Bhargav

· 17 Nov 2021

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Dogs with skin cancer

If you own a dog, you may be startled to find that skin cancer can harm both you and your dog. It would help if you educated yourself about skin cancer in dogs. Then, you can be confident that you will take your dog to the veterinarian at the first sign of any skin abnormality.

There are Numerous Types of Skin Cancer in Dogs

As with people, your dog may develop more than one type of skin cancer. There are various types of skin cancer that a dog might get.

Mast Cell Tumors

Mast cell tumours are the most prevalent type of skin cancer in dogs. They develop in the immune system's mast cells, specifically in the blood. While many mast cell tumours manifest themselves on the skin, they can also manifest internally, affecting the spleen, liver, and other organs.

Veterinarians are divided on the cause of mast cell cancers. However, dogs prone to skin irritation or inflammation (due to strong allergic reactions, for example) may develop mast cell tumours more quickly.

Mast cell tumours exhibit considerable variation in form and shape. Some are little lumps just beneath the skin's surface, while others are severely inflamed and may even be ulcerated.

Malignant Melanoma

Malignant melanoma is another type of skin cancer that can afflict dogs. This type of cancer begins in the pigment-producing cells of the skin. Melanocytes are the scientific term for these cells.

Many dogs with malignant melanomas grow them in the mouth's soft tissues rather than on the skin's surface. However, both are conceivable. Gingiva, tongue, and lip malignant melanomas are frequently encountered.

In contrast to humans, most dogs do not get malignant melanomas due to sun exposure (UV ray exposure). Rather than that, this type of cancer develops due to several circumstances, including hereditary predispositions.

Malignant melanomas can range in severity from mild to severe, depending on the size and growth rate of the tumour. This type of cancer has a high propensity for metastasizing (or spreading) to other parts of the body.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Squamous cell carcinoma is the third type of skin cancer found in dogs. This type of cancer occurs in the epidermis, your dog's outermost layer of skin cells.

Squamous cell carcinoma accounts for around 5% of skin cancer cases in dogs. Although it is typically induced by sun exposure, certain viral infections have been associated with the development of squamous cell carcinoma.

While these tumours grow slowly, they have the potential to be highly aggressive. This can result in significant tissue loss around the tumour. However, unlike malignant melanomas, they exhibit a little propensity for spreading to lymph nodes and metastasizing throughout the body.

Skin Cancer Treatments for Dogs

If you notice a growth or tumour on your dog's skin, the first thing you should do is bring them to the veterinarian for evaluation. Occasionally, the growths you discover are not skin cancer at all but rather benign cysts or warts. However, most veterinarians will do a needle aspiration biopsy on growth regardless of whether they believe it is benign.

If the growth is determined to be skin cancer, the growth will be surgically removed. Veterinary surgeons will remove the tumour and a margin of presumably healthy tissue surrounding it to guarantee that all cancer cells are effectively removed.

If your veterinarian is concerned about your dog's skin cancer progression, particularly malignant melanomas, they may also propose radiation therapy and chemotherapy. These are not frequently required, however, in cases of skin cancer that can be surgically removed.

With a better understanding of skin cancer in dogs and what you can do to prevent it, make sure you take your dog to the veterinarian at the earliest indication of any abnormal growths on their skin.


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#cancer
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