer

We never know how or why some dogs (or people) get cancer and why some never do. There are many types of cancer for both humans and dogs alike. There are many possible causes of cancer (chemicals in our environment – especially cigarette smoke, sun exposure, assorted viruses and infections). There could also be genetic factors as well. Cancer starts with one or a small group of cells that have “gone wrong.” It appears that such cells arise in our bodies all the time and we have an assortment of natural mechanisms to destroy these cells before they get out of control. Sometimes these cancer cells escape our natural mechanisms and cancer develops. Because canine cancer is difficult to pinpoint the how and the why, it is important that as a pet owner or breeder, you should not feel that you caused this or brought it on your canine somehow. Many people feel a need to find blame and latch onto the idea that a household cleaner, pesticide, other chemicals on the premises or the lineage of the canine was the cause. Placing blame is a natural part of grieving when one is given the bad news of having cancer, but it is important not to focus on the "whys". The actual Cause is not relevant to actual treatment. Also there is no way to verify the "whys". When your canine is diagnosed with cancer, its best to concentrate on treatment or what step to take next. At this time, there is no way to know the exact causes for canine cancer.

Because there is no way to determine whether a dog can actually BEAT cancer through chemotherapy or other treatment options, the canine owner will have to weigh the pros and the cons of not only the expense of optional treatment but whether the canine will survive the treatment or if prolonging the inevitable is just the owner's way of prolonging dealing with the canine's eventual demise. Depending upon the type of cancer and the prognosis given by a canine specialist, we always recommend having the pet euthanized if a canine specialist has given your pet a diagnosis of a type of cancer that inevitably will cause your pet's demise regardless of treatment. It is more humane to have your pet euthanized than to watch him or her suffer the effects of chemotherapy and other cancer treatment methods if the outcome is still going to be the same.

While the pet in the early stages of cancer will not appear to be ill or show any signs of illness immediately, it is only a matter of time before he or she will begin showing signs of illness if the pet has been diagnosed with cancer that may be inoperable or will affect other organs and has been deemed to be deadly. Many dogs can die within 2 months of diagnosis without treatment and treatment is not cheap! The diagnosis of cancer is heart wrenching for the dog owner and by no means are we suggesting that having your pet euthanized is an easy option. Everyone who loves their pet will have a difficult decision to make and its not an easy road. Being realistic is a must if our pet has been diagnosed with an illness that can cause their death. Death is not something anyone wants to deal with whether human or animal. On the bright side, we've come a long way where treatment and animals are concerned. It's always best to look into every treatment option available, get the facts from your canine specialist and take a good hard look at reality and your finances. Chemotherapy can sometimes be used as the sole method of treatment or in combination with other medications. Chemotherapy can last for up to one year or longer, depending upon

the type of cancer your canine has been diagnosed with. Surgery is usually combined with chemotherapy and other medications with certain types of cancer if the cancer is operable.

It's important to know that chemotherapy can just be a means to slow down a tumor or help shrink the size of a tumor but is not always able to stop cancer from returning after treatment has occurred. This is why we say that one must face the reality of the situation should your canine be diagnosed with cancer that may or may not respond to expensive treatment options. Below we will list some links that may be of help if your canine has been diagnosed with any type of cancer.

Can Goldendoodles get canine cancer? The answer is simply this. Every human and every canine can at some time during their lives, get cancer. After conducting some research about the subject, we decided to create this page and offer some links to sights that we felt could offer some information with regards to canine cancer. There are many types of cancer, so the links that we located are basically general information links. If you suspect that your Goldendoodle or other canine may have a suspicious lump anywhere on its body, early detection can help determine whether or not your canine has cancer or just an abscess or other skin ailment. Dogs, like people, can also contract skin cancer from too much sun. Caution must be taken during the summer months to protect your canine from harmful sun rays. If your canine is an outdoor dog, you definitely want to invest in a tarp or some sort of screened area for your canine to get out of the sun. Ultra violet rays regardless of the season, are harmful to animals and humans alike. Because we never know why humans or canine get cancer, we must focus on available treatment once cancer is discovered and diagnosed.

Today, because more has been learned about canine cancer, treatment options are more accessible than ever. The fact that we've come a long way in how to treat canine who get cancer, offers greater hope than ever of a successful outcome than any other previous available therapy. The treatment of choice for most cancers consists of a two-pronged approach: 1) Reduce the tumors in whatever way is appropriate for the patient, (surgery, chemo and radiation) while 2) addressing the underlying cause, which is a failure of the body to recognize the cancer cells as invaders and destroy them. This failure of the recognition response is what allows the cancer to grow, and can be an immune system dysfunction. This two pronged approach to cancer treatment is termed Immuno-Modulation therapy, and is the way cancer is being treated by some, today.

Cancer is not only the leading cause of non-accidental death in dogs but nearly half of all dogs over age 10 die from cancer. Now there is a pet food that is becoming a critical component of caring for canine cancer patients. Hill's Pet Nutrition has introduced Hill's Prescription Diet(R) Canine n/d, the only therapeutic pet food clinically proven to increase the survival time of dogs undergoing cancer treatment, according to Hill's. It isn't a secret that diet and/or the foods that our canine eat can contribute to the cancer rate or increase in dogs. Most canine who get cancer are usually older dogs...but what if a canine is young or still a growing pup, when cancer is detected?