Found a Bump/Lump on My Dog
Dog Cancer Surgery: What I’ve Learned So You Don’t Have To
Dog cancer surgery is really scary, and there’s a lot to think about. The editor of The Dog Cancer Survival Guide just went through it.
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Lumps On Dogs: When To Get Them Checked By A Veterinarian
Finding lumps on dogs is scary, but waiting to get them checked is a terrible idea. The sooner you know what it is, the better. Get the guidelines now.
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Video: Lump on Dog? Here’s What You Need to Know
Don’t wait — aspirate. Dr. Susan Ettinger helped Dr. Andy Roark with this excellent, informative video about WHY we should ask our vets to test each bump or lump.
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Don’t Forget Your Dog at the Veterinarian
When booking a new consultation with me, pet Guardians often ask if it is necessary to bring their dog to the appointment. From their point of view, they are often concerned about the stress of the visit on their pet, or maybe the travel itself. But from my point of view, a consultation without the…
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Worried about Oral or Nasal Tumors? You Should Be!
You should check your dog every month for dental and nasal tumors. Yes! They are way more common and aggressive than you might think. Here’s how.
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Checking Your Dog for Anal Gland Cancer
Unseen Does Not Mean Undetectable It’s great to develop a habit of performing regular check-ups of our dog’s body by physically running our hands down their legs, looking in their ears, and sneaking in some extra neck rubs while we feel for lumps and bumps. Some dangers however, develop internally. Knowing how to detect these…
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Lumps or Bumps Around Dogs Eyes or Ears? Here’s How to Check
Checking for bumps around dogs eyes is important because some cancers go unnoticed for a long time. Here’s how to check gently and thoroughly.
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Checking Your Dog’s Legs for Signs of Osteosarcoma
Taking it in Stride: Those Amazing Legs Osteosarcoma (bone cancer) is a common cancer in our dogs, and it usually develops in the long bones of the legs and the ankle or hock joint. It is more common in some breeds than others, and although there are certain reasons a dog is predisposed to bone…
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Checking your Dog for Testicular Cancer
One for the Boys Intact males (those who have not been neutered) may, in later years be more prone to bladder, prostate or testicular cancer. Dr. Ettinger’s post “Spay/neuter and the association with cancer in dogs: part one” discusses the pros and cons of neutering in more detail, and is a wonderful read. When my…
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How Important Are All Those Expensive Diagnostic Dog Cancer Tests?
You could easily spend over $1,000 just to diagnose your dog’s cancer. Are any of those tests worth it? Which ones?
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Five Common Mistakes with Cancer Surgery, and How To Avoid Them In Your Dog
These are the five most common mistakes with cancer surgery. Read on to find out how to save both time and money (yes, really).
Read ArticleHow Long to “Watch and Wait”
Last week I told you about two recent cases in which the tumors were too big for surgery by the time they came to me. I also promised to give you some guidelines about how long to wait when your vet says “let’s just monitor this.” Too many lumps and bumps are being monitored for…
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Staying Vigilant with Mass Aspirates
Should you really get EVERY lump checked? Dr. Susan Ettinger, DVM, Dip. ACVIM (Oncology) explains why we should all stay vigilant with mass aspirates and get everything checked.
Read ArticleCyberKnife RadioSurgery in Pets
If you have been following me on Facebook at Dr. Sue Cancer Vet, you know that last week I was lecturing with what I call “ASC Team CyberKnife.” This team includes radiation oncologist Dr. Sarah Charney, neurologists Drs. Rick Joseph and Jason Berg, and me, the medical oncologist. We manage all the CyberKnife patients that…
Read ArticleNot All Soft Lumps are Lipomas!
Many times dog lovers will be told that their dog’s soft lump is a fatty tumor, and is no problem. The veterinarian is usually thinking about lipomas, benign tumors made of fat that may be genetic in dogs. This information is not always correct, and sometimes the mistake is life threatening. Although it is true…
Read ArticleIncidentalomas: when you find a cancer you were not looking for
Recently, there was an article that caught my attention in the New York Times. In A Tumor is No Clearer in Hindsight, Denise Grady wrote about whether Steve Jobs had made the right decision to wait 9 months to go to surgery after finding out he had a type of pancreatic cancer. The article goes…
Read ArticleLymphoma – what you need to know BEFORE you see the oncologist
In my last blog post on lymphoma, I shared that I would personally treat my dog with a multi-agent chemotherapy protocol if she was diagnosed with lymphoma. You will learn a lot about diagnostics and treatment options once you meet an oncologist, so in this blog post, I will share some of the things you…
Read ArticleHow to Get A Diagnosis Before Surgery
There are several different ways of finding out if a lump is a cancer. Each involves having some of the growth tested, but which is best? There are several ways to collect a sample. Often a biopsy is done. A biopsy involves collecting a piece of the growth for analysis. Sometimes the growth is removed…
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What I Would Do for My Dog with Lymphoma
What would a veterinarian oncologist do for her dog with lymphoma? Dr. Susan Ettinger tells us how she would handle this dread disease.
Read ArticleCCNU Use for Lympho Rescue Protocols
Chemotherapy in dogs is used differently than in people. In people, there are protocols that might in some cases eliminate the cancer for many years. In dogs though, the cancer usually comes back, many times in months. (For this reason, we use a wide variety of treatments above and beyond chemotherapy in the Guide). However,…
Read ArticleCancer-Prone Dog Breeds
If you have a purebred dog, be on the look out for problems that are more common in your dog’s breed. Different breeds are more prone to certain health issues. Many are familiar with genetic diseases like hip dysplasia, more common in large breed dogs. However, there are more examples of breed-associated diseases, and cancer…
Read ArticleCarcinoma of the Anal Sac, part 2
In the last post, anal sac carcinoma was discussed, including diagnosing these malignant tumors in the dog. In this post, we will cover more on treatments and some data concerning outcomes. If a guardian is coping with a diagnosis of canine anal sac carcinoma, often major questions arise soon after the news is received. Chemotherapy? …
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