Tag Archives: tumor

What should I do about the lump on my dog’s skin?

A mast cell tumor on a dog
Finding a skin lump on your dog always provokes concern. Is it just another fatty tumor, or is it something more sinister? Fortunately, veterinarians have the diagnostic tools to determine whether your pet’s lump is malignant or benign, but it’s up to pet owners to alert your veterinarian of any new growths. Fine Needle Aspiration

Strange Cancers from the Animal World

Melinda being examined by AMC's Oncology team
Being a veterinary oncologist by training, an article about cancer always catches my attention. I wanted to share some strange cancer news from the animal world for this week’s blog post. Contagious Cancer in Dogs I have a very special patient right now, Melinda, a recipient of a grant from AMC to the Rescue, the Animal

Melanoma Monday for Dogs

Oral melanoma in a canine
May is a busy month, cancer-wise. May has been designated as Skin Cancer Awareness Month and, more specifically, the first Monday in May is Melanoma Monday. Skin cancer is much less common in pets than in people, in part because most pets avoid tanning booths and prefer not to sunbathe. But dogs do develop malignant

Preventing Cancer in Your Pet

A dog looking happy outside
November is National Pet Cancer Awareness Month. Pet cancer can be just darn bad luck, but some cancers have a known cause. While you can’t change your large breed dog’s risk for developing osteosarcoma or your pug’s predisposition to mast cell tumors, I want to make my readers aware of some practical tips to prevent cancer

Does My Cat Need a Biopsy?

The Animal Medical Center’s webmaster received the following electronic query: “My cat has a mass on its toe and my veterinarian has recommended amputation of the toe. Should the mass be biopsied instead?” Here is my response: Maybe Not a Biopsy Given how small a cat toe is, a biopsy might not be possible. Once