The term cancer was coined by father of medicine Hippocrates himself during the period of 460-370 BC. We have evidence of one type of cancer osteosarcoma in mummified Egyptians in 300 BC. So cancer is not a new disease.
Animals can also be affected by cancer like humans. In these days both humans and their pets are equally share the risk of cancer because of their eating habits, life styles and their exposure to carcinogens. Actually number of humans affected by cancer is less than the number of pets like cats and dogs affected by cancer. It is visible in human because our life span is longer than animals and we are not dying of any other diseases like animals die.
Types of cancer in animals are insulinomas - tumor in pancreas, Chondrosarcoma of bones, canine lymphosarcoma, cell sarcoma and so on. Now veterinary hospitals have well equipped oncology department.
read this:- Why is animal testing good for cosmetics?
Wild animals also get cancer and it may be the reason for their extinction. 90% of Tasmanian devils a marsupial carnivore, died due to malignant tumor in their mouth. Now it is an endangered species. Another example is intestinal cancer in beluga whales in Canada. Marine animals are more vulnerable to cancer according to studies. Whales, tortoises, fishes are affected by cancer. This is due to the pollutants spread by humans in water bodies.
Animals and plants are inhabitants of mother earth and they are there even before humans. It is our duty to preserve and protect them. Let us use less plastic and save our other co inhabitants.
