Serious Pet Illnesses Tips

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Symptoms of a Brain Tumor in Dogs

You may be shocked to discover that brain tumor in dogs are just as common for canines as they are in humans. Many dogs are diagnosed with this medical problem each year, resulting in surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. The key to treatment of course is early detection and to do that you need to know some of the common symptoms.

Attitude

Has your dog’s attitude or character changed abruptly? Normally placid dogs that are suddenly aggressive or vice versa may be a sign of a brain tumor in dogs. This applies to many different types of changes as well; it can something as simple as a quiet dog suddenly barking all the time. The change in behavior will depend a good deal on the location and size of your dog’s tumor.

Physical Symptoms

If you notice your dog staggering, lost or whining a great deal you may be dealing with a brain tumor. Dogs will often lose their sight, smell or hearing as well, as forget familiar locations. These symptoms all point to brain involvement and you will want to take your pet to the veterinarian immediately.

Conclusion

A brain tumor in dogs does not have to be a death sentence, like humans with proper treatment they can go on to live happy and healthy lives. However, it is vitally important that the tumor be spotted and dealt with immediately.

   
I found a tumor on my dog. Does he have cancer?

Benign Dog Tumors

Benign tumors often don't need to be removed from your dog, unless they grow too large or interfere with another organ or area on the dog's body.

Check your pet illness insurance plan to see if the insurance company covers removal of benign tumors. Some may not, since they could be considered non-life threatening. Some pet illness insurance policies cover all forms of tumors, while others may only cover a certain type.

Fatty tumors are another common tumor in dogs that do not need to be removed unless the tumor grows too large. Fatty tumors usually come with age and fat deposits in the dog. Your doctor can tell if it is a fatty tumor by taking a sample from the tumor with a needle (called aspirating) and examining it.

   

Symptons of Cat Tumor

Cats are not only pets but a part of the family. As a pet owner, time will need to be made to take the pet to the veterinarian. Also, beware of changes in the cat's behavior on a daily basis. If you notice a change in your pet's behavior then there is a possibility of the cat having a condition like a cat tumor.

Most cats will exhibit a variety of symptoms when dealing with a tumor. Pet owners should be aware of ways to detect tumors in the early stages. Mast cell tumors are a common cancer that can affect animals like cats and dogs. Stroking and routine grooming will detect lumps on the cat's body. This method will not work for internal tumors.

The type of signs a cat may show will depend on the location of the cancerous tumor in the body. Also, some cancers will spread fast which is the reason for being aware of the symptoms. Common symptoms of cat tumors are difficulty breathing, foul body odor, constantly losing weight, lump on the skin and severe vomiting.

Many cat owners are dog owners, too. Mast cell tumor in dog is another condition to be aware of as a dog owner. If you are going to own a pet then you need to research information about cancers and medical conditions that could possibly affect your pet.

   
Do you know what are the two serious illnesses that affect older dogs and cats in America?

Two serious pet illnesses that you must know about

Cancer: Slightly less than half of all dogs in the US older than ten years die because of cancer. Lymphoma or cancer of a kind of white blood cell called lymphocyte is the commonest kind of cancer seen in dogs. In lymphoma, there is a abnormal rise in the number of lymphocytes. The breeds most at risk of suffering from lymphoma are boxers, Basset hounds, and Rottweilers.

Obesity: As much as 25-40% of all cats and dogs in the United States suffer from obesity. With 67 million dogs and 77 million cats in the US, the number of obese cats and dogs is significantly large. The question is, is your cat or dog obese?

If so, it is inevitable that your pets may suffer from diabetes, and heart and joint diseases! unless you take corrective steps immediately to start your pets on a regular pet weight loss plan. Weight loss doesn't happen overnight. It's going to take long months of patient and sustained effort to slowly reverse this loss.

When you have a great pet insurance plan in place that covers obesity, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, joint diseases, pet prescription diets and pet weight loss plans, you can give your pets excellent veterinary care.

References
1. Tumors of the Immune System. http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/60219.htm&word=cancer%2cin%2cdogs
2.Obese Owners Can Mean Obese Pets.
http://www.aces.uiuc.edu/Discover/discover07.cfm

   
My dog has diabetes, is it serious?

