When a dog gets cancer, the warnings signs are similar to those in people and often include physical changes like bumps that don’t go away, injuries that don’t heal, swellings, enlarged lymph nodes, bleeding, weight gain, or weight loss.
Dogs get cancer at similar rates as humans. While dogs at any age can get cancer, the risk is higher in older dogs.
If your dog is exhibiting these warning signs or changes to its typical behaviors of eating, drinking, exercising, urinating, defecating, and sleeping, a visit to the vet is warranted.
Most common types of cancer
The most common type of cancer in pet dogs are:
- Melanoma or skin cancer
- Osteosarcoma or bone cancer
- Lung Cancer
- Mast cell tumors
- Lymphoma
- Hemangiosarcoma
- Mammary cancer or breast cancer.