...dies of cancer.? How does cancer manifest itself in a dog?

Just like people it is heredtitary, ask your vet to explain.

I also think your vet is a quack.Another cause of cancer is lawn pesticides & herbicides.

Never heard of cancer manisfesting in certain breeds as a breed characteristic. Sounds odd to me at this point.

Cancer can happen in any breed. Golden Retrievers are the most common breed treated with chemotherapy at the University of Guelph, in Ontario. Boxers are also a high risk for cancer. Its a mixture of genetics and environment that can cause cancer to form. But I don't know where your vet got his or her information... mixes generally have fewer health problems and are therefore, less likely to get cancer.Spaying and neutering will reduce the risks of breast and sex organ cancers, so make sure your dog is fixed. The chance of developing breast cancer increases for every heat your female goes through. Cancer can show it in a number of ways, but I wouldn't concern myself with that if I were you. Routinely check your dog over- everywhere- feel for any lumps or bumps, check the teeth, look in the ears, etc. If you notice anything unusual, a trip to the vet is best!Good luck!

Part of the reason dogs die from cancer is that they have lived long enough to develop the disease and did not die young from parvo, heartworm, or other risks. The disease manifests itself much as it does in humans, including lethargy, loss of appetite, pain, and limping. Dogs get the same kinds of cancer as humans. They share our environment and have similar DNA (we're all mammals, after all). Some breeds have a predilection to certain kinds of cancer; for example, osteosarcoma (bone cancer) affects primarily large breeds, and roughly 10% to 15% of rottweilers have the disease or will develop it. It also appears frequently in irish wolfhounds, boxers, mastiffs, and other large breeds. Non-hodgkin's lymphoma is common in boxers, rottweilers, cocker spaniels, border collies, labrador retrievers and mastiffs.Researchers who have mapped the canine genome are finding mutations on chromosomes of the afflicted animals. They are looking at where those mutations are located and at the corresponding locations on human chromosomes to learn more about these kinds of cancers. Some of the researchers on whom you can do a web search are:Kersten Linblad-TohElaine OstranderJaime ModianoMatthew BreenEric LanderWilliam Kisseberth

Wow. What a cheerful vet. If he's not the only one around, I'd get a second opinion, and maybe a third.Dogs get cancer about the same way people do; one of my snoodle friends had it; he had horrible growths all over him. I hated that his people wouldn't let him go until the pain was unbearable for him.