An Epidemiological Survey of Neoplastic Diseases in Dogs and Cats at 26 Primary Care Veterinary Hospitals in Japan

Abstract

An epidemiological survey was conducted on neoplastic diseases in dogs and cats at 26 hospitals in Japan mainly dedicated to primary medical care. Neoplastic diseases were found in 1,902 of 19,870 dogs (9.6%) and 334 of 6,008 cats (5.6%) during the initial visit. The most common malignant diseases in dogs were mast cell tumors, lymphoma, and malignant melanoma, whereas those in cats were lymphoma, malignant mammary gland tumors, and squamous cell carcinoma．Approximately 50% of the patients with confirmed neoplasms had visited veterinary hospitals with chief complaints suggestive of a neoplastic disease．Malignant tumors tend to be observed more often in large-sized dogs and in dogs and cats of an advanced age.