Skin Cancer In Dogs

Skin cancer is the most common cancer for dogs. Skin cancer can appear as a lump on or just below the skin. It can also look like a sore that won’t heal or a colored spot with a strange looking border. The spot may be flaky and itchy, you may constantly see your dog scratching or biting at this area. Dogs with skin cancer, depending on where the tumor is and how much it has developed, can be lethargic, losing weight due to lack of appetite, labored breathing, coughing, vomiting, or have diarrhea. If you notice something abnormal about your dog’s skin or he/she has any of the above symptoms, take your dog to the veterinarian. Many tumors can be benign, meaning it won’t harm your dog. Benign tumors don’t change much even within years. Malignant tumors, the cancerous ones, grow rapidly. Your veterinarian is the only one that can tell you whether it is skin cancer or if it is benign.

There are a few different options when it comes to diagnosing skin cancer. Your veterinarian may start off with doing cytology of the lump. These means a needle will be placed into the lump and extract some of the cells in it to be looked at under a microscope. Sometimes it is difficult to diagnose a lump with cytology, and then a biopsy will be done. A biopsy is the most accurate way to diagnose skin tumors. Biopsies can be done a few different ways; they all consist of removing some of the tumor to look at under a microscope. A punch biopsy entails using a tool called a punch to remove part of the tumor. An incisional biopsy removes part of the tumor to look at and excisional biopsy removes the entire tumor to be examined. A complete blood count may be done to evaluate the levels of your dog’s red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. A serum chemistry profile would let the veterinarian know if your dog is in good overall health, this is vital information if your dog will need chemotherapy. If your dog has skin cancer, it will be suggested to get chest X-rays because many times skin cancer can spread to the lungs. Many times if a malignant tumor is found, it can also spread to the lymph nodes. Your veterinarian will examine the lymph nodes with a biopsy.

If your dog is diagnosed with skin cancer, don’t lose hope. Many dogs recover very well after having the tumor removed surgically. Other times chemotherapy or radiation therapy may be needed. Before any of this can happen, your dog’s skin needs to be checked on a regular basis. Do not hesitate to take him/her to the veterinarian if you find something suspicious.