Veterinary oncology is a subspecialty of veterinary medicine that deals with cancer diagnosis and treatment in animals. Cancer is a major cause of death in pet animals. In one study, 45% of the dogs that reached 10 years of age or older died of cancer.[1]
Skin tumors are the most frequently diagnosed type of tumor in domestic animals for two reasons: 1. constant exposure of animal skin to the sun and external environment, 2. skin tumors are easy to see because they are on the outside of the animal.[2]
- ^ Withrow, Stephen J. (2007). "Why worry about cancer in pets?". In Withrow, Stephen J.; MacEwen, E. Gregory (eds.). Small Animal Clinical Oncology (4th ed.). Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders. pp. xv–xvii. ISBN 978-0-7216-0558-6.
- ^ Tumors of the Skin and Soft Tissues: Introduction, The Merck Veterinary Manual http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/72200.htm&word=neoplasm