Showing posts with label Cancer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cancer. Show all posts

Saturday, 11 May 2024

Obesity link to 22 types of cancer in humans should concern cat caregivers

Although, unlike human medicine, where cancer is a reportable disease and long-term data are collected there are no comprehensive databases for cancer cases in pets which makes it difficult to talk meaningfully about a possible link between increased cancer rates in cats and increased obesity levels but I want to discuss that. That said, there are claims that cancer rates are rising but it is anecdotal.


And I want to discuss this topic because in the newspaper today there is an article based upon a study which concluded that obesity can increase the risk of more than 30 different types of cancer. This is not saying that obesity per se causes cancer but that obesity exacerbates the prevalence.

The research was led by a team at Lund University in Sweden. Fat cells send out signals that increase inflammation, make extra hormones and growth factors, which increases the risk of tumours.

We know that obesity in humans and in cats can have severe health impacts in other areas i.e. cause numerous other diseases. It is really important for cat caregivers to ensure that their cat maintains an ideal weight. It's so important to health.

But in this article I want to briefly touch on this study for humans. But let's say right away that human anatomy is very similar at a fundamental level to cat anatomy. I have always argued that the causes of illness in humans can often be the same causes of illness in cats. And therefore when I see a study about human health, I tend to think of the health of our cat companions and how we can ensure we protect it.

The study I'm referring to was presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Venice. It concerned 4.1 million adults who were tracked over four decades.

The study confirmed established findings that obesity causes 13 types of cancer including bowel and breast cancer. However, the study identified a further 19 types of cancer associated with weight gain including cervical cancer and some skin cancers.

These forms of cancer make up 40% of all new cases in people affecting tens of thousands of UK citizens annually.

Until this study was published, it was thought that only 25% of cases were obesity-related.

Cancer is the leading cause of death in pets. As I said I can't correlate the rise in feline obesity which has been described as an obesity epidemic and a concomitant rise in cancer diagnoses but I think it is there.

Also about 47% of dogs over the age of 10 develop cancer and for cats it is 32%. But this information comes from personal experience is not comprehensive data as they are estimates. The numbers could be higher.

Female cats are at a higher risk compared to males especially if they've not been sterilised. And the risk of developing mammary gland tumours increases with age with the highest incidence in cats between 10-14 years of age.

My suggestion would be that veterinary clinics need to create a comprehensive database on cancer in domestic cats and dogs. 
------------

P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins.

Friday, 10 May 2024

Does chemo work for cats suffering from lymphoma?


Does chemo work for cats suffering from a malignant cancer of the lymphatic system (feline lymphoma) . Some cat caregivers will want to know and the answer according to a study and general internet research is YES but the chemo causes the cats to lose appetite called 'chemotherapy-induced anorexia'.

In the study 26 cats with confirmed high to intermediate grade lymphoma were treated for 12 weeks to a cycle of chemo drugs: l-asparaginase, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin and prednisolone.

In 46 per cent of the cases there was complete remission (CR). In 27 per cent of the cases there was partial remission (PR).

The average duration of CR was 394 days (about 1 year and 1 month) while for PR the remission lasted for 41 days.

Overall survival on average was for 78 days with a range of 9 days to 2230 days. Average (median) survival for CR patients was 454 days and for PR cats it was 82 days.

In terms of the affect of the toxicity of the drugs on the cats the most common was anorexia as mentioned.

In cats that achieve complete remission, maintenance-free chemotherapy may be adequate for securing long-term remission and survival.

Steps need to be taken to deal with the anorexia health issue referred to.

Study citation: Treatment of feline lymphoma using a 12-week, maintenance-free combination chemotherapy protocol in 26 cats

Link: https://doi.org/10.1111/vco.12082

--------------

P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins.

Friday, 22 March 2024

British King, Queen and future queen all have cancer

British King, Queen and future queen all have cancer
Chemo. generic picture.


Just a quick note. Three top Royals have cancer. You might not be aware of this as Kate Middleton has recently disclosed her cancer diagnosis.

King Charles: unspecified cancer but discovered when he had his prostate shrunk. Possible discovered bladder cancer but I am speculating. Source: all over the news media.

