Very early cancer is usually not painful. Cancers involving the back of the mouth tend to be more of a problem since they are not readily visible during an oral examination in an awake animal. Oral cancer has been diagnosed in animals ranging from six months of age to twenty years of age although the majority of oral cancer is usually in animals over ten years of age. The best recommendation is to have any area of the mouth that does not look normal biopsied. This will be done under anesthesia allowing the veterinarian the opportunity to thoroughly examine the animals mouth.
Successful treatment is dependent on early diagnosis.
Periodontal Disease Periodontal disease is the number one health problem in companion animals over seven years of age. Many factors contribute to this problem including diet, age, genetics, conformation, and general overall health. As a rule, animals that eat soft food tend to have more periodontal disease problems than animals that eat the hard type of food. Older animals have more problems than younger animals. Some animals seem to be predisposed to periodontal disease, especially in pure breed dogs and cats.