Top 10 Warning Signs of Cancer in Pets

May is Pet Cancer Awareness Month.

To recognize this, the good vets at the Colorado State University Flint Animal Cancer Center, the largest veterinary oncology center in the world, have compiled a Top 10 Warning Signs of Cancer in Pets:

• --Persistent, abnormal swellings. Petting your pet is "the best way to find lumps bumps, or swelling that could be anywhere on the body."
• --Sores that don't heal. This could indicate infection or cancer, and a vet is the best person to make that determination.
• --Unexplained weight loss. Is your pet losing weight but not on a diet? Go to the vet and find out why.
• --Appetite loss. It's just not normal for pets to lose their appetites.
• --Bleeding, discharge from any body opening. Bleeding is typically abnormal, and so is vomiting and diarrhea. All could indicate cancer.
• --Offensive odor. "This is a common sign, especially for tumors of the anus, mouth, or nose," they write.
• --Difficulty eating or swallowing. "A common sign of cancers of the mouth or neck."
• --Loss of stamina or loss of interest in exercise. An early sign that your pet isn't well.
• --Persistent lameness. Lameness can be caused by many things, including tumors pressing on nerves, muscle, or in bone.
• --Difficulty breathing, urinating or defecating. Any of these problems requires immediate veterinary care.

Just like in humans, early detection is often the difference between successful and unsuccessful cancer treatment in animals, so the CSU Flint Animal Cancer Center recommends regular checkups so that the health of your pet or pets can be monitored regularly.