Queen Camilla: breast cancer as reported in Jan 2024. Possible mastectomy (as reported in news media). Source: Press Reader.

Princess of Wales (Kate): just revealed that cancer was discovered when she was in hospital for abdominal surgery. She is undergoing chemo at present. Source: The Independent.
In January, I underwent major abdominal surgery in London and at the time, it was thought that my condition was non-cancerous. The surgery was successful. However, tests after the operation found cancer had been present. My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy and I am now in the early stages of that treatment. - Kate Middleton.


As you might expect, the news of Kate Middleton having cancer is all over the news media websites today. She says that she is going to be okay and tells us in an emotional video of major surgery and chemotherapy. The King talks of her as his "beloved daughter in law".

The Princess of Wales is undergoing treatment for cancer. She said: "I am well and getting stronger every day by focusing on the things that will help me heal; in my mind, body and spirit."

We don't know what type of cancer it is. The King said that he was "so proud of Catherine for her courage in speaking as she did".

Rishi Sunak led politicians in support of the Princess saying that she had "shown tremendous bravery" and he wished her a speedy recovery.

Thursday, 4 January 2024

Dogs have a sixfold increase in risk of bladder cancer through passive smoking

Purdue University has an interesting article on how cigarette smoke inside the home results in a sixfold increase in the chance of a dog developing specifically bladder cancer. The study worked with Scottish terriers in this test and they say that this particular breed develops bladder cancer at a rate 20 times higher than that of other dog breeds anyway. And when they develop bladder cancer it's a particularly aggressive type. It's due to their genetic make up. It's makes them predisposed to developing bladder cancer.

Scottish terrier 6 times more likely to get bladder cancer through passive smoking
Scottish terrier 6 times more likely to get bladder cancer through passive smoking. Image: MikeB

And the reason why second-hand cigarette smoke dramatically increases the chances of dogs developing bladder cancer is because the body takes up the chemicals in the cigarette smoke and eliminates them through the urine which leads to cancer of the urinary tract and the bladder is part of the urinary tract.

There has to be a caveat or a warning about the results which they admit in the report namely that not all dogs who were around smokers got cancer and some dogs who are not around cigarette smoke still got cancer. So this is not a hard and fast test but it should be unsurprising to readers that second-hand cigarette smoke can give companion animals cancer just as it does to humans. That's why there are laws now firmly in place and have been for a long time that people can't smoke inside buildings.

This Purdue University cancer test is not earthshattering. It simply reminds us that if you are a smoker and have a dog, you should stop smoking.. Never again. Just stop it. Or if you can't do that then go outside to smoke and then return to protect your dog. And of course the same goes for domestic cats by the way. That's common sense too.

They chose the Scottish terrier because as mentioned they are genetically predisposed to getting cancer and therefore this test is going to be more effective. If second-hand smoke does cause cancer in dogs then the Scottish terrier will throw up a result and expose the problem. Although the use of Scottish terriers begs the question as to whether other dog breeds would develop passive smoking bladder cancer to the same degree.

P.S. Going to a party where there's lots of cigarette smoke in the air and coming back to your home to greet your dog at which point your dog jumps up onto your lap is also going to expose your dog to the possibility of developing cancer through cigarette smoke toxins because those toxins are deposited on your clothes and then transferred to your dog's coat.

-----------

P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins.

Monday, 26 July 2021

Common sense ways to protect your cat from sunburn and possible skin cancer

Summary: what you know about protecting yourself from sunburn applies to your cat as well. Use common sense to protect your cat from skin cancer.

Some online articles are saying that they have an expert to tell you how you can protect your cat from sunburn and possible cancer. It's actually all about common sense. You don't really need an expert for this. The world and their dog know that you can get skin cancer if you are consistently sunburned. That's why we have sunscreen and stay in the shade (or most of us do unless you're obsessed with getting a tan). And everything to do with skin cancer applies equally to humans and cats. So, what you know about human sunburn you can apply to cats. That's the end of the discussion theoretically but I'll carry on because there are some slight differences.

