There are various cancers that could affect your pets – breast cancer, testicle cancer and skin cancer are some of the more common cancers in pets.
BREAST CANCER
Breast (mammary) cancer is the most common cancer we see amongst female pets. In order to minimise the risk of your pet getting breast cancer we highly recommend early sterilisation. Avoid breast and testicular cancer by sterilising your pets.
THE SUBTLE SIGNS OF BREAST CANCER
• Constant licking of nipples
• Swelling of nipples and breasts
• Lumps in the breast area
• Your pet feels unwell, eats less, becomes lethargic and loses weight
THE SIGNS OF TESTICULAR CANCER
• Feel and make sure both testes are present
• Note the size and consistency of the testes
• Cancerous testes can be smaller or larger than normal testes
THE SIGNS OF PET SKIN CANCER
• Excessively red skin with small sores that do not want to heal
• Contact licking of a wound
• Sores are unusual on pigmented skin (black skin)
One way to prevent skin cancer is to keep your pet out the sun and to prevent sunburn.
The first and most obvious sign of sunburn on a dog is redness directly on a dog’s skin. The dog’s skin will also be tender to the touch. Other signs of dog sunburn include: Dry, cracked or curled edges of a dog’s ears.
HOW TO PROTECT YOUR PET FROM SUNBURN
- Use sun block that contains zinc – in all seasons
- Invest in a sunburn protection coat – especially for pets with pink skin
- Keep your pet out of direct sunlight in the heat of the day
- If possible keep your pet in outside shaded areas or indoors, especially in summer
If your pet is showing any of the above signs, please contact your vet as soon as possible.