Like so many pet-owners, I lost my last Golden to cancer.  Shawna was not quite 10 years old when she was diagnosed with bone cancer. The loss was, well, devastating. 

As a result of Shawna’s early death, I now find myself constantly checking out my current pooch, Callie (e.g., the famous PPC canine blogger), for lumps or irregularities.  Recently, I found a lump below Callies’s right shoulder blade.  I immediately took her to the vet.  The vet said that it was probably a fatty cyst and not to worry.  However, he did say to monitor it closely.   After a couple of months, it appeared that the lump was growing, so, I took Callie back to the vet.  This time, as a precautionary measure, they removed the lump and did a biopsy.  Fortunately, it was just a fatty cyst after all.  I was so relieved ….. but remain vigilant!

The website, new-record.com (using information from The North Carolina Veterinary Medical Assoication) has published a comprehensive online article on how to detect and treat cancer in a pet.  Here are some things to keep a look-out for:  sudden weight-loss, lumps that continue to grow, loss of appetite, stiffness, lethargy, and bleeding.  If cancer is detected, many of the same treatments used on humans are used on pets.  They include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation.

The good news is that, just like in humans, if caught early, most cancers are treatable!  So, keep a close eye on your pet, especially as they get older.  You’ll have many happy years together if you do.

To read the news-record.com article in its entirety, please visit:  http://www.news-record.com/blog/60759/entry/136235

Please share your experiences with pets and cancer with PPC members and visitors.  Your insight and guidance will be greatly appreciated. 

May our pets live long and happy lives!  Thanks for reading my blog.

Kurt