Fluff was sunburned and had to have his ear flaps removed due to skin cancer. Photo: Cats Protection.
Fluff was sunburned and had to have his ear flaps removed due to skin cancer. This cat is a bicolor. The piebald gene causes the coat pattern, mainly white fur with no pigmentation in the hair strands to defend against the sun's UVB light. Photo: Cats Protection.



The difference with cats is that there are only two places, really, where sunburn is a genuine problem and that is the tips of the ears because the hair is very thin over the ear flaps. And white cats are particularly susceptible because there is no pigmentation in the hair strands because of the presence of the dominant white gene. That, by the way, is why some white cats are deaf and have blue eyes or odd-eye color. It's the same gene doing its work. The gene prevents the development of melanin in the iris of the eye causing it to be blue through the refraction of light.

So, you have an ear flap with very little protection in white cats from UVB and UVA. The ultraviolet light in the sun's rays penetrate into the epidermis and dermis of the skin damaging the individual cells of the skin. It damages the DNA of the cells which causes them to produce cancerous cells.

If you want to know a bit more about the science of how cancer develops from sunburn, you can click on this link.

Common sense dictates that the way you protect a cat from this serious health condition is to keep them inside during the hot weather. This may be difficult but I'm told that in America around 7/10 of the cats are indoor cats anyway. That said - and this is not common sense! - most UVB is stopped by the glass in windows and therefore an indoor cat snoozing under the sun behind the glass of window should be okay in terms of getting sunburned ears. But check this point if you wish.

We know that cats like to find little pools of sunlight and the home if they are confined to it. I'm waffling a bit but you simply protect the cat from the sun if you want to protect them from sunburn. Common sense. Sunscreen, as mentioned, is an alternative. You can buy sunscreen for pets online on Amazon but you might wish to consult with your veterinarian before purchasing it.

And if you cannot confine your cat during the hot weather because they insist on going out it'd be wise to provide shady spots in your backyard. Cats will normally find the shady spots but the problem here is that some don't because if they did, they wouldn't get sunburn on their ear flaps, would they?

It is interesting that you can buy an ear wrap for dogs. It's a band which goes over the ears. I am thinking aloud. If a cat could wear something which protected the tips of their ear flaps that would be a winning result. The problem is that cats wouldn't realise the benefits and would simply do their best to get it off. And they'd succeed. They may also have a tendency to wash off sunscreen. I'd watch that.

The bottom line on this topic is that you have to keep your cat indoors if the weather is really harshly hot with bright sunlight throughout the day if you want to guarantee protecting your cat's ears from sunburn. This will certainly apply much more for all-white cats than other coat types.

P.S. At the other end of the spectrum frostbite can also lead to the amputation of ear flaps (and paws). Once again, a cat's ear flaps are particularly vulnerable because there is very little covering of fur.

Saturday, 8 May 2021

The sun of Northern Ireland gave this cat ear cancer

Northern Ireland is notorious for dull, damp, grey days or that is how I visualise the country. Rain constantly sweeps up from the south-west. One thing is certain, there is not a lot of sun in Northern Ireland and yet it was enough to damage this cat's ears to the point where skin cancer developed perhaps about a year or so later. When this white cat was found and fostered by a volunteer working for Cats Protection she had to be taken to a veterinarian to have her ear flaps amputated. As it happened, she had also been involved in a car accident and lost an eye as well.

The sun of Northern Ireland gave this cat ear cancer
 The sun of Northern Ireland gave this cat ear cancer. Photo: Cats Protection.

As you can see she is all-white and as you probably know all-white cats are particularly susceptible to sunburn of their ear flaps. This is because there is less protection of the skin because white fur is hair without pigmentation and in any case the fur on a cat's ear flaps, as you also know, is very thin indeed. There is almost no protection from the sun's ultraviolet light.

It is a precautionary tale with the summer coming up. She has been named Smurf and the moral of the story is that even in quite wet, overcast climates such as that of Northern Ireland the sun can cause sunburn on cat ear flaps. The Cat Protection central veterinary officer, Sarah Elliott, said that: "Even on a cold day, when the sun is bright there is still the potential for damage to occur. Pale-coloured cats like Smurf are particularly at risk, or indeed any cats that have unpigmented white noses or ears."

