Stress, Your Dog’s Health and Cancer in Dogs

There are some rather sad and depressing facts where cancer in dogs is concerned. Sadly, about one-third of all dogs will face cancer at some point in their lives. Additionally, the statistical chances of cancer occur jump considerably once a dog has reached the age of ten. While cancer covers a wide array of diseases, the most common canine cancers are skin tumors, breast cancers, lymphomas and mouth and nose cancers. The frequency of cancer in dogs may be a difficult concept for dog owners to come to terms with. However, being armed with this knowledge can allow dog owners to develop an advanced strategy for dealing with canine cancer in the event that it does strike. There are also steps that one can take to both help prevent cancer in dogs and treat canine cancer if it does indeed occur. Stress might not be the first thing that you think of when you hear the word cancer, but stress has been pinpointed as a major contributor for cancer in humans. There is every reason to believe that the stress-cancer link carries over to our canine cousins. In fact, many veterinarians have found that there is indeed a connection between stress and cancer in dogs. Why is there a connection between stress and cancer in dogs? Stress produces a chemical in the body called cortisol, and cortisol is very rough on the body of mammals. This stress hormone can cause all sorts of changes in the body, ranging from inflammation and aging to cancer. In humans, this process has been well documented and is increasingly becoming understood. Making sure that you dog is having a relatively stress free life and is happy may be even more important than you think. Stress does indeed kill, as we have all long suspected, and it can even result in cancer in dogs. Thus, it is quite important that you find a way to help your four-legged companion as stress free as possible. Feeling that he or she is a valued member of the pack is quite important for a dog. Thus, any activity that you need to undertake to help your canine buddy feel like he or she is “part of the team” will go a long way toward avoiding the stress that can potentially even lead to cancer in dogs. There have been studies with mice that have shown that social isolation actually led to a quicker spread of cancer in mice. The implications of such a study are potentially profound for both human and canine cancer. This study also underscores the importance of making certain that your dog feels he is valued and getting enough attention.