Cancer is the leading cause of death in dogs over ten years old. However, nearly half are curable, especially when caught early. Several cancer types are more common than others. 

The types of cancer most common in dog's include:

• Malignant Lymphoma (Cancer of the Lymph Nodes)
• Mast Cell Tumors (A form of skin cancer)
• Mammary Gland Tumors (Breast Cancer)
• Soft Tissue Sarcomas
• Bone Cancer

Higher cancer rates may be a direct result of your dog's longevity. In the past, dog's died from common illnesses or from getting hit by a car. However, these days, dogs are receiving vaccines, they are being kept indoors more often. Nevertheless, certain dog breeds are more susceptible to contracting cancer than others.

In-bred breeds like golden retrievers, boxers, flat-coated retrievers, and Bernese Mountain dogs have specific cancers. On the other hand, mixed-breed dogs come from a larger gene pool and are less likely to develop genetically based cancers. 

Cancer prevention is the first line of treatment for your dog. For instance, spaying your dog before its first heat reduces the chance of developing mammary cancer. Good oral care decreases oral cancers. Yet, early tumor identification and treatment are your dog's best chance of surviving cancer.

The majority of cancer in dogs is treatable, which means that cancer treatments can prolong your dog's life and could even provide a cure.

Treatments available for Dog's with Cancer are:

• Surgery
• Radiation Therapy
• Chemotherapy
• Cryotherapy
• Hyperthermia

Additionally, Fenbendazole for dogs with cancer is showing promising tumor-reducing properties.

In June of 2009, the FDA approved its first drug for treating canine cancer. Other advancements include a vaccine to treat oral melanomas and an increase in Radiotherapy machines that treat deep-seated inoperable brain and nasal tumors.

Over the past twenty years, treatment options have grown considerably. Twenty years ago, dog owners didn't even know that their dogs could even have cancer. In the early 2000s, studies using Fenbendazole for dogs with cancer was initially studied in mice. Scientists found that lymphoma-type cells stopped growing and proliferating after Fenbendazole was administered.

The research community started investigating Fenbendazole's mode of action that caused the cancer cells to stop growing and found that the exact mechanism which killed parasites also killed cancer cells.  

Let's explore each treatment option in more detail.

Surgery is the most common treatment when your dog's cancer is a single tumor or restricted to an area of their body that is easily accessible. The main flaw of surgery is that getting all of the tumor cells is never guaranteed, so future recurrence is possible. Adverse side effects include bleeding and anesthetic complications, post-surgical infections, post-surgical pain, and the affected area's potential loss of function. The risk of other complications is relatively low.

Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill or damage cancer cells. This treatment is typically used in blood-cell cancers like lymphoma and leukemia. Cancers that have spread to other parts of your dog's body requires systemic treatment or treatment using the body's system. 

Colon and throat cancers are highly aggressive and most likely to metastasize. Treatments typically last 6 to 12 weeks, and the administration of the drug depends on which drug is used and the tumor being treated. 

Adverse side effects include bone marrow suppression, infection, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and chemical burs if the chemotherapy agents infiltrate the dog's skin. Dog's rarely lose their hair as a result of chemotherapy treatment.

Radiation kills cancer cells by disrupting their ability to grow or repair themselves. Radiation treatment often shrinks or destroys tumors that are not reachable by surgery. Dogs receive an anesthetic two to five times per week when the treatment is given. 

Adverse effects consist of skin burns, temporary hair loss, mouth pain, drooling, difficulty eating, and loss of appetite. Burns are covered with a bandage and treated with an ointment. 

Mouth pain, drooling, and loss of appetite are treated with mouth rinses and pain relievers. Many adverse effects usually resolve in a matter of weeks following radiation treatment.

Cryotherapy or freezing and Hypothermia or heating are used to kill small benign or malignant tumors located on the surface of the dog's body. These two treatments are typically fast and require only a local anesthetic. One disadvantage of this treatment is that it only kills cancer cells in the immediate area of the tumor. Other cancer cells that have migrated will not be affected. The use of a bandage along with regular cleaning and ointment use will help heal the wound.