Mouth cancer can affect dogs of any age, although it is most frequent in dogs aged 11 and over. In dogs, the mouth cavity is the sixth most prevalent location for cancer. Most oral tumors are curable if caught early, and most dogs can benefit from several treatment choices.
Canine acanthomatous ameloblastoma, a slow-growing tumor, is one of the most frequent growths in a dog’s mouth. It may appear benign, yet it is pretty intrusive. Surgical excision of the tumor is curative, although it frequently necessitates the loss of a narrow margin of surrounding gum tissue, teeth, and bone.
Some cancers develop slowly and have a lower risk of spreading to other body parts. Other cancer cells are more aggressive, and they can swiftly spread throughout your pet’s body. Melanoma and fibrosarcoma are the most prevalent oral cancer in dogs.
Oral Cancer
Your dog’s mouth comprises various cells, including skin cells, bone cells, and fibrous cells. When cancer is present in your puppy’s mouth, these cells continue to alter and divide uncontrollably, resulting in tumors and tissue invasion.
Causes
In the vast majority of instances, determining the reason is impossible. Mouth cancers in dogs, on the other hand, are usually caused by a combination of hereditary and environmental risk factors. Weimaraners, German shepherds, boxers, chows, and tiny poodles appear to have a little higher chance of contracting the illness. Visit a veterinary clinic like Cumberland Animal Hospital for more information.
Common Signs and Symptoms
You are more likely to discover indicators of oral cancer, such as if anything looks or smells odd if you wash your teeth regularly. A veterinarian’s annual dental checkup is also necessary. This enables your veterinarian to take whole mouth dental radiographs (x-rays) and check and clean your pet’s teeth and gum line.
The veterinarian will examine any cancers or growths in the mouth. Any changes should be inspected and tested by a veterinarian. If left untreated, cancer can metastasize (spread) to other body regions.
Diagnosis
Owners should regularly check their pet’s mouth for swelling, odd growths, and discoloration. Petting may reveal enlarged lymph nodes or tumors, which should be reported to a veterinarian as soon as possible.
To determine if the tumor is malignant, your veterinarian may do a fine-needle aspiration or a biopsy of cancer and, in some cases, the lymph nodes, in addition to bloodwork. The next step is to establish the cancer stage if the sample collected is cancerous. Radiographs or a CT scan may be required for your pet. This is carried out to determine if cancer has spread to other places. Consult a cat dentist for details about your pet’s oral health.
Treatment
In most cases, surgery is an effective therapy for oral cancer in dogs. Surgery may even be able to cure your dog if the cancer is identified early and the tumor is easily accessible to your veterinarian. However, in some dogs, surgery may need the removal of a substantial piece of their jaw to help remove as many cancer cells as possible.
While chemotherapy isn’t usually recommended for dogs with oral cancer, your veterinarian may suggest radiation therapy or immunotherapy after surgery to help destroy cancer cells and allow your pet to heal. Suppose the tumor is too challenging to reach or too advanced for your veterinary oncologist to remove. In that case, radiation can be utilized instead of surgery, or it can be used to enhance surgical treatment. You can also get information about cat cancer treatment from a veterinary specialist.
