5 Subtle Canine Cancer Symptoms Worth a Trip to the Vet

The following canine cancer symptoms may not always be sure-fire signs of the disease, but you may want to have a veterinarian examine your pet just to be sure.

Bumps and Lumps

Most cysts are harmless fluid-filled sacs, but others can be cancerous. If your dog spends a lot of time outdoors in the sun and is a light-colored breed, he is at a higher risk for canine skin cancer.

When a lump, bump, mass or cyst is worth a trip to the vet:

• Lumps in the mouth area
• A cyst with an irregular shape or jagged edges
• Bumps or lumps that grow fast and bleed
• Masses not confined to one spot

Testicle Enlargement can be a sign of testicular cancer. Blood in the urine, a soft or hard lump in the testicle, squatting to urinate like a female dog, and enlarged breasts are also indications of testicular cancer.

Difficulty with Bodily Functions and Activities: There are times when canine cancer symptoms can show up subtly in your dog's normal behavior.

For example, when a dog has difficulty:

• Eating or swallowing
• Healing body sores
• Walking or exercising
• Urinating or defecating

Loss of Appetite/Weight

This could be a sign of orophayngeal cancer. With this condition, dogs can also develop mouth sores.

Swelling in Areas of Your Dog's Body: This may be lymphoma, which is a fast-spreading form of cancer that affects the lymph nodes, spleen and other organs in dogs.