YARMOUTH, Maine, June 7, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Many pet owners have not heard that the month of May is Pet Cancer Awareness Month. It's a time when many veterinary medicine facilities, like Yarmouth Veterinary Center, like to educate pet owners about the dangers and risks of cancer in their pets as well as the benefits afforded by early detection. "Regular healthy pet checkups are the first line of detection for both cats and dogs," warns Dr. Louise LeBoeuf of Yarmouth Veterinary Center. She goes on to say, "It won't prevent cancer, but it can help identify cancer symptoms early, which saves pets lives."
The American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation reports that nearly 30 percent of older dog deaths are due to cancer. Part of this is the result of less vigilance among owners of older pets when it comes to routine checkups. With fewer checkups and veterinarian visits, early warning signs and symptoms of cancer are missed and the condition isn't discovered until the dog begins showing symptoms of the condition.
There are several different types of canine cancer including melanoma, prostate cancer, osteosarcoma, mammary cancer, mast cell tumors, lymphoma, and others. "Education and awareness of these cancers is critical to early detection," says Dr. LeBoeuf, "Not only in dogs, but with cats as well."
Yarmouth Veterinary Center offers routine checkups and wellness visits in addition to cancer screenings for animals of all ages and works to accommodate pet owners' busy schedules by offering early evening and Saturday hours.
Dr. LeBoeuf encourages cat owners to be equally vigilant in safeguarding the health of their pets and getting routine checkups as feline cancer, while not as common as canine cancer, has a tendency to be far more aggressive when it does occur.
Pets bring so much to the lives of their owners. Endless hours of joy, companionship, and in the case of working pets, they fulfill a responsibility or vital role within the home. Pet Cancer Awareness month is designed to inform pet owners of the very real risk pets have of developing cancer within their lives and to reinforce the fact that early detection in pets, as it is with humans, is the key to curing cancer in household pets.
"Regular checkups," according to Dr. LeBoeuf, "are the most important tools owners can use in efforts to not only effectively treat but also to eliminate cancer in the lives of their pets."
About Yarmouth Veterinary Center
Yarmouth Veterinary Center serves the needs of pet owners in Brunswick, Cumberland, Falmouth, Freeport, Portland, Pownal, Yarmouth, and surrounding communities. The facility offers medical, surgical, and dental care as well as diagnostic services, cancer screenings, and boarding for pets. Other services offered include nutritional and behavioral consultations and online educational services for pet owners.