Malignant melanoma

[Ct. Tom]

Help!,
My 12 yr old has been diagnosed with melanoma (sub-ungal) under nail bed i need to know if this is something that is happening alot?Does anyone have a dog that has had it? My vet ask me to check he said he has now seen several cases involving Rotts?If you know about it and have seen it co8uld you respond either e-mail or here??Please? http://www.rottweiler.net/rottie/smile.gif

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Ct.Tom

[Nancy Estes]

A dog I bred had malignant melanoma; a growth in his mouth. My understanding is that when it appears in the mouth it's already elsewhere in the body. There are also what are referred to as *hairy melanomas* - on the hairy part of the dog's body. These are almost always benign. However, a 12-year-old dog with cancer is not unusual. We could debate forever on whether large & medium/large dogs should live longer than they do, but 12 is on the outside range of age for a Rottweiler today. At that age they usually have age-related health problems of some sort. Of course, I realilze this is no consolation to you and your dog. Did you vet mention the age of the other Rotts he's seen lately with melanoma?

Nancy

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von Dorow Rottweilers
doggo1@apex2000.net

[Ct. Tom]

Nancy,
Thank you yes the vet did tell me the ages and really those are the ones i'm concerned about they are only 4-5yrs old!This is sad very sad in fact.My dog i know has lived an outstanding very meaningful life and has given his all he is my best friend period!I am aware of melanoma's just (sub-ungal)is the one i was concerned with it starts in the feet.I was wondering if its somewhat common??

[Nancy Estes]

I honestly don't know how common it is. I suspect, though, that it is sometimes not diagnosed until it's already metasticized. If a biopsy's not done it could be misdiagnosed. Cancer probably is more common than it used to be but I also believe that with better diagnostic tools it is more easily identified than it used to be. I remember having cats when I was a child that *wasted* away & vets didn't know what was wrong with them. Nowdays it would probably be diagnosed as feline leukemia, etc. I do know that treatment for bone cancer in certain areas (long bones for one) is much more successfully treated than in the past - used to be it was the kiss of death. As far as the melanomas, my friend who had the dog I referred to was told that the oral variety is more commonly seen in dogs with black mouths.

Nancy

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von Dorow Rottweilers
doggo1@apex2000.net