三咪一犬的窩

會選擇這篇翻譯是因為很多人都常常跟我說,

狗貓也會得腫瘤喔? 狗貓也會得糖尿病喔? 狗貓也有心臟病喔?

雖然聽到這個不知道該笑還是要覺得難過.

畢竟醫療常識真的需要在日常生活就建立的, 特別對於有養狗貓的主人們唷!!

此篇一樣是翻譯自Dr. Jon, 不過這篇是email沒有原文連結,

所以有興趣的朋友可以到本文的最後去觀看原文.

(裡面的內容有些我有加上小註解, 是為了更好了解)

本文開始:

貓~~也是會得癌症的. 事實上, 這件事還蠻常見的, 就像他發生在人身上一樣.

如果我們活得夠久, 我們也是會有心臟病, 癌症, 或是其他的疾病. 然後, 我們會因為某些疾病而死亡, 我們的寵物也是一樣.

所以到底什麼是癌症呢? 我們要怎麼發現一些警訊?

癌症(或叫做腫瘤)是一種正常細胞變成不正常的惡性細胞. 這些惡性細胞可以有很多不同型態.

癌症可以在很多器官或是身體的系統中形成. 有些癌症會跟腫塊有關係, 有些則是跟血液或是骨髓有關係(像是白血病).

癌症可以進而變成一組特別的細胞, 並且侵犯且破壞到鄰近的細胞. 它也可以擴散到身體的其他地方. 這種就叫做"轉移"了.

癌症也可以發身在皮膚或是皮膚之下, 它可以影響到它所生長的器官. 有些甚至可以影響到整個身體.

所以如上述所言, 你可以看到很多不同腫瘤的型態. 就要看它長在哪, 也因此會有不同的症狀.

重點來了, 你要怎麼觀察你的貓咪有沒有可能有腫瘤呢?

以下就是觀察的點囉!!

1. 有一個腫塊或是一個長很快的腫塊(短時間內明顯變大)

2. 在某些器官或是地方的下面好像有一個腫塊 (像是皮膚下面)

3. 有一個本來就有的腫塊, 最近改變了樣子. (比如說, 本來看起來好好的腫塊卻開始破皮, 流出出血樣的東西.

4. 體重忽然減少, 或是食慾減退.

5. 咳嗽或是呼吸困難 (這在貓咪都比較少見, 但是看到就是很嚴重的警訊!!)

6. 尿尿裡面有血, 或是排尿困難.(像是在貓砂盆蹲很久, 貓咪在貓砂盆蹲很通常不是便秘...

    而是尿不出來, 記得看到趕快找獸醫幫你的貓咪看看喔!!!)

7. 虛弱, 或是懶懶的不愛動.


腫瘤的醫治可能會很昂貴. 而且醫療往往會需要手術, 也有可能需要放射線治療或是化學治療. (台灣好像叫做電療與化療)


接著要講一個實際上比較常見的腫瘤. 貓咪會得一種叫做淋巴瘤的腫瘤. 它是一種惡性的腫瘤, 會侵犯貓咪的淋巴系統.

在健康的貓咪, 淋巴系統是身體的免疫系統, 免疫系統是用來對抗外來的感染病原的, 像是病毒跟細菌.

淋巴組織通常可以在身體很多地方, 像是淋巴結, 肝臟, 脾臟, 腸道, 與皮膚. 淋巴瘤的分類則是看它從哪邊開始長的來算.


根據腫瘤的位置, 治療可能包括了化學治療, 手術移除腫瘤, 或是放射線治療.  費用則要看每間醫院有所不同.

(以下省略不翻, 是有關於美國的醫療費用以及寵物保險)


最後就是再度提醒要注意上述幾點, 才可以確保你的貓咪早期發現早期治療喔!!

Cats get cancer. Actually - it is very common, just as it is for humans.   If we live long enough, it is likely that we will develop heart disease, cancer or some other disease. We may not want to think about it (I don't) but it is true, eventually we all die of something. The same is true for our pets.

So, what exactly IS cancer, and what are the warning signs?

Cancer (also called neoplasia) is a transformation of normal cells into abnormal malignant cells, and it can take many forms.

Cancer can develop in virtually any organ or body system. Some forms of cancer involve the development of tumors, while other forms (like leukemia) involve changes in the blood or bone marrow.

Cancer can further be characterized by a group of cells that grows to invade and destroy adjacent tissues. It may also spread to distant areas through a process called metastasis, which is generally a "bad" omen - it means the cancer has "spread".

Cancer can occur in the skin or under the skin, and it can affect just about any location or organ in the body. There are also several types of cancer that can develop in different locations throughout the body.

So as you can see, cancer can take many forms. Depending on the type of cancer and its location, the symptoms will vary.

Here are some signs to watch for:

1.  A lump or growth that grows quickly
2.  A mass that seems to be attached to the underlying tissue
3.  A mass that changes its character
4.  Weight loss or loss of appetite
5.  Coughing or difficult, labored breathing
6.  Bloody urine
 or difficulty urinating
7.  Lethargy or a decreased energy level

Cancer treatments can be expensive. Treatment often involves surgery but it can also involve radiation and chemotherapy. The cost can vary from hundreds to thousands of dollars.

Here is an example actually a relatively common one. Cats can get a cancer called lymphosarcoma (lymphoma). It is a malignant cancer that involves the lymphoid system. In a healthy animal, the lymphoid system is an important part of the body's immune system defense against infectious agents such as viruses and bacteria. Lymphoid tissue normally is found in many different parts of the body including the lymph nodes, liver, spleen, gastrointestinal tract and skin. Lymphosarcoma is classified according to the location in the body in which the cancer begins.

Depending on the location of the cancer, treatment can include chemotherapy, surgery to remove the mass and/or radiation. Average treatment costs are hard to determine as they vary based on the particular hospital and the average cost in your part of the country. I can tell you that one practice in Columbus, Ohio estimates the average cost for 6 months of treatment at about $5,000. This includes emergency stabilization, surgery, hospitalization and chemotherapy.

Some pet insurance companies such as VPI would cover this treatment under their pet insurance plans.

Pet insurance can really help when your pet develops a medical problem or has an emergency situation. I've seen emergency treatment for many cats result in veterinary bills much higher than $5,000.

So if you have considered pet insurance, take the next step. Get a free quote at petinsurance.com. Their coverage is easy to understand and it can really help you provide the medical care your cat needs in the case of an emergency or illness.

Remember the warning signs of cancer and check your cat often for any signs of problem.

Until next time,

Dr. Jon

P.S.  It only takes a few minutes to get a free quote on a pet insurance policy for your cat, and it will be time well spent. Do yourself a favor. Go to petinsurance.com right now and get a free quote. There's no obligation to buy, but the rates are very affordable. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

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