Cancer

Cancer is an abnormal growth of cells within the body. There are several types of cancer depending on the location in the body where the growth occurs and the type of cells involved.

• Kidney: Tumors of the kidney are very rare, representing only 2% of cancers in dogs. Benign tumors are rare; most are malignant.

• Liver: Most hepatic tumors originate from other organs, including the pancreas, spleen, adrenal gland, intestinal tract, mammary gland and lungs. These types of tumors are usually malignant.

• Lung: Lung tumors are relatively rare in cats and dogs, but the number of cases has increased by over 100% in the past 20 years. These types of tumors are usually malignant.

• Mouth: Tumors of the mouth and throat are common and usually malignant.

• Mammary: Tumors of the mammary glands are very common in intact (unspayed) females and can vary in severity.

• Pancreatic: Pancreatic tumors are rare and usually move on to the liver. They are usually malignant.

• Skin: Melanomas are the most common type of skin cancer in small animals. These are tumors involving the skin pigment cells and can usually be removed.

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