There is no prevention for dog genetic cancer, and it’s really heartbreaking. Unfortunately, it has become one of the leading causes of dog death. So many pet owners lose their dogs annually due to this disease.
Though almost all breeds of dogs are prone to cancer, Golden Retrievers have the higher rate. But fortunately, early diagnosis and long-run action can help you to avoid developing your pup’s cancer.
How to prevent cancer in golden retrievers?
Right breed and age selection, proper nutrition with the right diet, a healthy lifestyle, and regular veterinary checkups are the thumb rules to prevent GR dog cancer. Yes, all those activities should be followed throughout your dog’s lifetime to get the highest prevention.
However, that’s the basic understanding of dog cancer prevention. You have to learn more about cancer, like what it is, how and why it develops, what the symptoms are, etc. Here, we discuss everything about golden retrievers’ cancer. Just stick to us till the end to know.
What Is Cancer In Dogs?
When the body cells of dogs start to grow uncontrollably and spread throughout the body, that is called cancer. All those replicate cells destroy and infiltrate the dogs’ normal body tissues. So gradually, the dogs reduce their immunity system, and they will die when that is in major condition.
Why Are Golden Retrievers Prone To Cancer?
Nothing but some deadly genes of the golden retrievers lurk in their DNA. These genetic issues higher the risk factor of golden retrievers leading to cancer.
Common Cancers In Golden Retrievers
Your beloved Golden Retrievers may be affected by different types of cancers. Some cancer affects one specific part of the dogs’ body cells, and some affect multiple organs. Here are the most common cancers in Golden Retrievers
- Lymphoma
- Hemangiosarcoma
- Mast cell tumors
- Osteosarcoma
- Neoplasia
Golden Retriever Cancer Symptoms
If your GR dog starts to develop cancer, many symptoms will be visible in its body and behaviour. So it’s wise to have a basic idea about Golden Retriever cancer signs to define the disease earlier instead of not getting too late.
- Bumps or lumps may develop underneath your dog’s skin. You can check it by thoroughly running your hands to your dog’s body.
- If you get any unusual and abnormal odors from your dog’s mouth, ears, and other body parts, it may be a sign of developing cancer.
- Does your dog’s wound or sores need more time to heal after maintaining proper medicine? Or does that wound become infectious? That means the dog’s immunity system won’t function properly. Non-healing sores or wounds are other symptoms of dog cancer.
- If your dog loves to eat but suddenly loses his appetite and for this, it loses its weight. Then, it may indicate something is wrong with the GR. If that continues for many days, it may be the reason for developing cancer.
- Persistent coughing for a longer time with breathing difficulties may indicate a serious issue with your dog’s health. Because, dogs won’t get coughing or breathing problems like humans. So that serious issue may lead to cancer.
- Increasing drinking and urinating frequency warns of certain types of dog cancer development.
- Difficulties in chewing and swallowing are also potential indications of developing neck and throat cancer in GR dogs.
- Faster changing bathroom habits, struggling or facing trouble with peeing and urinating are signs of infection or cancer in dogs.
- If your healthy and active dog gradually becomes lethargic and won’t show enthusiasm for its regular favorite activities. It seems the dog loses energy to perform these acts. That is a major sign of cancer development.
- If your dog has pain or discomfort in its bone and is reluctant to do the physical acts it enjoyed before. It may be for the development of arthritis or bone cancer.
How To Prevent Cancer In Golden Retrievers
Preventing cancer in GR or other dogs is challenging, as it involves many facts and requires too much patience. But, we know you can go to any extent to keep your pet kid healthy. Let’s know some common but must-do actions to prevent cancer in Golden Retrievers.
1. Breed And Age Selection
First, the Golden Retrievers breed is prone to developing cancer, and older dogs are faster cancer developers than younger ones. So you have to acquire a relatively younger GR dog to avoid cancer development in your dog.
You can take help from a registered breeder to screen the dog’s breeding and age to determine its rate of cancer development. However, this is the best practice to keep you away from the heartbreaking death of your pet.
2. Ensure Healthy Diet
A well-balanced nutritious diet is a must for your dog to be healthy and fight against germs and bacteria that cause cancers. Some great food items preventing dog cancer are pumpkins, blueberries, blackberries, carrots, fish oil, meat, beef, broccoli, apple, turmeric, and asparagus.