Diabetes in Dogs

Diabetes can occur in both dogs and cats, and often occurs later in life as the dog ages. The most common type of diabetes is diabetes mellitus (DM), where the dog's body cannot regulate blood sugar levels.

Diabetes can be deadly if it is not managed. A dog's blood sugar can decline and the dog can go into diabetic shock and die. Some breeds seem especially predisposed to diabetes. They include the puli, keeshond, miniature pinscher, and Cairn terrier. Because of this, pet illness insurance may not cover diabetes treatment in these breeds. You should check with your pet illness insurance carrier to find out.

Diabetes can be managed. Some dogs will require insulin shots during the day that you can give your pet. A good diet also plays an important role in the overall health management of the dog. Some pet illness insurance policies will cover the cost of insulin or special food necessary to keep your dog healthy. Diabetes is a serious illness, but it can be maintained and monitored throughout your dog's life.

   
What can I do if a tumor has metastasized in my dog?

Metastasized Tumor in Dogs

The worst tumors in dogs are tumors that have metastasized, or spread to other organs or areas of the body. If a tumor metastasizes, it's more difficult to remove, and chances are the surgeon may not get all of the cancer that has spread to other areas.

Metastasized tumors in dogs are fairly common, and pet owners, whether they have pet care insurance or not, face some decisions when confronted with this disease. Some aggressive cancers, such as those involving the heart or lungs, are extremely difficult, if not impossible, to treat. Even pet insurance may not provide relief for the ill pet.

Choosing surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation treatment is a decision the pet owner and the vet or oncologist should make together. Doctors can tell you exactly what odds your dog faces, and what treatment options are available. Pet care insurance allows a greater range of treatment options that can make your pet's last years more comfortable and secure.

   
What is a mast cell cat tumor?

The Mast Cell Cat Tumor

Mast cells are cells that normally occur in the body. However, sometimes they grow together in a tumor that can be cancerous or non-cancerous. The most common type of mast cell cat tumors are skin tumors.

Mast cell skin tumors can almost always be removed and cured by surgery. However, mast cell tumors can form in other areas of the body, too. They can also be removed by surgery, but sometimes the prognosis for a long life is not as good with these types of internal tumors.

Check with your pet accident insurance to see what limits (if any) apply to mast cell tumor removal. Many mast cells are much larger than they first appear, so surgery may be more extensive than first thought. Some pet accident insurance companies cap the dollar amounts for surgical treatments and chemotherapy, so be sure to check if your policy contains limits in these areas.

   
Can a vet tell without surgery if a cat tumor is benign?

The Benign Cat Tumor

If your cat has a benign tumor, it means the mass of the tumor is not cancerous. If it is malignant, then the tumor is cancerous. Tumors can occur in just about any area of a cat's body, too.

Diagnosing a tumor may mean doing a biopsy to see if the growth is malignant. Most pet accident insurance companies cover the cost of biopsies along with cancer treatment and surgery. If your cat's tumor is benign, surgery may not be necessary, although your vet may recommend it if the tumor is large or irritating other areas.

Surgery may be necessary if the tumor cannot be biopsied for some reason. In that case, the vet will probably remove the tumor, even if it is benign. Most pet accident insurance companies will cover the cost of this type of exploratory surgery, too.

   
Can dogs get brain tumors?

Brain Tumors in Dogs

Brain tumors in dogs can be extremely expensive to treat. Some early symptoms of a brain tumor may include seizures, accidents in the house, facial paralysis, and difficulty walking.

Major surgeries, such as removing brain tumors, are covered under pet accident insurance as long as the condition did not exist before the policy was issued. Extended chemotherapy or radiation treatments are also covered under most pet accident insurance polices.

Some pet accident insurance plans offer additional cancer coverage that increases limits on treatments and procedures. Ask your company if they offer this type of additional coverage when you first insure your dogs.

   
What is feline leukemia?

Feline Leukemia

Feline Leukemia is serious pet illness that has no cure. Luckily, doctors have developed a way to screen for the virus that causes feline leukemia, and an inoculation that can prevent the virus in cats. The disease can occur in any age cat, but usually occurs in young cats or cats with weak immune systems. Cats can spread it among each other, but it is not the same type of leukemia that strikes humans.

