Melanoma is a fairly common, locally invasive and frequently malignant cancer in domestic dogs. There are several forms of melanoma, which typically are classified by their location. These include tumors that tend to localize in the skin (cutaneous melanoma), eyes (ocular melanoma), nail bed (subungual melanoma) and oral cavity (oral melanoma).The causes of melanoma in dogs are not known. This type of cancer arises from abnormal, uncontrolled growth of cells that produce melanin, which is
Melanoma in companion canines unfortunately is fairly common, especially on the eyelids but also in many other locations. Most dogs with melanoma show no systemic signs of illness – at least not unless and until the disease has metastasized to vital organs.Melanoma typically presents as single or multiple brown or black nodules on areas of darkly-pigmented skin – especially on the eyelids. These tumors also commonly occur on the toes (in the nail bed), on
Melanoma is a very common type of cancer in dogs, but is rare in cats. Melanomas are normally classified by their location: oral, subungual (in the toe-nail bed), cutaneous (in the skin) or ocular (in or around the eye). Melanoma can be benign or malignant and generally occurs in older dogs (9 to 12 years). Regardless of type, melanoma tends to be locally invasive.Certain breeds are predisposed to developing melanoma. These are the Doberman pinscher,
Melanoma usually presents as a lump or bump and typically is fairly obvious to owners and veterinarians. The precise diagnosis of this type of cancer requires microscopic evaluation of cells and/or tissue samples. It can be difficult even for a skilled veterinary pathologist to determine whether melanoma is malignant or benign. Radiographs (X-rays) are commonly used to assess whether the disease has metastasized – especially whether it has spread to the lungs.The first part
The primary goal of treating melanoma is to relieve the symptoms that accompany the disorder, thereby restoring the affected dog’s quality of life. Good nursing care, surgical removal, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and other medical and supportive techniques are available to treat melanoma in domestic dogs.Melanomas of the skin usually begin and remain benign, but they can become malignant. If the affected areas of skin are bothersome to the dog, or if a veterinarian feels that