Skin Cancer Treatments for Dogs

Middle-aged dogs are more prone to skin cancer.

According to Pet Place, the skin is the most common site of cancer in dogs. Skin cancer most commonly occurs in dogs that are middle-aged, and treatment often depends on what type of cancer the dog has and how well it will do with the treatment. Learning about different methods for treating skin cancer in dogs can help you make educated choices on your dog's care.

Surgical Excision

Using surgical excision, the cancerous tumor can be removed entirely. Surgical excision is preferred in cases where the cancerous tumor is easy to access and small. This process is given more weight if the cancerous tumor is in a place where it causes the dog pain when it moves. In the ideal situation, the entire tumor can be removed, leaving no cancer cells behind. Surgery may be combined with other treatments to fully eradicate skin cancer in a dog. For example, larger skin cancers may be partially removed surgically before chemotherapy or radiation therapy is used.

Cryosurgery

Cryosurgery is the use of liquid nitrogen to freeze the cancerous cells, causing the skin cancer cells to die. However, this is not a commonly used treatment because a recurrence is likely. The cells at the edges of the tumor cannot be easily eradicated without damaging healthy tissue, and because they cannot be eradicated, the skin cancer might return.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy utilizes chemicals to kill off harmful cancerous cells, and it is typically only used when the cancer has metastasized, meaning that it has spread to other parts of the body, or when there is a high potential for the cancer to metastasize. The type of chemicals used will vary depending on the type of tumor, whether part of the tumor has been removed surgically and whether the cancer has already spread. The number of chemotherapy treatments depends on the extent of the skin cancer.

Radiation Therapy

In radiation therapy, radiation sterilizes the cancer cells so that they cannot divide. Radiation therapy is used when tumors cannot be removed through the use of surgery. This process has the most positive effect when the cancers are located in one area. Radiation therapy for dogs with skin cancer is painless, but it can result in hair loss, mild skin burn and some skin ulceration. The dog needs to be given anesthesia before the radiation therapy occurs, and several treatments will given over several weeks.

References

• Pet Place: Skin Cancer in Dogs
• Dog Owner's Guide: Human Cancer Treatment Goes to the Dogs