Dog Cancer Answers

Tasha McNerney is a Veterinary Technician Specialist in anesthesia, and she’s sharing all the details on what your dog’s veterinary care team does to keep your dog safe, the things that can go wrong while under anesthesia, and what you can do to prepare your dog beforehand. One of her best tips for dog lovers feeling anxious about an anesthetic event? Talk to your dog’s veterinary team. Ask about...

Tesoro was diagnosed with fibrosarcoma in Feb. of 2017 when he was 6.5 years old. Diana and Tesoro’s cancer fight lasted two years and cost $60,000. It was a journey with ups and downs, struggles and victories. Their fight was filled with love, laughter, and tears. It was a journey which unfortunately many other dog owners will travel. What lessons did she learn? What advice can she give? Diana ho...

Nosebleeds are often the first thing a dog lover notices when their dog has a nasal tumor, and this horrifying symptom can continue even after treatment is started. Caller Holly wants to know why nosebleeds occur – is it the growth of the tumor causing destruction, or the tumor itself bleeding? Veterinary oncologist Brooke Britton answers Holly’s question, and also explains how nosebleeds can be a...

There are lots of things that you can do to help your dog feel happy and fulfilled, and to increase the human-animal bond. Here are some of the things we talk about in this episode: 1.     Walks 2.     Playing with toys 3.     Grooming 4.     Meditation 5.     Treats and special snacks 6.     Emotional management exercises 7.     Training 8.     Scent games 9.     Massage 10. Environmental enrichm...

Darlene’s dog just had an anal gland tumor removed. Her vets were concerned that it had spread to the lymph nodes, so she had a follow-up CT scan. During that they found a possible mass in the stomach. There are lots of things to consider in this case. Oncologist Brooke Britton weighs in on whether or not the stomach mass might be a metastasis of the anal gland tumor, or if it is a tumor at all. S...

There are very few signs that directly indicate your dog has cancer. Even a lump could be an infection or a benign growth. Many common early signs, such as lethargy, weight loss, vomiting, or increased drinking, can be caused by a variety of health problems. Veterinary oncologist David Vail recommends keeping up with regular veterinary exams and going in whenever your dog doesn’t seem right. Your...

Marjorie called in to our Listener Line to ask what the best treatment options are for early oral melanoma. Oral melanoma is an extremely aggressive dog mouth cancer, but catching it early does present some good options for treatment. Oncologist Brooke Britton explains how the location of a melanoma tumor can change prognosis, as well as the factors that can impact the success of a surgery. She th...

Veterinarian Erica Ancier explains how pulsed electromagnetic field therapy (PEMF) can fit into your dog’s cancer treatment plan (or other health needs!). This modality is safe for most dogs, and has no side effects – perfect for combining with other therapies to achieve optimal pain control. She also discusses specific products and some of the pros and cons of each one. Listen in to learn how PEM...

Many dog lovers have experienced the insidious cancer hemangiosarcoma, which develops in the blood vessels. But caller Lou has a question about cutaneous hemangiosarcoma, a less-common form that develops on the skin instead of in organs like the spleen or heart. But Dr. Brooke Britton has good news - the best thing about cutaneous hemangiosarcoma is that these tumors can often be stopped in their...

General practitioners (or your regular vet) are fabulous at screening for diseases like dog cancer. But when it comes to a medical problem that is life threatening and/or will be expensive to treat, oncologist David Vail strongly recommends seeing a specialist if possible. Getting a dog cancer second opinion with a specialist allows you to confirm your dog’s diagnosis, plus get all of the most up-...

Dr. Robert Silver joins us again to talk about specific mushrooms that can help dogs with cancer, including chaga, cordyceps, lion’s mane, maitake, reishi, shiitake, and turkey tail. He also discusses the safety of mushroom supplements, and his current dosing formula: 20-30mg/kg of beta glucans per day for dogs with cancer. Listen in to hear why Dr. Silver uses beta glucans to determine mushroom s...

Dr. Robert Silver is a longtime veterinarian with a passion for integrative therapies that can work alongside traditional treatments. One of his special interests? Medicinal or functional mushrooms. In this episode, Dr. Silver breaks down what makes certain mushrooms beneficial for dogs with cancer (hint: beta glucans are just the tip of the iceberg), how mushrooms are grown and harvested to make...

