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Dog Mouth Cancer

Veterinarian Reviewed on March 29, 2014 by Dr. Janice Huntingford

Dog Mouth Cancer

When you own a dog you want them to be healthy and fit at all times and it can cause great distress if they become sick. If your dog appears to be unwell or not eating properly then you should seek professional help. Several conditions can be very serious for your dog and one of them is oral cancer. If you do not detect this condition early then it can be fatal for your dog and you must take them for regular checkups to ensure they are fit and well.

What is oral cancer?

The mouth of your dog is the perfect place for tumors to grow and this is why they often do and often they are benign lumps that can be removed. Unfortunately, some of the tumors are cancerous and this is very serious. Oral cancer is no different to other forms of Dog Cancer and needs to be dealt with quickly and efficiently. The cells in your dog’s mouth will be dividing and causing the tissue to grow rapidly. Cancer in any form is often graded and oral cancer in your dog is always classed as a high grade and will need immediate attention.

Symptoms of oral cancer

Although your dog may have a growth or tumor growing it is very often un-seen and can grow for a long time undetected. Often your dog will salivate more and their face may appear to be swollen you may see a visible lump or your dog might be in Dog Pain when you try to touch their face. You will also find that they will have a Dog Loss of Appetite and will have difficulty swallowing. Your dog may also have very Dog Bad Breath and an oral discharge which will be very unusual. If your dog shows any of these signs then you should seek professional help straight away.

Diagnosis of the cancer

Your vet will give your dog a complete examination and determine if they do in fact have oral cancer. Your dog will be sedated whilst the vet looks inside their mouth. X-rays are often used to determine where the tumor is in the dog’s mouth and if it is in a hard to reach place then a CT scan may be used. The final step once the tumor has been located is to take a biopsy to determine whether it is cancerous or not. If it is found to be cancerous then your vet will need to determine at what stage the cancer is and then prescribe a treatment plan.

Treatment for oral cancer

The treatment plan will depend greatly on what stage the mouth cancer is; with the first step in the treatment plan being the removal of the tumor. This will drastically improve your dog’s survival chances and they can then begin a course of Dog Cancer Chemotherapy, which can make your dog more comfortable, but there are many Dog Chemotherapy Drug Side Effects that should be aware of as they can be quite upsetting for both your dog and yourself. Your vet will often advise you to remove the entire tumor and then to wait and see what happens, as there are not a great deal they can do to help your dog. Often the best choice is to offer your Dog Palliative Cancer Care so that they can be as comfortable as possible.

Suggested Products

Cancer Support Kit for Dogs
Nu-Pet Vitamin and Antioxidant Wafers
Multi Essential Dog Vitamins
Mouth Drops for Dog Bad Breath

Additional Dog Cancer Pages

Dog Cancer | Dog Skin Cancer | Dog Lung Cancer | Dog Bladder Cancer | Dog Pancreatic Cancer | Dog Bone Cancer | Dog Cancer Prevention | Dog Cancer Diagnosis | Dog Gastric Cancer | Dog Mast Cell Tumors Dog Squamous Cell Carcinoma | Dog Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma | Dog Brain Tumor

Read also: Dog Blindness
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Our Expert

Dr. Janice Huntingford
Janice Huntingford, DVM, has been in veterinary practice for over 30 years and has founded two veterinary clinics since receiving her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph. She has studied extensively in both conventional and holistic modalities. Ask Dr. Jan

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