Editor?s note: Dr. Stephanie Correa will be appearing at the South Florida Pet Expo, which will be held, March 24 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the South Florida Expo Center. She will be speaking about warning signs of and earl detection of cancer. She will also be giving free cancer screening examinations.
Question: I have been reading about the different types of cancer that you see in dogs and cats. What are the most common signs of cancer? Early detection of cancer in both animals and people seems to be essential. What should I look for to know if my pets have cancer?
Answer: I will answer your questions with my next three columns.
Part 1: Early warning signs and symptoms of cancer
Monitoring your pet’s appetite is an important way to determine if your pet is ill. Changes in the appetite can be the first sign that there is something wrong. Appetite changes can occur for numerous reasons. Tumors in the mouth or stomach can make it difficult for a pet to chew or swallow. Cancer in the liver or kidneys can interfere with the function of these organs and make the pet feel nauseated so that there is no appetite present. If the appetite decreases or subsides and this is not noticed, weight loss will occur.
Once a patient is losing weight from an undiagnosed disease, the disease has usually progressed and treatment becomes more challenging. Appetite is an early warning sign that can be monitored on a daily basis by observing your pet at the food bowl and watching to see that the normal amount of food is consumed each day.
Monitoring the overall activity level of the pet is also a way to monitor the overall health of your pet. A pet that is normally active and engaged in the routines of the household that becomes slow, lethargic, reluctant to exercise, or seems tired may be affected with cancer of the bone or cardiovascular system.
Cancers of the bone are painful and patients with this type of cancer are reluctant to move due to discomfort. They may limp or have difficulty running or jumping. Cancers of the cardiovascular system can prevent the lungs and heart from functioning normally and pets will have exercise intolerance. Anemia is also a common finding in pets with cancer.
Like people, pets that become anemic, or have a low red blood cell count, feel tired. They are not able to carry enough oxygen to their tissues and seem weak. Changes in activity level can occur slowly over weeks to months and may be more difficult to detect since the changes are slowly progressive. Try to compare the activity level of the pet over the current month to the activity level of the pet two to three months earlier. Sometimes these types of comparisons make it easier to realize that there has been a change. Sudden changes in the activity level are easier to notice, and often require immediate intervention.
Dr. Correa
Board Certified in Oncology
Animal Cancer Care Clinic
www.AnimalCancerCareClinic.com
Read more articles by Dr. Correa
Source: http://blogs.palmbeachpost.com/pawshere/2012/03/08/watch-for-early-warning-signs-of-cancer-in-pets/
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