posted by Tess on Dec 25
While pursuing longevity for domestic pets, the medial fraternity did not probably bargain for the accompanying risks of cancer, which is mostly seen in older pets. Moreover, as long as we feed an unnatural diet to our pets and abuse the environment, pet owners are likely to continue facing problems with cancer in their pets.
Seeing pets die slowly killer diseases like dog liver cancer and lymphoma in cats is indeed not something that any pet lover would want.
Many of us do not realize that it is natural for animals to resort to ‘self treatment’ in the wild. Most of them nibble at things that are actually not their natural diet. It has been seen that this happens only when the animal is not completely healthy and therefore is actually a means of herbal self medication. This forms the basis on which herbal and natural medicine for pets is based.
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posted by Tess on Dec 17
Cancer is actually an uncontrolled growth of cells resulting from an accumulation of changes in the structure of the genes that control cell division and multiplication. Melanoma is one of the several malignant neoplasms, usually of the skin. The affected cell is mostly melanocytes, a cell in the basal layer of the epidermis that produces melanin under the control of the melanocyte-stimulating hormone. Benign and malignant skin tumors are a common form of canine and feline cancer.
Melanoma cancer in dogs occurs commonly in dark skinned animals, usually in areas under haired skin, as small, dark brown to black lumps. In certain cases they may appear as large flat wrinkled masses. Other areas where melanomas can also appear include mouth, digits and behind the eye. A swelling or increase in size of lymph nodes is the first clinical sign of a malignant melanoma. Although the pigment called melanin is the distinctive characteristic of such tumors, some melanomas may not display a darkly colored pigment.
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posted by Tess on Dec 15
Outdoor cats, especially white cats or those with white non-pigmented areas carry a high risk of developing certain types of skin cancers. Typically these are the cancers that are linked with excessive exposure to sunlight.
The first few signs of such a condition are a discoloration of the skin, pinkish skin that looks as if it has scales and excessive loss of hair. On the first signs of such symptoms the cat should be protected from sunlight to restrict further development of the disease. If ignored this leads to further crusting of the skin and ultimately develops into a squamous cell cancer.
Squamous cell cancer is a malignant tumor that normally manifests on ear flaps, the visible cartilage of the external ear, nose and eyelids. Unlike other types of feline cancer squamous cell cancer rarely spreads to other parts of the body. But when it does, it can affect the lymph nodes and lungs. The initial signs of this cancer appear in the form of a scab on the head or minor irritations that cause itching. If not checked the harmless looking lesions can worsen and cause more painful conditions like:
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posted by Tess on Oct 30
Medically, cancer is known as malignant neoplasm. However, a growth or a tumor may be benign or malignant. The three properties that differentiate self-limiting benign tumors from malignant cancer are:
- Uncontrolled growth, which is division and multiplication beyond normal limits
- Invasion, which is intrusion and destruction of adjacent cells
- And sometimes metastasis, which is spread to other locations in the body through lymph nodes or blood.
Cancer is basically a disease of regulation of growth of tissue and with the exception of leukemia, most cancers form tumors. For the disease to spread and develop further in the body, a normal cell must change into a cancer cell. The common course in all cancers is the alteration in the genetic material of a cancerous cell and its progeny.
According to a report published in January 2006 in the National Geographic “there is compelling evidence that cancers hidden beneath the skin can be detected simply by (dogs) examining a person’s breath.” While the basis of this news may be debatable till is conclusively proven, cancer remains a medical condition that is usually detected very late in humans as well as dogs.
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posted by Tess on Aug 18
Bladder cancer in dogs is usually malignant and the most common type is transitional cell carcinoma (TCC). TCC is a cancer that originates in the bladder, kidney or ureters but the most common site for this type of cancer is the bladder. It arises in the transitional epithelium, the membranous tissue covering these organs.
The exact cause of TCC is not totally known but it is suspected that carcinogens that pass out through the urine lead to development of cancer in the lining of these organs. Since the carcinogens tend to be stored in the bladder along with urine, the bladder is the most affected organ.
Some drugs are also known to be metabolized by the liver to produce acrolein, a known human carcinogen. As acrolein is produced in the liver and passed out through the urine, it is also suspected to be one of the causes of urethra and liver cancer in dogs.
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posted by Tess on Aug 3
Canine prostate cancer is different in some respects and similar in others when compared with prostate cancer in humans. Unlike prostate cancer in humans, which is a slow progressing condition, canine prostate cancer is a highly aggressive and invasive disease. In many cases the life expectancy is barely thirty days after diagnosis.
