How likely is cancer in Golden Retrievers? What similar breeds exist?

I'm so sorry! Unfortunately Golden Retrievers are a breed that tend to have a genetic predisposition to cancer, and while it is certainly not common to develop cancer at a young age I would not say it is unheard of. In veterinary medicine we don't have the funding to research and collect quite as much information as for people and so I don't think there are numbers out there that would tell us how often 3 year old Golden Retrievers are diagnosed with cancer that affects the lungs vs. lung lobe torsion. Hopefully you'll have a diagnosis soon, and I'll hope for the best for Maya.

I'm very sorry you recently lost your Golden! Please accept my condolences for your loss. Actually mix breed dogs can be healthier than purebred dogs. Purebred dogs can be prone to serious health diseases due to the breeding. For example, Goldens are prone to cancer. A mix breed will have a mix of genes, and may not be as likely to suffer from heritable diseases. I hope this helps!

I'm so sorry to hear about you losing Shadow. There are breeds that are more prone to cancerous/malignant tumors, however there is no dog, unfortunately, that is immune to cancer. Cancer in animals, just like with people does not really have any rhyme or reason to it. In very general terms, larger breed dogs, such as Golden Retrievers are more prone to cancerous tumors. I wish there was a way that no animal or person got cancer. Hope this helps answer your question. Take care.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Lung tumors are uncommon in the dog. The most common tumors are adenocarcinoma and histiocytic sarcoma though other tumor types are possible. This can be determined in most cases by performing a FNA (fine needle aspirate) of the mass. The treatment for it will depend on the exact type and also the extent of disease. If this is solitary and has not spread then surgery would be the treatment of choice which may be followed by chemotherapy. The prognosis will depend on many factors like the type of tumor, size, spread of the tumor and treatment selection though cures are rare for any of these tumors. Good luck and best wishes for Cassie!

Poor Rosie! Yes, based on your description I agree that biopsies of the suspicious area would be the logical next step. Bone cancer is unfortunately common in Golden Retrievers, so I definitely recommend trying to get a diagnosis ASAP for the best chance of a positive outcome. Referral to a specialist for additional imaging studies could also be considered, if you would rather exhaust all non-invasive options first. If the biopsy does not show evidence of cancer, it may still provide some insight into what is causing her lameness issues so that she can be effectively treated.

Just because he is inbred, does not automatically make him prone to health problems. Inbreeding is often used to find congenital defects that may be recessive, but it is also done in order to bring out more of the good characteristics in animals. Your puppy is prone only to the usual health problems of Golden Retrievers, such as hip dysplasia, Skin Conditions, Cancer, Von Willebrand Disease, Luxating Patella, Cataracts and a Low Thyroid.

Dogs with a retained testicle, which means one of his testicles is in the abdomen, often have the retained testicle get testicular cancer. I've never heard of this causing lymphomosarcoma. That is a fairly common cancer of golden retrievers and yes sometimes labradors also. Generally the dogs are in middle age 6-8 yrs old. Your dog is young for lymphosarcoma but unfortunately it can effect any age dog. If you have a definitive diagnosis then I recommend perusing chemotherapy for him. This is a cancer that goes into remission fairly easily and chemotherapy in dogs has minimal side effects. Ask your veterinarian about removing the testicle, they may not recommend it due to lymphosarcoma, or speak with a veterinary oncologist and get their opinion. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you get answers to your veterinary questions.