Cancer is a scary experience, filled with doubts and questions and a seemingly never-ending series of medical tests, procedures and treatments. That's true whether the diagnosis involves a person or a pet.
We're working on a story about pets and cancer for Delaware Pets, and our writer has talked with people who have lost pets to the disease and to medical people who treat animals. Stewart (above), the cat of Wendy Lewis of Wilmington, died during the last month from a tumor on the roof of his mouth. He couldn't undergo chemo or radiation, but Lewis said medication helped slow the tumor's growth and extend his life by 13 months.
We're working on a story about pets and cancer for Delaware Pets, and our writer has talked with people who have lost pets to the disease and to medical people who treat animals. Stewart (above), the cat of Wendy Lewis of Wilmington, died during the last month from a tumor on the roof of his mouth. He couldn't undergo chemo or radiation, but Lewis said medication helped slow the tumor's growth and extend his life by 13 months.
What we're looking for to make the story whole is a person whose pet is undergoing treatment for cancer now.
The American Veterinary Medical Association reports that the incidence rate in pets increases with age. Dogs are susceptible to cancer at about the same rates as humans; cats less so. About half of the deaths for pets older than 10 are the result of cancer.
For this story, we wondered whether the incidence rates had increased, or whether the veterinary community had come up with more ways to diagnose and treat the disease. Animal MRIs and ultrasounds can detect cancers now, and chemotherapy and radiation are much more common for pets than they were even 10 years ago.
The American Veterinary Medical Association reports that the incidence rate in pets increases with age. Dogs are susceptible to cancer at about the same rates as humans; cats less so. About half of the deaths for pets older than 10 are the result of cancer.
For this story, we wondered whether the incidence rates had increased, or whether the veterinary community had come up with more ways to diagnose and treat the disease. Animal MRIs and ultrasounds can detect cancers now, and chemotherapy and radiation are much more common for pets than they were even 10 years ago.
If you have a pet being treated for cancer and you're interested in sharing your story, e-mail Jill Fredel at pets@delawareonline.com, or give me a call at 324-2859.
1 comment:
We worry about cancer with out cats. Thx for th einfo
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