Improvements in the quality of life of our faithful companions, the dogs, have brought with them a longer life expectancy. But, on the other hand, recent research has revealed that the longevity of dogs has led to cancer being the leading cause of death in dogs. As in humans, dogs are living longer and longer. That is why veterinarians are focusing more and more on preventing the associated problems in our dogs.
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Longevity in dogs
Dogs have accompanied humans for at least 30,000 years. Proof of this are the records that specialists in the field have been able to discover. The fact is that over the years, these pets are increasingly considered a member of the family.
At the same time, the different branches of the study of animals, in this case veterinary medicine, have had and continue to have a constant evolution. This focused on the welfare of our beloved doggy pets. But it is already proven through statistics that cancer is the cause of the greatest number of deaths in dogs.
For example, one statistic shows that dogs over fifty kilograms have an average bone cancer diagnosis at five years of age. Smaller dogs, weighing less than five kilograms, are usually detected with bone cancer at eleven years of age on average.
Another fact provided by a recent publication on the subject is that the diagnosis of cancer in purebred dogs is usually at 8.2 years of age. In mixed breed dogs, the disease usually appears after the age of nine years.
Diagnosis
The aforementioned study analyzed about three thousand four hundred dogs, showing their relationship between size, breed, sex and age. According to this study, the average age for cancer diagnosis in dogs is seven years.
Mastiffs, St. Bernards, Great Danes and bulldogs were the dog breeds diagnosed at the earliest age. English mastiffs presented an average of five years at the time of cancer diagnosis. Boxers, Vizslas and Bernese Mountain Dogs averaged six to seven years for detection.
On the other hand, it should be noted that researchers focus on early prevention strategies for canine care. For example, they propose to formalize some guidelines among owners that allow testing before symptoms are detected.
That is, for dogs in which the average detection of the disease is seven years, testing for early onset cancer should begin at five years of age.
According to researchers, the aim is to develop techniques that allow early detection, as well as to standardize the prevention of the disease in those pets most likely to develop it.
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