A dog tumor is an inappropriate proliferation of cells. A cell population goes unchecked. They can be tumors in the skin, under the skin. For instance, fat is a common benign tumor called a lipoma in dogs. We'll commonly see that, and they’re not always cancerous. Any cell line that decides it wants to divide at an unchecked abnormal rate.

Melanoma is melanocytes or pigment cells that have unchecked division rates, and they get masses. For the most part, we see more melanomas in the dog’s mouth area, sometimes around the toenails and around the rectum. They're not necessarily based on UV radiation and light like they are with people in the skin. That's not as common in dogs. They have a nice haircoat. I think that's part of it. We tend to see them in the mouth or the oral cavity and things like that.

Dog lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphocytes, which are an immune cell in the body. They live in the lymph nodes and produce antibodies. The most common lymphoma is where the lymph nodes become rapidly enlarged throughout the body.

I would say they can get most of the same types of cancers that humans get. I'm not too versed in how many different types humans get, but for instance, lymphoma humans get, so many dog owners are familiar with that. Breast cancer, a lot of owners are familiar with that. Dogs can get that. There is some that overlap.

We do a lot of palliative therapy. We control nausea. We don't want our patients to feel any pain, and we want to have the most positive end-of-life experience between the owner and the patient. We try to make things as painless and as pleasant as it can be in those situations.