November is Pet Cancer Awareness Month, and it is an issue that can be devastating for families.
Miranda was only 6 years old when she was diagnosed with cancer. For Noreen Bera, the news was devastating.
“Miranda was our child,” Bera said. “We weren’t blessed with children, and even people who are today, a dog is part of the family.”
They did everything they could to fight the cancer: chemo, radiation, therapy, and it worked. Miranda lived another four years – but it cost them nearly $40,000.
“What I realized is that most people can’t do that,” Bera said. “They don’t have the resources.”
That’s when they started Miranda’s People, an organization that provides emotional and financial support to owners of pets with cancer.
“A lot of the people we help don’t have the money, they’re living on Social Security or disability,” Bera said.
Part of their mission is education. So what to look for?
“Just like in humans, as we have health care developments that prolong life, we’re facing cancer more often, so it’s actually becoming very, very common,” said Dr. Trey Callahan, an oncologist at the UC Davis veterinary school.
He said to watch for changes in appetite, unexplained weight loss or changes in bathroom habits. If there are lumps, get them checked, especially if they’re growing quickly, if they’re red or bleeding, or if there’s any kind of discharge.
“It’s never wrong to get any of them checked out,” Dr. Callahan said. “Often a veterinarian will measure it, do a sample of it, and that can help us rule out anything malignant or scary.”
These are small precautions that can buy you more time with your dog.
“That dog can be your lifeline, and for a lot of people they are,” Bera said.
Dr. Callahan said it’s also a good idea to look at different pet insurance options, since cancer treatments can cost anywhere from a few thousand dollars to tens of thousands of dollars.