On the other hand, it produces symptoms that are similar to prostate cancer in humans and is detected just as late. Although, the basis of the disease is the same as in humans, treatment modalities are largely different and restricted in the case of canine prostate cancer.
Cancer cells in dogs that have prostate cancer metastasize (spread) to other parts of the body like bones, lungs and lymph nodes at a fast speed. An abnormal gait is common in dogs with prostate cancer due to the affect that it has on bones.
The prostate gland encircles the urethra and its enlargement causes difficulty in urination (dysuria). Some dogs may also show symptoms such as a difficulty in passing stools or an inclination to defecate without significant production of feces due to spasms in the anal sphincter.
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posted by Tess on Jul 30
Osteosarcoma is the most common bone cancer in dogs and in most cases, attacks the femur bone. Sarcoma is usually a malignant tumor that arises from the connective tissue of bones and muscles. Out of the three different types of primary bone cancers seen in dogs, osteosarcoma is not only the most malignant but also the most metastatic.
Primary signs of bone cancer start appearing with mild swelling that refuses to be treated with anti-inflammatory drugs. Later, some elements of lameness may be seen. The lameness becomes more pronounced as the disease progresses. Sometimes the bone is so weakened that the weight of the dog itself can cause fracture. Bone cancer is very painful and leads to a refusal to eat and consequently a significant weight loss is seen in almost all cases.
Bone cancers are relatively difficult to detect and require a host of tests that include X-Rays, complete blood profile, ultrasounds and bone scans. A number of other tests are also required to check the level of metastasis that has occurred.
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posted by Tess on Jun 20
Whichever treatment for cancer in dogs you may opt for, the major aim of all cancer treatments boils down to eliminating cancerous cells by all means. The best cure for cancer in dogs is one that kills cancer cells, does not kill normal cells and at the same time ensures that there are no or manageable side effects. This is not possible in all cases as practically all therapies have drawbacks in one sphere or the other.
The most common therapies for cancer treatment include:
* Surgery, a partial or total excision of a tumor, has limited success ratio in cases where cancer has spread to various organs in the body.
* Chemotherapy, the use of drugs to kill cancer cells, has serious toxic side effects.
* Radiation therapy, the use of high intensity radiation, cannot guarantee that only cancer cells will be targeted.
There has been a significant development in the field of discovering newer therapies for treating cancer. Drugs and techniques that target only cancerous cells and spare the normal cells are in different stages of development and are being termed as ‘magic bullets’ Some of these therapies include the following:
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posted by Tess on Jun 12
The success of any cancer treatment is directly related to the stage at which it is detected. There are strong possibilities of cancer in dogs spreading to vital organs making surgical removal an impossible task.
All cancers do not occur as tumors that can be seen on the surface of the body. And therefore these tumors are not too easy to notice and monitor. In many cases malignant cancer symptoms manifest themselves as symptoms that are related directly to the organ it affects.
Symptoms like gastrointestinal bleeding or diarrhea are associated with a tumor in the stomach, small and large intestines or colon. Similarly, cancer in hormone producing organs surfaces in the shape of endocrinal disorders and brain or spinal cord tumors are associated with neurological symptoms.
However there are instances where cancer produces general symptoms that do not point to a specific organ. For example, the symptoms of liver cancer in dogs like loss of appetite, a distended stomach and weakness can be associated with cancer as well as other ailments. Some of the other non specific symptoms include weight loss, low grade fever, muscle weakness, skin rash, hair loss and lethargy.
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posted by Tess on Jun 11
The question what causes cancer has been one of the most frustrating questions for scientists involved in cancer research. Despite huge amounts of funding and resource being spent on the subject, there is still an element of doubt behind what causes cancer. At the most we know what the risk factors are because most of the causes carry an element of doubt along with them.
An important risk factor behind the development of lung cancer in humans is cigarette smoking. But cigarette smoking does not cause cancer on its own because there is strong evidence of many heavy smokers who do not develop cancer. Genetic predisposition and a change in genetic messages caused by carcinogens combine to cause cancer. For example, age may be one factor that has been identified. This is because advancing age allows for a series of changes in the body that can lead to the transformation of normal cells into cancerous ones. Risk factors are important in as much as they have the ability to affect genes responsible for normal cell functioning.
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