There are some treatments available for cats with the feline leukemia virus that can prolong their lives with a good quality of life for a short time. Some signs of the disease include diarrhea, fever, seizures, behavior changes, weight loss combined with loss of appetite, and others. Once a cat is infected with the disease, it can infect other cats, and it has little chance of long-term survival.

Since feline leukemia can be prevented by inoculation, it is best to test for the disease when you first get a cat, and inoculate it immediately. The testing only takes a few minutes, and most pet illness insurance policies will cover the cost of these precautions. Check with your pet illness insurance provider if you're not sure if they cover these items.

   
What's the leading cause of death in dogs and cats?

Cancer is the Leading Cause of Death in Pets

Cancer is the leading cause of death in older pets. That is why pet care cancer insurance is so important for pet owners. It reduces the cost of cancer treatments while offering a way to give pets many comfortable years of life.

The leading sign of cancer in dogs and cats is a lump under the skin or somewhere in the body. If you feel any kind of lump in your pet, take it to the vet right away for diagnosis.

Consider adding additional cancer insurance to an existing pet care insurance policy. With the vast amount of changes and research initiatives being made in the field of cancer, having additional coverage now could save your pets life later.

   
Are some dog breeds more susceptible to mast cell tumors?

Dog Mast Cell Tumors

The bad thing about the mast cell tumor in a dog is that your vet must do a biopsy to identify the tumor and see if it is cancerous or not. Some other tumors can be identified by simply inserting a needle and taking a sample of the tumor. It takes longer to get results of biopsies, but most pet care insurance covers the cost of biopsies if they are necessary.

Like cats, most dog mast cell tumors are skin tumors, and are fairly easily removed. In fact, the mast cell tumor is the most common type of skin cancer dogs get. The older your dogs get, the more susceptible they are to this type of skin cancer.

Several breeds, mostly with red or golden coats, seem more susceptible to mast cell tumors, so it would be a good idea to invest in pet care insurance early in life for these types of breeds.

   

Using CareCredit To Pay For Dog Tumor Treatment

Unfortunately, half of all dogs will develop a dog tumor at some point in their lifetime. Fortunately, just because your pet develops a dog tumor doesn’t mean that there has to be a sad ending. Even if you feel as though you cannot afford the treatment that is required, you should know that there are ways that you can indeed afford to have a dog tumor treated. One such way is by getting pet accident insurance.

CareCredit is a special type of credit card that you can use just to pay your vet bills. Veterinarians nationwide accept it. Even if you don’t have any other type of pet accident insurance, or the type of pet accident insurance you have doesn’t cover a dog tumor (which is oftentimes the case), you will want to make sure that you take some time to look into this.

Make sure that you also cherish each and every day with your dog. Take things one day at a time. Remember, dogs live in the moment and we should do our best to do the same.

   

Pet Surgery: What You Need to Know

Pet surgery may be routine, such as spay or neuter surgery, it may be elective surgery to improve your pet's quality of life (such as dog knee replacement), or it may occur in a medical emergency where the pet needs immediate surgical intervention. If you own a pet here are some things you'll want to know about surgery.

- Investigate the options.
- Ask if the surgical procedure can be done with a laser. Laser surgery is often less invasive and less traumatic.
- Compare costs. Whether between the surgical options for your pet or between pet surgeons.

Before Pet Surgery
- Follow the surgeon's instructions as to food and water your pet is allowed before surgery.
- In emergency pet surgery, be sure and let the medical staff know when your animal last ate or drank.
- You'll be required to complete forms authorizing the surgery and payment.
- You may bring your pet in for pre-op blood tests. Though an extra expense it helps the vet uncover any problems not readily apparent. Even apparently healthy animals can have serious organ problems that cannot be detected without blood testing.
- Make sure that the clinic has a current contact number for you.

After Pet Surgery
- After surgery, your animal should be given fluids to promote recovery.
- Your animal may also have to wear a special collar to prevent picking at the surgery site.
- Ask if you should restrict the pet's activity level to expedite recovery.

   
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