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Pet Health Library

Cancer & Tumors

  • Calcium deposits in the skin have a variety of causes, usually of minor significance in the young but indicating serious disease in some older animals.

  • Because cancers of different cell origin respond differently to treatment, and because valuable information on the probable outcome can be gained by microscopic examination of the cancer cells and tissue, a specialized diagnosis by a veterinary pathologist is advised.

  • When cancer is diagnosed improvements in our knowledge and new and evolving methods of treatment give options to owners and their veterinarians.

  • Back problems in dogs are not uncommon and can be due to a variety of causes ranging from intervertebral disc problems such as occur with us (slipped disc), trauma due to a fall or road accident, or infection involving the spinal discs, the bone of the spine or sometimes the nerve tissue itself.

  • This is a tumour originating from the connective tissue of, or beneath, the skin. The tumour is diverse in appearance and several different cell lines produce tumours of similar appearance.

  • Chemotherapeutic agents are used to treat cancer in animals. These drugs can cause cancer in humans and should be handled with caution.

  • Common conditions of pet ferrets include diarrhoea, intestinal foreign bodies, parasites, heart disease, and various kinds of cancer.

  • Common conditions of pet rodents include respiratory diseases, anorexia and lethargy, overgrown teeth, and tumours.

  • Common conditions of pet rabbits include snuffles, gut stasis, abnormal caecotrophs, parasites, dental disease, uterine cancer, and sore hocks.

  • A mouse's lifespan is only 18-36 months so ageing changes and natural fatal conditions such as tumours are fairly common.