[Dailydrool] Transmissible Venereal Tumors

[Laura Tancredi]

Hi Emily
This is called Transmissible Venereal Tumors.  This is a cancer that is common in areas were there are large numbers of roaming dogs.  St Kitts - where I went to school in the Caribbean - had a large number of these dogs who were infected.  Ecuador isn't much different.  They are treated with chemotherapy (vincristine normally) and generally go into remission easily.  The cancer cells can be present with no signs and under times of stress (i.e., travel, surgery, etc) the tumors can develop.  Sounds like it's worth getting a fine needle aspirate or biopsy of.  Luckily Ryu was only a week old when he was taken off the streets and never had problems - well not with that, just worms, demodex, a jaw broken in three places, respiratory infection....
Let us know how it goes. 
Laura, Flash and Ryu (Coconut Retriver extraordinaire! TVT free since 2006)