Photo by Antoine-Photographe. All other photos courtesy of Long Beach Animal Hospital.
In a hefty number of Pets section articles, there’s mention of the importance of spaying and neutering pets, including mitigating both the number of unwanted, abused pets and euthanasia and overcrowding in shelters. Diseases comprise another good reason. Dr. Palazzolo explains these conditions in a three-part series about diseases in unaltered pets.
Intact female dogs are prone to breast (mammary) cancer as they age. The cancer can be benign or malignant, and can range from a small lump to a large and infected mass.
Breast cancer in cats can have the same appearance as dogs, although it is not as common as it is in dogs. Unfortunately, it is usually malignant. Breast cancer also occurs in other mammals like rats, although we have not seen it in birds and reptiles. This cancer in rats can lead to very large growths on the body.
Arrows indicate cancerous lumps on a dog’s mammary glands.
Malignant means that the cancer has left the breast and spread to other parts of the body, usually through the lymphatic system. A common organ that malignant breast cancer spreads to is the lung. One way a veterinarian will look for the spread of a malignant breast cancer before doing any surgery is by taking a radiograph of the chest to assess the lungs. An early diagnosis is important in order for us to remove the cancerous tissue before it has spread.
Some people wait far too long to have a cancer removed. When it is this large, not only is it uncomfortable for the pet but it is also prone to ulceration and infection, and might have spread throughout the body.
When a lump or a mass is detected by physical exam, there’s an important test that can be done, although it’s not the only one. It’s called a fine needle aspirate (FNA). In an FNA, the hair over the lump is shaved and prepared aseptically, as is done for any surgery. A tiny needle the same size as a small vaccine needle then gently removes a tiny bit of material from the lump. This material is placed on a microscope slide for a pathologist to analyze.
This test gives a significant amount of information for only a small cost and effort. Our veterinary uses it on every mass because it helps us prepare for surgery. It’s not a perfect test, though, since we are only taking a small sample of tissue and the initial aspirate can miss the primary problem.
Breast cancer surgery at our hospital is performed using the laser. It dramatically minimizes postoperative pain, swelling and inflammation. Drain tubes and bandages in almost all cases are no longer needed as they are when a scalpel blade is used for the surgery.
LBAH’s laser machine is a sophisticated tool that can be programmed for many species of animals and types of surgeries.
Breast cancer in dogs and cats is preventable by spaying your female (the proper term is an ovariohysterectomy) before she comes into her first heat cycle, which means around 6 to 9 months of age.
Our website has detailed information and photographs regarding breast cancer.