Oncologist Dr. Brooke Britton explains the challenges of doing surgery to remove bladder tumors, from the importance of the location of the tumor to special considerations the surgeon will have to make during the procedure. And if you have never thought about how similar a bladder with a tumor is to a snow globe… you’re in for a treat. Links Mentioned in Today’s Show: Rocky Mountain Collie and She...

Researchers from Cornell University surveyed over 400 veterinarians, and 99% of them said they have experienced clients wanting to pursue futile care for their pets. So what is futile care, anyway? Futile care is continuing aggressive treatment when it is unlikely to benefit the patient. These scenarios can be difficult to identify and define, but can be distressing for veterinarians who are compe...

Petco Love is a nonprofit organization (previously known as the Petco Foundation) that offers several programs to help dogs and the people who love them. Petco Love’s President, Susanne Kogut, explains how Petco Love raises money where that money goes. They have funded cancer research studies done by the University of Pennsylvania and Oklahoma State University among others, and have also partnered...

Jenny’s dog had some soft, squishy lumps that her vet said were simple lipomas, but after she kept pursuing the matter, turned out to be mast cell tumors. The good news is that true lipomas can’t turn into mast cell tumors. So what happened with Jenny’s poor pup? Veterinary oncologist Brooke Britton joins us again to discuss the similar appearance of fatty tumors and MCTs. And just because one lum...

When Dunbar coughed up blood in October 2019, Tara knew things were about to get rough. He was soon diagnosed with undifferentiated pulmonary carcinoma with lymph node involvement. But thanks to the dedication of his humans and a great pet health insurance policy, Dunbar has been able to get the treatments he needed. Through surgery and chemotherapy, Dunbar has always been happy and outgoing, lovi...

As well as dog cancer treatment information like a deep dive into medicinal mushrooms, this fall Dog Cancer Answers will also feature some True Tail stories about real-life dogs and their cancer journeys and more question and answer episodes from listeners like you. Links Mentioned in Today’s Show: Dog Cancer Support Dog Cancer News Petco Love About Today’s Guest, Molly Jacobson: Molly Jacobson is...

Listen in to learn how the OncoK9 blood test by PetDx uses next-generation sequencing to determine if your apparently healthy dog has cancer DNA floating around in her body. While this test won’t give you a diagnosis, it can be used as a screening test to find cancer before it causes symptoms of illness, letting you get a head start on treatment for your dog. This simple blood draw is one of the n...

Listen in to get a sneak peek at some of our upcoming episodes (hint: next week’s interview is a game-changer for dog cancer screening!) plus to hear about some of the resources available online. Links Mentioned in Today’s Show: Dog Cancer Support Dog Cancer News About Today’s Guest, Molly Jacobson: Molly Jacobson is a writer. She is also the editor of the best-selling animal health book The Dog C...

Whether your dog is a super senior or a gentle geriatric, she is probably going to experience some issues with cognitive decline, mobility limitations, and chronic pain. These aging challenges are compounded if your older dog also has cancer. Dr. Mary Gardner has tips on how to tell if your dog is a senior vs. geriatric, the vital importance of regular vet care for mature pups, and evaluating your...

Radiation therapy can sound very scary to many dog lovers. But it can be extremely useful for dog cancer, both to destroy tumors and to provide pain relief. Jenny Fisher is a veterinary technician specialist in oncology, and has helped many dogs through radiation treatments. She explains all things radiation therapy, from the different treatment types to its best uses and potential side effects. I...

Gio called in to our Listener Line about his dog with a mammary mass. Unfortunately, his dog has started to chew on the mass, causing bleeding and more discomfort. To make matters worse, his vet is concerned that it may be too large to completely remove with surgery. Oncologist Brooke Britton weighs in on the different surgery options for a dog with a large mass, as well as how to protect tumors t...

Double board-certified veterinarian Dr. Lauren Trepanier has lost three Boxers to lymphoma, and she’s not letting that slide. She is currently studying the impact of carcinogens caused by environmental pollution on lymphoma in Boxers and transitional cell carcinoma in all dogs. For lymphoma, the initial study found that Boxers have a higher risk of developing lymphoma if they live within 10 miles...

Dr. Jules Benson of Nationwide Pet Insurance breaks down the data from their first two white papers on dog cancer – Oodles of Doodles, which compares Poodles and Goldens to Poodle mixes, and Diversity of Risk, which looks at cancer risk in specific breeds and purebred dogs vs. mixed breed dogs. You might be surprised by some of the findings! The goal of these studies is to one day provide guidelin...