Cookie's test results came back today and show that her tumor was a mammary carcinoma. This is a type of breast cancer which, fortunately, has a very low incidence of spreading to other areas of the body. This is good news - since we removed the whole tumor and surrounding mammary gland it is unlikely that she will have problems in the future. There is a small chance that it could come back, locally, where the tumor was removed. We spayed Cookie at the same time as removing the tumor, which helps reduce the risk of recurrence. We expect her to have no more issues in the future and should be ready for adoption! If you're interested in this pretty girl, please email [email protected].
Hopefully this can be a lesson to everyone to get their female dogs and cats spayed. Reports show that 1 out of every 4 dogs that are un-spayed will develop breast tumors at some point in their lives (Brooks, 2002). If spayed before ever going into heat, the risk of breast tumors is basically non-existent. Allowing a dog to have even one litter of puppies greatly increases the risk of breast tumors. If you or someone you know has an un-spayed dog or cat please consider getting this procedure done before 6 months of age - most clinics recommend spaying anywhere from 2-4 months of age. There are many low-cost and free options available (Emancipet and Animal Trustees of Austin) if you can't afford to have it done at your regular vet clinic.
Thanks everyone for caring about Cookie, and thank you for spreading the word about spaying pets so other dogs don't have to go through the same ordeal as this sweet girl!
[We have received enough donations to cover Cookie's medical costs. Thank you!]
