Recently, I had a scare involving the health of my dog, Bowie. During a dental cleaning, his vet discovered a small, suspicious spot on his jaw and biopsied it out of an abundance of caution. The pathology report showed he has something called a melanocytic neoplasm “of low malignant potential.” So basically, bad news/good news.

A subsequent consultation with a veterinary oncologist proved essentially the same thing. It’s likely his little spot will simply stay just that. With a recommendation to have it monitored regularly, but no treatment required, I walked out of her office breathing a big sigh of relief. But it got me thinking about cancer in pets, and since November is National Pet Cancer Awareness Month, it’s a good time to learn a bit more.

Cancer is very common in pets, occurring in about 1 in 4 dogs and 1 in 5 cats, with those odds increasing over age 10. However, since pets are good at hiding pain or discomfort, cancer is often not diagnosed until the disease has progressed quite a bit. The signs of cancer also depend on the type, where it’s located, how far it’s spread and other factors. General warning signs to look out for include loss of appetite, abdominal swelling, difficulty eating or swallowing, lumps and bumps that grow or change, and unexplained bleeding.

Of course, these symptoms can mean many other things, which is why it’s crucial for your pet to see a vet at the first sign of trouble. It’s also another reason why it’s important for your pet to have yearly wellness exams. And finally, it’s yet another reason to get pet insurance.

Once a diagnosis is made, people often assume it means either the pet will die soon or they’ll have to put their beloved friend through long treatment that will make their pet feel horrible.

“I think the biggest misconception about treating a pet with cancer is that we, as veterinarians, automatically want to put their pet through chemotherapy or radiation,” said Dr. Kelley Zimmerman, a veterinary oncologist at Pet Emergency and Specialty Center of Marin. “What we seek to provide is good quality of life, whether that means supportive care, cancer treatment or, when it’s time, palliative care.”

Another misconception — and one that I had — is that pets undergoing cancer treatment will feel terribly sick. However, according to Zimmerman, “80% of pets that undergo cancer treatment actually feel better on it, rather than off it. Unlike humans, who may receive massive doses of several different drugs at one time, we give animals fewer at one time, with lower doses, and less frequency.”

Many factors must be considered when a pet is diagnosed with cancer: their age, your family’s finances, time you can spend with them as the disease progresses and what you know, as the pet’s guardian, would be best for their quality of life. These are tough things to think about. Your vet should be able to help you come to a decision that will allow you to do what’s right for your pet and your family. Remember that just like human medicine, veterinary medicine has evolved greatly, and we have many more options for our pets, even when it comes to cancer.

However, as hard as it is to face the death of a beloved pet, sometimes euthanasia may be the kindest course of action when their health and quality of life become so poor. Sadly, but understandably, we may delay euthanasia because we can’t bear to say goodbye to our beloved friend. But providing a loving, gentle, pain-free passing is one of the kindest things we can do for these amazing little souls who’ve given us so much.

Lisa Bloch is the director of marketing and communications for Marin Humane, which contributes Tails of Marin and welcomes questions and comments. Visit marinhumane.org, find us on social media @marinhumane, or email lbloch@marinhumane.org.