Oncology
Pets & Cancer
Approximately 1 in 4 dogs will, at some stage in their life, develop neoplasia (cancer). Almost half of dogs over the age of 10 will develop cancer. It can be benign or malignant. Dogs get cancer at roughly the same rate as humans, while there is less information about the rate of cancer in cats. Some cancers, such as lymphoma, are more common in cats than in dogs.
On a Cellular Level
Neoplasia/cancer is the uncontrolled, abnormal growth of cells or tissue in the body, an abnormal growth itself is called a neoplasm or tumor. Some types of neoplasia can be cured, but others can only be managed to decrease the spread and prolong your pet’s comfort and life as much as possible. Benign neoplasms tend to grow slowly; displace, but do not tend to invade, the surrounding body tissues; and do not spread throughout the body. Malignant neoplasms, on the other hand, can be unpredictable and grow at various rates (sometimes rapidly), invade the tissues around them, and spread, or metastasize, to other parts of the body.
Finding a Lump
Lipomas are a common diagnosis with our patients, which is simply a fatty tumor, is non-cancerous and mostly does not pose a threat; but our Doctors prefer to continually monitor them in the event changes occur or they begin to affect neighboring tissue, joints, and organs.
Treatment
Kennesaw Mountain Animal Hospital’s state-of-the-art facility affords our clients with several options to determine the type of cancer, internal status, and tailored treatment plans.
Through imaging, chemotherapy, surgery, etc.; our Doctors can effectively treat most forms of cancer. While it’s widely known about the negative side effects of chemotherapy, it is important to note that pets often tolerate chemo better than humans, and many of our patients have experienced successful treatment through chemo.
Early Diagnosis
Early diagnosis provides our Doctors with the opportunity to deliver the best care possible, therefore, annual bloodwork is always urged to detect early signs of cancer. If you have concerns that your pet may be predisposed or you are noticing growths, we urge you to contact Kennesaw Mountain Animal Hospital to ensure it is caught early to improve your pet’s prognosis.
Kennesaw Mountain Animal Hospital offers various surgical options for cancer, as well as, chemotherapy. Many owners are very nervous to consider chemotherapy after either experiencing it for themselves or knowing a friend or family member who has had chemo. Fortunately, animals routinely do not have the negative side effects of chemotherapy like those experienced in humans. Very rarely do we ever see the hair loss, nausea, and loss of appetite that people have with chemo.
If you are concerned about cancer in your pet, please call us for a consult at Kennesaw Mountain Animal Hospital today.
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“I cannot speak highly enough about every single person at Kennesaw Mountain Animal Hospital. They truly embody their mission statement “Where we treat you like family and your pets as our own.”
“The attention and service provided to my two dogs by the vet technician (Ms. Wilder) and the Vet (Dr. McDonald) were impressive. They really put my two dogs first and made me feel they care about the health of my pets.”
“We just put our three-year-old through training at day camp at Kennesaw Mountain Animal Hospital. Cheyenne and Will are great and Serena’s improved so much that we have taken her to Marietta Market, baseball games for the grandkids, and other little outings.”
“Had to board for four days. I called to check on her and was given in detail how she did. Picked her up and she was not shaking (which she normally does when we are at vets). I will definitely use them again. Love this group. Very friendly and caring!”
“If you need a cat groomer, I recommend Marissa! She was patient with my baby Oliver and made him feel comfortable. And he looks great!!!!”
Frequently Asked Questions
As veterinarians we deal with a wide range of complicated issues in the course of our day-to-day work. If you don’t have all the answers, we might. We have some FAQ documents on a wide range of subjects for your pet. Whether you’re looking for answers to common questions or just curious, our FAQs could be the fastest route to the answers you need.