Dog Cancer Vaccine Arrives
A serious pet healthcare problem could soon be a thing of the past after a US pharmaceutical company was given the thumbs up to market a vaccine for a type of cancer.
Vical’s Oncept will target melanoma and, according to the manufacturer, can significantly extend a survival time that is typically six months or less.
Melanoma is a common type of cancer in dogs and as a highly aggressive strain can spread throughout the body even following surgery and radiation – and is resistant to chemotherapy.
It is also the most common malignant tumour occurring in a canine’s mouth.
According to the Animal Health Trust’s Oncology Research Group, melanomas make up some four percent of all tumors in dogs.
