There are many symptoms that point to the possibility of
dog cancer. Each one of these symptoms can be caused by another condition.
However, if you notice your dog having a few of these warning signs at the same
time, it's best you bring your dog to a vet for a check-up.
Collapsing
Collapsing is a major warning sign for dogs. This is
because dogs are usually active and playful when they are awake. If a dog is
always napping or sleeping instead of greeting you when you are near, it is a
sign that there is something is out of the ordinary happening. Pay attention to
the baseline of activity of your dog so that you will automatically notice when
it is collapsing from lethargy.
And don't wait out to see if your dog is fine after some
time. The symptoms of collapsing, lethargy, and weakness are usual signs of dog
cancer. Bring it to a vet for attention as quick as you can. This is
particularly true in the large breed dogs, like the Great Dane or Saint Bernard
breeds. Even though they may collapse and seem fine the next time, it could be
a sign that there's a tumor of the spleen.
Coughing
It is quite rare for a dog to be cough. Though it can
happen if something gets caught in its throat. For example, when it chokes on food
or when a piece of fur or dust enters the dogs mouth. Also, some small breed
dogs can develop coughs due to problems with their windpipes. We wouldn’t be
too concerned if your dog only coughs once or twice every once in a while. Some
dogs do that to clear the airways to their lungs.
However, if your dog is coughing continuously throughout
the day for a few days in a row, bring your dog to a vet quickly for a checkup.
It may be a sign that your dog has developed infections in the airway due to
dirt, or grass that it sucked in. There’s also a chance that your dog may have
bronchitis or pneumonia. Worst case scenario, your dog might have lung cancer.
Weight Loss
When it comes to dog cancer, weight loss is one of the top
symptoms that vets tend to see. Just as sudden weight loss is a big health
warning for human beings, it’s a bad sign for dogs as well. It is certainly
good practice to weigh your dog on a consistent basis. This will give you a
true measure of its weight as opposed to just trying to guess by sight.
The presence of gastrointestinal tumors can cause sudden
weight loss in dogs. Dogs stop eating as much as they do because of these
gastrointestinal tumors. And even if your dog eats as much as it usually does,
it can still lose weight due to cancer. So no matter whether your dog belongs
to a big or small dog breed, if you realize that your dog is losing weight
either quickly or slowly, bring it to a vet for immediate attention.
Mouth Changes
When it comes to detecting oral cancer, your dog’s mouth
offers a lot of clues. Oral tumors can grow quickly and spread around the rest
of a dogs body. It is among one of the most challenging cancers to treat, so
the earlier you detect it, the better. It is also more common amongst larger
dog breeds compared to smaller ones.
Though you may not be as experienced as a vet, there are
several tell tale signs that tell you that a dog potentially has cancer.
Firstly, you can check for bleeding of the gum. This shouldn’t be too hard to
spot, as traces of blood would be left on the ground or on the fur near its
mouth. Secondly, look out for any unexplained loss of teeth. A weak gum would
leave loose dog teeth and may eventually fall out of the mouth. Also, look out
for swollen glands near the neck area. That’s where the lymph nodes of your dog
are located.
Nosebleeds
Nosebleeds in dogs are another telltale sign that your dog
may have cancer. Though, this cancer symptom is much more alarming for an older
dog than it is for a young dog. Sometimes, a nosebleed could instead point to a
condition known as coagulopathy. This is a condition where the blood has lost
much of its ability to clot and could lead to continuous bleeding. Other times,
it could be because there are tumors in the nasal airways that cause the
bleeding.
For younger dogs, nosebleeds could occur when the there are
foreign objects blocking the nasal airways. It may require surgery to remove
those foreign objects. In any case, do bring your dog to a vet immediately if
the nosebleed persists for longer than a day. There are a few options to
treating nose cancer in dogs, one being radiotherapy. Though it does take quite
a bit of time and investment, radiotherapy could well bring the spread of the
cancer under control.
Diarrhea or Changes in Bathroom Habits
Occasionally, your dog may have diarrhea from eating the
wrong foods. Dogs sometimes like to scavenge the table or floor for leftover foods
and this can cause disease and infections in the intestine. The result is loose
excrement. Besides infections from eating the wrong foods causing diarhhea, it
could also be caused by dog cancer. Tumors in the intestine could be upsetting
its functioning. So, if you find your dog having persistent diarrhea, bring it
to a vet immediately. The vet will perform a diagnosis by performing a fecal
examination. If not, the diagnosis can be done through either ultrasound
examination or colonoscopy.