However, you can talk to your vet to determine what percentage of carbs, protein, fat, and other food elements you should keep in your dog’s diet. Moreover, the vet can also suggest how many calories your dog should intake daily to ensure proper nutrition.
3. Feed Homemade Food
You have to feed your dog home-cooked food all the time. Occasionally, you can treat them to commercial diets. But when choosing the diet, you must read the food package to know where the food is sourced, what ingredients it contains, how to package it, and what the nutritional value it has.
You shouldn’t offer your dog large pieces of chews. As the dog may face problems chewing, shallow or digesting these. If you don’t know how to break dog food into smaller pieces, you can visit another article on this. Here we discuss the detailed process.
4. Provide Supplements (if Needed)
Your dog may need some supplements after offering a balanced diet. Because only fish oil can’t fulfill the demand for omega-3 fatty acids, Glycosaminoglycan, and many other food elements.
When you provide food supplements, these will help to build cartilage blocks to act like joint shock absorbers. It also ensures a protective impact on the urinary bladder and intestines of your dog.
5. Avoid Dog Obesity
Being overweight or obese directly correlates with certain types of dog cancers. The overweight dog has a greater chance of developing tumors like lipomas.
Moreover, obese female dog is highly likely to suffer from mammary tumors. Being overweight will lead to your dog’s diabetes, joint disease, heart disease, and other complications.
6. Regular Exercise And Entertainment
Regular exercise is needed to avoid your dog being obese. Every day, you have to take it outside for exercise, and 30-45 minutes of exercise will ensure a better movement of the dog’s organs, which keeps him energetic, active, and enthusiastic all day.
However, you have to schedule a time to play with your dog. It not only creates a bonding between you and your pet but also releases dopamine that keeps your dog happy. And the more your dog is happy, the less stress it feels, and the less risk of cancer development.
7. No Consumption Of Second-hand Smoke
Smoking is dangerous for both human and dog health. You may think the dog isn’t smoking, so the dog won’t be affected by smoking.
But you are wrong, my friend. When you smoke in front of your dog, it consumes the smoke, which is called second-hand smoking.
In general, if your dog has a long nose, second-hand smoking your dog will increase the chances of nasal cancer and lung cancer.
8. Less Sunlight Exposure
Heavy sunlight exposure is also the reason for cancer development, especially for light pigmentation dogs. So you have to avoid keeping your dog outside during the mid-day when the sun shines scorchingly. If you need to bring your dog out at that time, you must apply sunscreen to your dog’s face and body.
9. Avoid Toxic Environment
According to the Veterinary Cancer Society, insecticides (rat and insect killers), herbicides (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid) pesticides, (pest control spray) that contain toxic elements can be a reason for developing transitional cell cancer and malignant lymphoma in dogs.
So you have to use non-toxic, chemical-free, natural, and environmentally-friendly products to serve these purposes in your home.
10. Visit Professional Veterinary
You have to visit a registered veterinarian at least twice a year to check your Golden Retrievers present health conditions. Though normal lab tests can’t provide you with the right situation, you should do blood, urine, and other organ screen tests. If the dog starts cancer development, all those checkups can diagnose the problem earlier.
11. Spaying Or Neutering
Spaying or neutering is the final step to preventing dog cancer. In the USA, most vets encourage neutering your pups to prevent dog cancer. Because early spaying reduces the risk of mammary, uterine, and ovarian cancer in females while it decreases the chances of testicular cancer in male dog how to get a male dog to eat when a female is in heat
Moreover, as it is a pup, it can heal faster from the surgery due to its age and health condition.
Golden Retriever Cancer Survival Rate
A Golden Retrievers cancer case study in 2010 showed that the survival rate of GR from cancer is 38.8%. That is not that negative, and the actual rate may be higher than the average.
So the studies also encourage you to take proper preventive action to keep your dog away from cancer.
Final Words
Cancer isn’t a disease that is fully prevented. But if you try all those precautions, you can boost the immune system of your golden retrievers, which lowers the risk of cancer development.
Diet, exercise, sun exposure, smoking, and food supplement all can be conducted with a general process. But spaying or neutering should be conducted according to vet recommendations.