There are very few signs that directly indicate your dog has cancer. Even a lump could be an infection or a benign growth. Many common early signs, such as lethargy, weight loss, vomiting, or increased drinking, can be caused by a variety of health problems.

Veterinary oncologist David Vail recommends keeping up with regular veterinary exams and going in whenever your dog doesn’t seem right. Your vet can do testing to narrow down the possible issues that could be causing your dog’s symptoms, and track the size of any lumps so that you will both know if a lump starts to grow at an increased rate.

Listen in for more signs that can indicate early cancer, as well as tips on how to decide if a test is worth running.

About Today’s Guest, Dr. David Vail:

Dr. Vail received his DVM from the University of Saskatchewan in 1984 and subsequently completed an internship in small animal medicine and surgery at Colorado State University prior to practicing in his native western Canada for two years. He followed up with a residency in Medical Oncology at the Animal Cancer Center at Colorado State University, completed in 1990. He is currently Professor and Barbara A. Suran Chair in Comparative Oncology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the UW Carbone Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Vail has published over 170 peer-reviewed scientific manuscripts and 50 book chapters in the field of veterinary and comparative oncology. David is co-editor of the textbook Small Animal Clinical Oncology (6th Ed). In the past he has served as President of the Veterinary Cancer Society and the Canine Comparative Oncology and Genomics Consortium (CCOGC), Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Boards for both the Morris Animal Foundation and the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Foundation, is a founding member of the Comparative Oncology Trials Consortium (COTC) and past North American Journal Editor for Veterinary and Comparative Oncology. He has been honored as the recipient of both the Mark L. Morris Sr. Distinguished Research Award and the Pfizer Award for Veterinary Research Excellence.

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