Vomiting is another cause for concern. Like diarrhea,
vomiting could be caused by a dog eating the wrong foods. It could also be
caused by intestinal tumors affecting the dog's digestive fuctioning. Another
sign of intestinal tumors is if blood is found in a dog's urine or feces.
Discharge
Discharge from your dog’s nose or eyes usually happens when
there are foreign objects caught inside. Your dog’s immune system then secretes
discharge to protect itself against the foreign objects. Sometimes discharge
can also happen because of allergies. Infections could be another reason. The
discharge that comes out is usually watery, but when it is a yellow-green color
tone it could indicate an infection.
In rare cases, the nasal discharge is a sign of cancer. In
this situation, nasal discharge is a symptom of facial tumors, whereas eye
discharge is a sign of eye tumors. Monitor the discharge that comes out from
your dog’s nose and eyes. If it comes and goes within the day, chances are that
the discharge was due to a foreign object or a temporary allergy. However, if
there is continuous discharge over several days, bring your dog to a vet
immediately to have him checked.
Seizures
Seizures are a neurological condition where there are
unusual, uncontrolled spikes of electrical activity in your dog’s brain. Signs
of seizure include sudden bursts of activity, like chomping and chewing,
shivering, and foaming at the mouth. At times, they lose so much control over
their bodies that they can unknowingly poop or pee during a seizure.
The main thing you should do when you see your dog having a
seizure is to make sure it is not near any sharp objects or furniture near its
head. Then, gently comfort your dog by stroking it’s fur. Never put your hand
near its mouth when its having a seizure as it may unknowingly chomp on your
hand. Seizures in older dogs may be a strong sign of dog cancer. If you have an
older dog, or if you find your dog having constant seizures, bring it to a vet
for a diagnosis immediately.
Skin Changes
If you see any lumps or changes on your dog's skin, it
could either be benign or cancerous. When you see this, it's best to bring your
dog to a vet to check on it. When you pet or touch your dog, take the
opportunity to feel for lumps or swelling. You can even schedule in routine
checks on its skin.
If you do spot something unusual on your dog's skin, the
only way to tell whether it is benign or cancerous is to take a sample. So if
you do spot something unusual, bring your dog to a vet quickly. Also take note
of sores that don't heal or lesions that cause constant itching on your dog.
They too could be a sign that your dog may have cancer. This cancer symptom is
more common among older male dogs. So if your dog falls into that category, pay
particular attention to its skin.
Weight Gain
If you see your dog rapidly getting bigger, it may be a
cause for concern. Just as sudden weight loss may be a sign of cancer, so is
sudden unexplained weight gain. Of course, it's important to know when the
sudden weight gain is normal and abnormal. Normal causes of sudden weight gain
could be a sudden increase in your dogs meal size. Another normal cause of
rapid weight gain is if your dog has been under-exercising.
And when assessing its weight, be measure it objectively.
Sometimes, our eyes play tricks on us. Your dog may look bigger at certain
times of the day, especially after meals. So the best way to objectively know
if your dog is suddenly putting on a few pounds is to routinely weigh it. If
you do find that your dog has sudden unexplained weight gain, bring it to a vet
immediately for a cancer diagnosis.
General Pain or Discomfort
If your dog is in constant pain and discomfort, it’s a sign
of potential dog cancer. So how to tell if your dog is in pain? The most
obvious indicator of stain is when the dog is vocal about it. If for no telling
reason your dog starts to whine, it could be in pain. This is especially true
if it whines when you’re near it. It could be trying to communicate it’s in
pain to you. Another sign is if it is panting heavily when the weather is not
hot or when it did not perform any strenuous exercise. Lastly, your dog could
be in pain if you notice that it has lost its appetite to eat. Generally, dogs
love to eat and have a good appetite for food.
When you constantly notice these signs that your dog is in
pain, it is a cause for concern. Bring your dog to the vet immediately for an
expert diagnosis.
Unusual Odors
Dogs are well known for having bad breath. A dog’s bad
breath comes from the accumulation of bacteria in its mouth. It could also be
due to bad digestion after a meal. But if you consistently smell unusually foul
odors from your dog’s nose or mouth, it could be because there are tumors
there. Other signs of mouth cancer include continuous drooling, swelling of the
gum, and bleeding from the mouth.
Do check with a vet quickly when you notice these signs. An
expert diagnosis is needed to ascertain where your dog has tumors in its mouth.
Mouth cancer can spread quickly to other parts of the body so early detection
does a lot of good.
