Dr. Lori Cesario: Busting myths about canine cancer

About Dr. Lori Cesario: Dr. Lori Cesario is a Board-Certified Veterinary Oncologist who is dedicated to providing families with high quality information about dog cancer. Dr. Cesario runs the Canine Cancer Academy (https://www.caninecanceracademy.com/)

Laura and Dr Cesario discuss the common myths and misconceptions surrounding canine cancer. Dr. Cesario busts some common myths such as: can you tell if a tumor is benign just by looking at it? Can you tell if a cancer has spread without proper tests (x-rays, samples, ultrasounds, etc.) from a vet? Is cancer transmissible? Are certain breeds more or less prone to cancer? Can diet affect the prevalence of cancer?

They talk about how important it is to realize that dogs express pain differently than humans might expect. As owners, we want our dogs to be as healthy and happy as possible. We have to understand that dogs are really good at hiding their pain, and should therefore take any subtle signs of discomfort seriously (especially with symptoms such as limps). It’s also important to understand the earlier signs of nausea, including things like decreased appetite, increased drooling, and lip-smacking.

Dr. Cesario explains how dogs process chemotherapy different than humans do, which is important to keep in mind as humans decide how to treat their dogs for cancer.

Dr. Cesario then talks about the effect of early spay/neuter on different types of cancer.