With our pets now living longer, the chances of getting cancer are at all-time high. But did you know that many cancers can be detected through physical examination? In this short video Dr. Melissa Meehan, Veterinary Surgeon discusses the symptoms we need to be aware of and the importance of yearly vet checks.
Video Transcription
With our pets now living longer, the chances of getting cancer are at all-time high. Many cancers can be detected through physical examination. So, it’s really important to keep up with those yearly vet checks. In some cases, the cancer is in a difficult location, or responds better to chemotherapy or radiotherapy. In these cases, you may be referred to a specialist to find out what course of treatment they recommend. This is a really good time to get pre-approval from your pet insurance company, so you understand your level of cover and what costs you might be up for.
Some symptoms that might prompt you to visit your vet include rapid weight loss, perhaps a change in appetite, lumps or bumps that you might feel, or perhaps difficulty going to the toilet or even breathing difficulties. They’re all subtle, but you need to follow your gut instinct.
Often cancer is the remaining diagnosis, when all other possible causes for the symptoms have been ruled out. If the cancer has been contained or it’s benign and it hasn’t spread, then your vet maybe happy to treat it through surgical removal.
In some cases though, the cancer is in a difficult location or it will respond better to chemotherapy or radiotherapy. In those cases, you might be referred to a specialist to find out what course of treatment they recommend, because they can’t tell us what they’re feeling.
There is a lot of diagnostic testing required, if cancer is suspected in your dog, so the costs can add up, before you even get to treatment.
There’s nothing more heartbreaking as a vet than being faced with a sick dog and knowing that you can help it with treatment, but the owner simply can’t afford it, and the dog has to either suffer in silence or potentially face euthanasia.
This is where pet insurance makes our job a lot easier and their life a lot simpler too.
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