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Pet Health Library

Cancer & Tumors

  • Oral fibrosarcomas are rapidly growing, malignant tumours originating from the fibrous connective tissue of the mouth. The tumours are rarely cured by surgical removal.

  • Oral melanoma (malignant melanoma or melanosarcoma) is a tumour of melanin pigment producing cells (melanocytes). The cancers are rapidly growing and unfortunately are rarely completely cured by surgical removal.

  • Oral papillomas are benign tumours of the epithelial lining of the mouth and throat caused by papillomaviruses. The viruses are specific for that species of animal and fairly site specific but can be transmitted to skin or eyes if the protective outer epithelium is damaged.

  • Squamous cell carcinomas are malignant cancers originating from the lining cells of the mouth. They are locally invasive and often recurrent.

  • Some ovarian cancers are benign and others malignant. In some cases, removal of the affected ovary will be curative. Spread to other internal organs (metastasis) is possible with some types, particularly the larger tumours.

  • Panniculitis is usually visible as a lump but it is an inflammation of the subcutaneous fatty tissue and is not cancerous. Steatitis is a similar inflammation of fatty tissue but occurs in any part of the body.

  • Papillomas are benign, but sometimes multiple, tumours caused by viruses. They are commonly known as warts.

  • Parathyroid tumours in dogs include non-cancerous cysts, formed before birth. Enlarged parathyroid glands due to cell overgrowth (hyperplasia) may be secondary to chronic kidney disease and unbalanced nutrition.

  • Most pituitary tumours are benign (and a few are non-cancerous cysts) but because of their location, they still produce serious adverse effects as they enlarge and they are rarely curable.

  • Plasmacytomas in the skin are usually solitary benign tumours that grow rapidly but rarely recur after surgical removal. Malignant tumours are very rare.