Dog 360

Dogs, unfortunately, are almost as susceptible to cancer as their human parents. While the gut reaction upon hearing the c-word may be sadness, anger, and tears, there are many types of tumors and growths that can now be treated successfully to allow your dog a long, happy life.
How can I keep my dog from getting cancer?
There is no one specific method of prevention when it comes to cancer. A very healthy dog with the perfect diet, little stress, and regular exercise can suddenly develop a tumor or growth. Many veterinarians do know, however, that the instances in which a healthy dog is afflicted are much rarer than those in which an overweight, sedentary, or emotionally troubled dog develops cancer.

Just as in people, cancerous tumors and growths develop when something has happened to damage the genes in the body. This means that anything from heredity to genetic damage in areas
that control viral processes; some breeds actually have cancerproducing genes built into their anatomy.

If he’s used to getting up and walking around at night, try to keep nightlights in his usual spots to help him navigate the halls. His dexterity may start to wane, too, so adding non-slip pads to throw rugs and reducing other risks of falls will help him feel less like an old dog and more like his old self.

Hopefully these brief forays into the canine world have helped you learn a little bit more about helping your dog live a long, healthy life and how to deal with the not-so-healthy moments. If you haven’t learned anything, well, maybe you fell asleep. You might want to check your keyboard – dried drool can really do a number on the electronics.

Just as with humans, one of the biggest health problems today for dogs is obesity. Many owners think their pudgy dogs are adorable, when in fact they are extremely unhealthy. Overweight dogs can develop the same kinds of problems that overweight humans can, such as diabetes mellitus, which can be very tricky to treat. Obesity can also reduce your dog's life expectancy.