More radical surgery can also be done, up to and including complete removal of both mammary gland chains. In our practice, most mammary tumors are removed with a conservative, localized procedure. The tumor should be sent in to a qualified veterinary pathologist for microscopic examination and diagnosis. Both malignant and benign mammary tumors can recur at the original or distant locations. Patients with benign mammary tumors have an excellent prognosis for long term survival.
Malignant tumors are more dangerous, and survival times can range from six months to several years.
The aforementioned inflammatory carcinomas carry a very poor prognosis. Some dogs with malignant mammary tumors are being treated with chemotherapeutic drugs in addition to surgery. Chemotherapy may lengthen the time these dogs remain disease-free. In both human and veterinary medicine, much focus is on the prevention of cancer. With regards to mammary tumors, prevention is very easy and straightforward.