Signs of common dog cancer owners need to know about

After a surge in online searches relating to dog cancer, Dr Anna Foreman, Everypaw Pet Insurance’s in-house vet, has spoken out about the common signs. Dr Anna said: “Mammary (breast) cancer is unfortunately common in female dogs who have not been neutered before two years of age.

"In these dogs, mammary cancer tends to be malignant - the nastier type that has the ability to spread around the body.”

Common signs include:

• Lumps under or around the nipples, and around or between the mammary glands. Dogs have two mammary ‘chains’ which run down each side of their underside (tummy), and the lumps can appear anywhere here. Lumps tend to be quite hard and gritty, often feeling irregular rather than round and soft.

• Bleeding or other discharge from the skin of the underside (if mammary gland lumps have burst and gotten infected)

• Licking or itching the underside.

• Malignant mammary cancers tend to spread to an animal’s lungs, and so later in the disease process we often see coughing or difficulty breathing

• As with any malignant type of cancer, lethargy, inappetence and weight loss are also common to see.

If a female dog is not neutered or has been neutered after two years of age, then an owner should regularly check their dog’s mammary glands for lumps, much like women are encouraged to check their own breasts.

Treatment includes:

• Removing the lump, and tissue around it depending on how large the lump is, and how many mammary glands are in close proximity.

• If multiple lumps are present, then a whole chain of mammary glands may need to be removed - this is called a mammary strip.

• A dog may also need chemotherapy alongside surgical removal. Often this cancer has already spread to the lungs at diagnosis, and so treatment is often not curative.

The best cure is prevention as with many diseases. Neutering a female dog when they are under two years old gives them a protective effect against mammary cancer. This protective effect increases the younger they are - spaying a dog under 6 months old gives the best protective effect.

Every animal is different and neutering at a young age is sometimes not appropriate, especially in larger breed dogs or those with behavioural concerns. There is also an increased risk of a few conditions such as urinary incontinence in spayed female dogs too, although this condition is easily managed with medication, and relative benefits are considered to outweigh the risks.