| Dog breast cancer can be developed just as easily as | | | | nonmalignant tumors that women normally find in |
| humans, but in animals this is called mammary cancer. | | | | their breast tissues. Cats show a whopping 90 |
| It is now known as the number one natural cause of | | | | percent of tumors to be cancerous. Veterinarians say |
| death in older animals. Animal owners however, can | | | | these tumors follow the model of aggressive forms |
| help detect tumors before they are irreversible and | | | | of human breast cancer. |
| deadly. | | | | Early Symptoms for Owners |
| Gerald Post who is a veterinary oncologist at | | | | Early warning systems can give owners an idea of a |
| Veterinary Oncology and Hematology Center in | | | | pet that has cancer. Greg Ogilvie who is the director |
| Norwalk, Connecticut says "Cat and dog breast | | | | of the California Veterinary Specialist's Angel Care |
| cancer is a fairly common cancer, especially in | | | | Cancer Center says, "The age-adjusted rate of |
| unspayed female dogs and cats" and "It's important | | | | cancer is actually higher in dogs and cats than in |
| for owners to spay female animals before the animal | | | | people" and "Pets have genetic factors, but they also |
| first goes into heat, because each following heat | | | | live in a more polluted environment, and they have |
| cycle increases the risk of developing the cancer." | | | | passive smoke exposure." |
| Dogs take a type of treatment similar to humans | | | | A piece of the problem is that toxins find their way |
| with breast cancer. But unfortunately, dogs are not | | | | into water, homes and air where the pets reside. |
| discovered until later when the cancer is already in an | | | | Since humans and their pets have the same home |
| advanced stage and cannot be helped. | | | | environment, some animal experts in carcinogens say |
| Dogs have a 50 percent chance that they are | | | | pets give a good show of the cancer risks we |
| noncancerous tumors, which are akin to the ration of | | | | endure daily. |