You can apply sunscreen to a cat's ears and you might ask your veterinarian for his or her advice on the best product. And of course on those particularly hot days you can keep your cat inside if that is practical. I know that outside cats find it very difficult to remain inside. This may encourage the owner to let them out in the interests of peace and quiet. Under those circumstances I would have thought that sunscreen on the ears would be essential particularly if your cat is light-coloured as mentioned.

Friday, 30 December 2016

What is a complementary treatment for cats?

Complementary treatments for cats are a form of treatment that is outside mainstream medicine and which can be carried out at home by the cat's owner with the advice of their veterinarian or under their supervision and perhaps rarely without this advice provided the cat's owner is knowledgeable.




All home treatments should be carried out with care and thoughtfulness. Cat owners should not assume that information on the internet on this topic is always accurate or correct.

Complimentary treatments don't necessarily cure but are additional to and supportive of mainstream treatments.

For example, for feline cancer complimentary treatments might include: nutrition (low carbohydrate, high protein and fats), vitamins, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, herbalism, homeopathy and Bach flower remedies.

Mainstream treatments for feline cancer include: surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, cryotherapy (freezing cancer cells), hyperthermy (heat probes or radiation), diet and immunotherapy.

Friday, 16 May 2014

I Know Why My Cat Is Shaking His Head

There are a lot of articles about cats shaking their heads and what causes it.  My cat is just been through a phase of that.  The reason why he was shaking his head and sneezing violently occasionally is because he had a nasal discharge due to a bacterial infection which in turn was possibly a secondary infection after a viral infection.

Another possible reason why he had a bacterial infection which irritated his nose causing him to shake his head to try and loosen it, is because something was stuck up his nose: a foreign body.

Another possible reason why he had this infection is because he may have the beginnings of cancer in his nose. That, again, would cause an obstruction and an irritation or discomfort - possibly. I am waiting to see how that develops.

In general, any irritation in the nose, in the mouth or in or on the ears might cause a cat to shake his head to try and get rid of that irritation/pain/discomfort.

Perhaps the most common reason for head shaking is ear mites simply because they are fairly common in the first place.  You'll see a lot of cat owners on the Internet recommending to a person that they clean their cat's ears on the basis that their cat might have ear mites.  Personally, I would not try this.  It is too problematic a process.  The cat might be hurt.  Also, the cat might not have ear mites.  There are too many ifs and buts.  The only thing to do is to see a vet.

A sore and inflamed mouth can also cause a cat to shake his head.

With respect to a cat's ears, the following conditions might lead to head shaking:

  • a foreign body or a tick the ear canal
  • an infection of the year
  • a blood clot under the skin of the ear flap (damaged ear)
  • and ear that has been damaged in a fight which has become irritating/uncomfortable.
These are just examples.  A veterinarian's diagnosis is required.  With respect to my cat, the irritation in his nose has been at least temporarily cured through selecting an appropriate antibiotic which kills the bacteria.

Monday, 3 October 2011

What percentage of cats die from cancer?

Thirty-two percent of all cats in the United States that are over 10 years of age will die from a type of cancer. That answers the question I hope. The high cancer rate in the cat population is probably in part due to the (a) feline leukemia virus - FeLV and (b) the feline immunodeficiency virus - FIV - feline AIDS.

People ask, "what percentage of cats die from cancer?" Here are some feline cancer facts:
  • Of all cat cancers 25% are skin cancers. 50-60 of these are malignant.
  • 0.025% (about one in four thousand) of female cats develop mammary cancer.
  • 17% of all feline cancers are "mammary related".
  • 0.2% of cats will get feline lymphoma (cancer affecting a type of white blood cell). FeLV cats are higher risk to contract this disease.
  • 10% of cat cancers are in the mouth.
  • 0.1% (one on one thousand) of cancers are caused by vaccinations.
  • 3% of cat cancers are bone marrow cancers.
Michael Avatar

Featured Post

i hate cats

i hate cats, no i hate f**k**g cats is what some people say when they dislike cats. But they nearly always don't explain why. It appe...

Popular posts