Today more dogs are surviving cancer. This is due to their owners' diligence in learning about the causes of this disease and obtaining treatment as early as possible.

While you may not be able to change the way a dog was born, particularly if he has a genetic predisposition to developing certain types of cancer, it helps to be aware of ways you may be able to decrease your dog's chances of developing this dreaded illness. There are a few preventive strategies you can take to help protect your dog against some types of cancer.

Avoiding Environmental Toxins

Limit repeated exposure to toxic environmental agents that pose a risk of cell mutations, such as house and garden pesticides and herbicides that can lead to cancer. Cocoa mulch is toxic and studies show that dogs exposed to weed-killing products containing 2,4-D (2,4-dichloro-phenoxyzcetic acid) have twice the risk of contracting lymphoma as unexposed dogs.

Prevent a parasite invasion and the need to use chemical pesticides by keeping your dog, home, dog's bedding, and outdoor area pest-free from the start. Use natural flea shampoo on your dog, vacuum floors and carpets frequently, and put borates, salt, or diatomaceous earth on floorboards and around the edges of rooms.

Avoid indoor pollution as much as possible. Cigarette and secondhand smoke contains toxic chemicals that cause lung cancer in people and nasal sinus cancer, lung carcinoma, and lymphoma in dogs as well as other respiratory illnesses such as asthma. Your dog will be affected if there are several people in your home who smoke.

Keep the windows in your home open as much as possible or make sure it is well ventilated with an electronic air cleaner or automatic air filter to reduce indoor pollutants. Many common houseplants and blooming potted plants help filter pollution inside the home. They absorb carbon dioxide, benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene, which are harmful to people and pets, and release beneficial oxygen. Golden pothos, Chinese evergreen, bamboo or reed palm, philodendron, and peace lily can help you filter the air in your house.

Avoid Repeated Vaccinations

Because too many vaccines can stress your dog's immune system, you should know exactly what vaccines your dog has had before revaccinating her. If your dog already has cancer, avoid giving vaccines during this time because they may interfere with the treatment process. Discuss this with your veterinarian.

Spaying and Neutering

To greatly reduce the risk of mammary cancer, spay your female before her first heat cycle. After she is spayed, there is still a chance that this cancer may attack her system later in life. There are many cases of spayed females developing breast cancer when they are seniors. Once a month, feel each mammary gland for lumps and examine each nipple for any discharge.

Neutering a male dog will prevent testicular cancer. Veterinarians report that one in ten males who are not neutered will develop this disease. Almost all testicular cancer is benign and just requires castration as treatment. Intact males should have their testicles palpated once a year to make sure they do not have any tumors. In older males this should be done once a month.

Manage Stress

It may be hard to imagine, but dogs suffer from stress too. Neglect, loud arguments, or anxiety can trigger stressful emotions in your dog. While studies fail to confirm that stress alone can be responsible for producing cancer, researchers know that stress does compromise the immune system.

One way to reduce your dog's anxiety is to give him plenty of regular exercise. Being fit strengthens the immune system and helps ward off chronic diseases such as cancer. Sustained, vigorous exercise stimulates tissues and increases blood circulation. This helps cleanse toxins from the cells.