When cancer makes your dog’s body its home, changes occur. Sometimes those changes are deep in the body, undetectable. But others show up as lethargy, weight loss, digestive upset, and, sometimes, physical lumps and bumps you can feel.

Dr. David Vail, a veterinary oncologist at the University of Wisconsin, joins us to discuss the early warning signs of dog cancer. Every time we catch cancer early, we improve the potential for a positive outcome!

Key Takeaways:

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  Importance of Early Detection: Catching cancer early equals more effective treatment and better outcomes.


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  Monitoring Lumps and Bumps: Regularly check, measure, and document any lumps or bumps on your dog.


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  Track and Record Symptoms: Keep detailed records of any changes in your dog’s health, including photos and measurements of abnormalities.


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  Investigate Non-Specific Symptoms: Signs like weight loss, lethargy, or abnormal odors could indicate a serious issue and should be evaluated by a vet.


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  Routine Check-Ups Matter: Ensure your dog, especially as they age, has regular veterinary exams to catch any potential health concerns early.


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  Caution with New Screening Tests: While promising, newer tests like liquid biopsies are still being developed and should be considered carefully.


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  Emergency Care Guidance: Know when symptoms like difficulty breathing or persistent vomiting warrant immediate veterinary attention.

Related Resources:

Find a board-certified veterinary oncologist on the Vet Specialists website: https://www.vetspecialists.com/find-a-specialist

Join our Facebook support group at https://www.dogcancer.com/support

Your Voice Matters!

If you have a question for our team, or if you want to share your own hopeful dog cancer story, we want to hear from you! Go to https://www.dogcancer.com/ask to submit your question or story, or call our Listener Line at +1 808-868-3200 to leave a question.

Related Videos:           

How AI is helping detect cancer early: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEM_t_-rkKQ

A urine test for dog cancer detection: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFxo_ZsedG0

Dog Cancer detection guidelines: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7OWo7DyOis&t=1s

Related Links:

The symptoms of cancer in dogs article: https://www.dogcancer.com/articles/diagnosis-and-medical-procedures/symptoms-of-cancer-in-dogs/

Our article on why dog cancer isn’t often caught early: https://www.dogcancer.com/articles/diagnosis-and-medical-procedures/dog-cancer-isnt-caught-early/

An overview of the process veterinarians use to diagnose cancer in dogs: https://www.dogcancer.com/articles/diagnosis-and-medical-procedures/dog-cancer-diagnosis/

Chapters:

00:00 – Introduction from Molly Jacobson

01:15 - The Five Most Dangerous Words

02:30 - Early Detection and Curative Treatments

03:45 - Documenting Lumps and Bumps

05:15 - When to Visit the Vet

06:15 - Other Early Warning Signs

08:00 - Trust Your Gut and Veterinarian’s Intuition

10:00 - Differential Diagnoses

11:00 - Emergency vs. Regular Vet Visits

12:30 - Balancing Care Decisions

14:00 - New Early Detection Tools

16:00 - Limitations of Current Screening Tests

18:00 - Liquid Biopsies and Future Prospects

20:00 - Routine Veterinary Care

21:30 - Routine Imaging Tests

22:15 - Conclusion and Final Thoughts

23:00 - Molly’s Closing Remarks

23:10 - Podcast Outro

Get to know Dr. David Vail, veterinary oncologist: https://www.dogcancer.com/people/david-vail-dvm-ms-dip-acvim-oncology/

For more details, articles, podcast episodes, and quality education, go to the episode page: https://www.dogcancer.com/podcast/

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