27 Mar 2019

 Botswana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BSPCA) has noted with concern the rising number of dogs suffering from Transmissible Venereal Tumor, which is a type of cancer.

Transmissible Venereal Tumor is a round cell tumor that develops to look like a cauliflower on canine species like dogs and cats. 

Dr Amy Brown, a doctor with BSPCA relayed to BOPA in an interview that often times the ailment affected sex organs of an animal, but could also develop on any part of the body that had been in direct contact with the diseased area. Dr Brown said the disease was highly contagious and transmitted between dogs or cats by direct contact through mating or licking the affected area.

“The tumor cells get transplanted from an affected animal to a healthy one. 

Mother dogs can also transmit it to puppies through birth or grooming. Immune compromised animals are mostly badly affected,” stated Dr Brown.

He stated bloody discharge from the genitals and swollen face if the tumor was on the face as among the many signs of the disease.

Further, Dr Brown said treating TVT could be an expensive exercise as removing the tumor may require chemotherapy, radiation therapy or surgery. 

She said tat the three curative methods could lead to full recovery of an ailing pet as long as other internal organs have not been affected.

The best way to prevent TVT, he said was to have a pet sterile because research had shown that sterilised animals were at lower risks of contacting the disease as their interest to mate stops.

Furthermore, Dr Brown also mentioned that BSPCA helped the community in trying to combat the disease by offering free sterilisation to pet whose owners could not afford private veterinary fees. 

She mentioned that recently her organisation conducted a two-day sterilisation campaign in Gabane, where a total of 125 pets were treated. 

She said during the campaign, five dogs were found to be suffering from severe TVT. 

Another alternative, she stated was for pet owners to keep their animals hemmed in when on heat so that they do not mate.

Pet owners, she said should contact a veterinarian whenever there was suspicion of infection for early diagnosis and treatment. ends