Pet Forum

Canine skin cancer scares all of us. We need to understand the causes and treatments of dog skin cancer, and some pictures of dogs with skin cancer, to understand what to expect. Nothing is more frightening than not knowing what is going to happen. With that in mind, let's chat about this horrible dog illness that is way too common.

We should start by explaining what breeds of dogs tend to be more likely to develop canine skin cancer. Boxers, bull mastiffs, basset hounds, weimaraners, norweigan elkhounds, kerry blue terriers, and scottish terriers are the breeds that have a much higher likelihood of developing malignant skin cancer tumors.

No one is really sure what causes dogs to develop skin cancer, but we do know that genetics and exposure to the sun plays some role in the process. It has been proven that light colored puppies with a thin coat of hair are sensitive to sun exposure, which can lead to a type of canine skin cancer called squamous cell carcinoma and hemangioma. It has also been proven that the genetics in certain canine breeds makes it more likely that they will develop malignant tumors, but the details of that have not been proven yet.

Most tumors on dogs are non-cancerous thankfully. When a puppy does have cancerous tumors from canine skin cancer, it may be one of four different types: epithelial tumors, mesenchymal tumors, round cell tumors and melanomas.

When a dog develops skin cancer, the most common type of canine cancer, it usually appears as a lump or sore on the skin that just won't go away. Many canines will show signs of pain or discomfort from the disease, and they are prone to scratching it because it itches. The site of the dog cancer may also be red and flaky looking.

While we do call this canine "skin cancer", the same ilness can also effect other organs besides the skin. Glands, fat, connective tissue, and hair follicles may also be the site of the cancerous tumors.

Please keep in mind that the vast majority of tumors on dogs are non-cancerous. Tumors on older puppies (usually 6 to 14 years old) are extremely common.

If the veterinarian determines that your puppy does have dog skin cancer, there are many treatment options available to him, and these are usually very effective at removing the cancerous cells. Common treatments includes: surgical removal of the tumors, radiation therapy, hyperthermia, photodynamic therapy, chemotherapy, gene therapy, and diet.

The following pictures or photos will give you a good example of what canine skin cancer looks like:


The following video is a tribute that a pet owner made for their 14 year old puppy that passed away due to lymphnodsarcoma of the skin. Very touching..

Hey alec, my dog has been scratching his back near the rear area for quite some time now. Do you think it's skin cancer? He has red marks there and I'm getting worried. The second pic looks kinda like my dog's rear end if I lift up the fur but not really like that, just a little bit.