Cancer is sometimes met with in canine practice, although not so frequently as is sometimes thought It is a common mistake to assume that every tumour of the milk-gland, or of the teat, is true cancer; but it is true that, under peculiar circumstances, lacteal and cystic tumours, and the enlargement of chronic inflammation, may assume all the characters of a malignant growth.

Symptoms

At first, the tumour is small, knotted, hard, and irregular in outline; subsequently, after growing considerably, it becomes attached to the skin. The skin inflames and ulcerates, and open cancer is established. There is much pain, and an ichorous or sanious discharge. The edges of the ulcer are irregular, excavated, red or purple. The stench is intolerable, and death follows from exhaustion.

Treatment

In the early stage, when the tumour is small and unattached to the skin, and when the constitutional powers are good, the extirpation of the tumours by the knife, whilst the animal is under the influence of chloroform, may be resorted to for the purpose of relieving pain and prolonging life. An operation cannot remove the disease, but it can remove the tumour, which causes much suffering; the knife is, therefore, merely palliative in its effect. Still, the disease, even then, is likely to return at a period more or less remote. The most humane course, in advanced cases, is to give a dose of prussic acid.

Hydrastis, internally and externally, may probably prove of service in relieving pain and arresting growth.