Paws For A Cause: Understanding Mammary Cancer In Pets
As pet owners, we cherish every wag, purr, and playful leap from our furry companions, but our pets can face serious health challenges just like people, including mammary cancer, which closely mirrors breast cancer in humans.
Dr. Emma Warry, a clinical associate professor at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, discusses mammary cancer in pets and how to treat it, highlighting the importance of early detection and timely intervention.
Mammary Cancer Risk Factors
Mammary cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting female dogs and cats. The cancer starts as tumors that develop in the mammary glands, ranging from tiny little bumps to large masses.
“If your pet develops a mammary tumor, it can either be cancerous or non-cancerous,” Warry said. “However, 85-90% of cats and dogs who develop a tumor in their mammary glands are going to develop a cancerous tumor.”
Mammary cancer is most common in cats and dogs ages 9-12, but the age at which your pet was spayed plays a much more significant role.
“If your pet is spayed prior to their first heat cycle, their risk for getting mammary cancer later in life is almost zero,” Warry said. “Female dogs and cats who are not spayed or were spayed after their first heat cycle are more likely to develop mammary cancer.”
Male cats and dogs can also develop mammary cancer, but it is far less common because they lack the female hormones that play a key role in the development and growth of the mammary glands.
What To Look For
Performing at-home physical examinations on your pet can be a crucial step in early detection of cancer.
“Tumors are often first identified by owners while petting their cats and dogs on the underside of the chest down to their groin,” Warry said. “Early detection of tumors not only allows us to remove the tumor as quickly as possible but also helps prevent the cancer from spreading.”
Owners should be watchful for the following signs of mammary cancer in their pets:
- Lumps or masses in the mammary gland area (located along the abdomen, just below the armpits)
- Swelling of the mammary glands
- Sores on the skin of the mammary gland
- Loss of appetite and weight loss
- Discharge from the nipples
Warry recommends taking your pet to a veterinarian if you find a lump or mass as well as scheduling routine veterinary checkups to detect any early signs of cancer.
Treatment
If your pet develops a tumor, your veterinarian will create a treatment plan that begins with diagnostic testing and may include X-rays, ultrasounds, or a biopsy to determine if the tumor is cancerous or non-cancerous.
“The treatment plan depends on the type and stage of the tumor,” Warry said. “Many times, it requires surgery to remove the tumor or, in some cases, the entire mammary chain, followed by chemotherapy to target any remaining cancer cells after surgery.”
Because mammary cancer is so common in females, it is crucial to keep pets on regular veterinary check-ups and monitor any changes in the mammary glands.
By staying informed and proactive, you can provide the proper care and timely intervention necessary to treat mammary cancer. This helps ensure the best possible outcome for your pet, enabling your furry friend to continue living a happy and healthy life.
Pet Talk is a service of the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University. Stories can be viewed on the web at vetmed.tamu.edu/news/pet-talk. Suggestions for future topics may be directed to vmbs-editor@tamu.edu.
