All Entries in the "Canine Dog Breast cancer" Category

Symptoms & Treatment of Dog Breast Cancer

The Symptoms & Treatment of Breast (Mammary) Cancer in Dogs

This article will discuss the symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of mammary cancer in dogs.

Symptoms & Diagnosis of Dog Breast Cancer

• Mammary tumors can appear as a single mass or as multiple pustules.
• They tend to be very hard and rigid.
• They can grow very rapidly, doubling in size over the course of a month.

Dogs have five mammary glands on the underside of the abdomen. Malignancies are usually indicated by rapid growth, irregular shapes, firm attachment to the underlying skin, bleeding and ulceration. It is impossible to definitely determine the type without a biopsy or tumor removal for analysis.

Dog Mammary Cancer Treatment & Prognosis

Unless the patient is very old, or not physically able to withstand it, the initial recommended treatment is surgical removal. If detection is early and the tumor is contained and promptly excised, the cancer can be totally eliminated in 50% of malignancy cases.

• Chemotherapy may be suggested following surgery to decrease the risk of recurrence.
• On its own, chemotherapy has been shown to result in complete or partial remissions in only a few isolated cases.
• Radiation therapy may be suggested for local control of inoperable mammary cancers.

A downside of radiation therapy is that it is not completely effective in larger tumors. Cancer cells at the center of the mass will often survive, opening the door for recurrence at a later date. Because of this, veterinary oncologists will often use radiation therapy in conjunction with surgery and/or chemotherapy in an attempt to target residual cells.

As a loving dog owner, it is important you know and understand canine cancer because all dogs have a 1 in 2 chance of developing it.

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#1 Prevention for Canine Breast Cancer (Adenocarcinoma)

This article will discuss the rates, causes , #1 prevention, and age, breed and sex predilection of mammary tumors in dogs.

Female dogs are at a high risk for developing malignant mammary tumors. Most of the malignant mammary tumors are adenocarcinomas. This means that they originate in the glandular tissue. Some may be inflammatory carcinomas, sarcomas and carcinosarcomas.  Mammary tumors can be small bumps or large growths.

Dog Breast Cancer Rates

Mammary tumors are the most common tumors in non-spayed female dogs. Of all malignant tumors found in female dogs, 50% are mammary tumors. Of the mammary tumors that develop in canines, half are benign.

Mammary cancer is the second most common cancer overall. It is estimated that it affects 160 of every 100,000 dogs per year, which translates to over 118,000 dogs annually.

Canine Adenocarcinoma Causes and Prevention

The risk for developing benign mammary tumors has been linked to the female reproductive hormone progesterone. Progesterone is the hormone responsible for the progression of pregnancy. Spaying significantly decreases the risk of developing these tumors.

Spaying non-breeding female dogs before they are 1 1/2 years of age is the most substantial preventive measure. Breast cancer is very rare among females spayed before their first heat cycle. The risk of malignant mammary tumors in dogs spayed before their first heat cycle is 0.05%. The risk increases to 8% for dogs spayed following their first heat, and jumps to 26% when spayed after their second heat.

Canine Breast Cancer Age, Breed, & Sex Predilection

• Male dogs rarely develop mammary tumors, but when they do, the tumors tend to be very aggressive, and result in a poor prognosis for the dog.
• Mammary tumors are most common for non-spayed, middle-age females between the ages of five and ten.

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