Is Cancer Genetic?

[Max Mo]

My dog, who's not yet 2yo, has recently undergone surgery to remove a number of skin lumps, one large one was a mass cell tumor, class 1 level. (The rest of the lumps were not cancerous, thank God) My question: is this genetic, and is there any way to insure that other puppies we may purchase in the future, won't develop cancers? There are a number of champions out there who have been bred, but then later, develop cancer. Another question I have is: if the puppies of those who develop cancers are later bred, won't their offspring get cancer as well?
I'm so disappointed to now own a Boxer who developed cancer - and at such a young age, (which cost so much to have the surgery and pathology readings done), and want to know if there are any ways to "know" whether future puppies anyone would want to purchase from any reputable breeder will develop cancer.
Thank you.

 

[Kerry Jane]

Some cancer is genetic, but it could also be environmental or a random mutation.

In my opinion, the only way that you can ensure that future dogs of yours do not get a genetic cancer would be to know as much as possible about the line that your dog comes from, even that is not a guarentee but it is probably the best that you can do.

It is hard though. When I bought my last dog I was told that no dogs in the last couple of generations had died prematurely from cancer. That is a good thing to know - but it still doesn't tell one that a dog may have died from cancer at 12, or had a mass cell removed and went on to live a long and healthy life.

So, i guess my only advice would be to try and get as healthy boxer as you possbily can, and to know as much about the line as possible.

 

[kassa]

It's no better understood in dogs than in humans, and unfortunately dog lifespans are already so much shorter that it can take them much faster.

While boxers do seem to develop more tumors/cancers than many breeds, they're also fairly well understood in veterinary circles to do better with them, i.e. not die as quickly or at all from more advanced forms than other breeds that are less disposed. That's a bit of a silver lining.

I had a bitch who had a mast cell tumor removed at <2 and she's almost 6 and doing fine, with no recurrences whatsoever.

My best advice would be to find a breeder who's actively fighting things that CAN be controlled and then control your pet's environment as best you can (food, water, no pesticides, no lawn treatment, as few chemicals in the house and yard as possible, etc.) Even if they don't ingest chemicals, you don't want them walking on them, so everything from spraying the bushes to treating your lawn should be suspect (as well as taking them to play on public land that's chemically treated, allowing them off the sidewalk onto neighorhood lawns that are treated, etc)

 

[Max Mo]

Many Thanks!!

Thank you both, Kerry Jane and Kassa. I greatly appreciate your information, which is generally what I have been reading and hearing from other Boxer breeders in my area. (So. Cal.) It's unfortunate that some breeders, even though they have the pedigrees of their foundations, they don't know that much about their ancestors.

Another question I have now is, How are we able to get more information on the ancestors of puppies we are considering? I have gotten longer pedigrees from AKC but there's no way to contact those breeders to find out whether their dogs/bitches are still alive and if not, what they died from, etc. Is there a database out there?

Thanks again!

 

[Kerry Jane]

I wish there was a database out there as I would like to know the same thing! But there is not!
What I am trying to do is start a relationship with some of the breeders of the dogs in my girl's last couple of generations. It started off with emails to the breeder of her grand-parents, and her mom, to let them know that Star had gotten her championship, and a picture of her. Maybe one day, I will get to the point where I can ask them for more information on their dogs. However, this would be hard to do with puppies that you are considering.

Your best bet is to find a breeder who is doing as Kassa suggested, and also who is health testing their dogs, and has a good history of their dogs living long and healthy lives.