What is new in Breast Cancer in Pets? 

In a word: Nothing. Until now. 

The University of Wisconsin Excellence in Companion Animal Mammary Cancer Research Fund and is ready for your donations.  The direct link to the fund via UW’s giving page for online gifts:  https://supportuw.org/go/xGMyf .

The expectation is to fund research. If you prefer sending a check for your personal contribution, you can issue it payable to UW Foundation with Fund 112840163 on the check memo line.  Checks can be mailed to:  UW Foundation, c/o U.S. Bank Lockbox, Box 78807, Milwaukee WI 53278-8807. Another alternative is https://www.revivalanimal.com/category/breast-cancer-awareness for an easy 1 click for donations from $5.00 and up. 

Feel free to share these links with anyone who might be interested in supporting this work. 

Additionally, we are raising funds with the sale of a beautiful silver necklace with our logo, made exclusively for us by Kessler’s Jewelry in Milwaukee. This necklace and matching dog and cat tags are also available ONLY at Veterinary Village in Lomira, at 920-269-4072 or [email protected]pinkpawjewelry

The last published research on breast cancer in dogs and cats was published in 1969 – right! 50+ years ago. https://academic.oup.com/jnci/article-abstract/43/6/1249/910225. How can this be real for a disease so common in our pets? 

What should you know about mammary cancer in pets? 

  1. Breast cancer is far more common in dogs than cats. 
  2. Very few dogs with breast cancer die of breast cancer. In 44 years in practice, I have only seen 10 dogs die from this disease. Cats are a different story – they nearly always die of this disease. 
  3. It is most common in dogs and cats who were not spayed at all, or who were spayed after age 2. Often, these are dogs who were in a breeding program, came from homes who did not have the resources to spay, or the street where there was limited or no medical care. 
  4. The only diagnostic test we have is to biopsy the entire mass. We do not do mammograms on dogs and cats. A needle aspirate of the mass pre-op is NOT recommended as the tumors tend to have multiple cell types and without a full removal for biopsy, this test may not be accurate.
  5. The only treatment we have for this disease is surgical excision. There is no radiation or chemotherapy for pets. Depending on the size and number of the masses or tumors, this may be done by just removing the lump(s), an entire area, or an entire chain of mammary tumors. This is determined on a case-by-case basis. 
  6. As you would do for yourself, you should do a monthly examination of the mammary glands of all of your dogs and cats. Your veterinary team members can show you how to do these. If there is any suspicion of a mass that could be serious, please call us for an appointment with your veterinary team. 
  7. The new research being done at UW is to help find better tools for early diagnosis and treatment options when surgery alone is not enough. This promises to provide breakthroughs in allowing affected dogs and cats live longer.

If your life has been touched by a pet or person with breast cancer, this donation is an opportunity to honor their life. 
Please contact us for more information at www.smallanimalclinic.com, [email protected], and 920-269-4072.