Pet Melanoma

ANCHOR LEAD:
WHILE YOU KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF CHECKING YOURSELF AND YOUR KIDS FOR MELANOMA TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE ALL CANCER FREE, EXPERTS SAY THERE'S ONE MEMBER OF THE FAMILY YOU MAY BE SKIPPING... AND THE RISKS ARE REAL.
____________EXPLAINS IN THIS HEADS UP! HEALTH WARNING.

NAT SOT Length: 03
"Go get it!"

TRACK ONE Length: 05
PET LOVER LESLY BECK RUSHED HER PUG TARZAN TO THE VET AFTER FINDING BLOOD IN HIS WATER BOWL.

SOT Length: 03
(Lesly Beck, Pet Lover )
"I was scared, I was really scared."

TRACK TWO Length: 05
AN EXAM SHOWED TARZAN HAD A MASS IN HIS MOUTH... AND THEN THE SHOCKING BIOPSY RESULTS...

SOT
KEY @: 16 QUICK! Lesly Beck, Pet Lover
"It was oral melanoma. The worst of the worst. I didn't know they could get melanoma."

NAT SOT Length: 02
"Let me just take a peek in here, okay?"

TRACK THREE Length: 11
WHILE IT'S SHOCKING TO MANY PET OWNERS, IT'S ACTUALLY NOT THAT UNCOMMON. VETERINARY ONCOLOGIST MARY KAY KLEIN SAYS SHE SEES IT ALL THE TIME, AND MELANOMA CAN BE JUST AS DEADLY IN PETS AS IN PEOPLE.

SOT
KEY @: 36 Dr. Mary Kay Klein, DVM
"The most common site for dogs and cats to develop malignant melanoma is in the oral cavity and in the nail beds."

TRACK FOUR Length: 10
AND THEN IT CAN SPREAD TO THE LYMPH NODES AND LUNGS. AS WITH ALL CANCERS, EARLY DETECTION IS CRUCIAL.DR KLEIN SAYS PET OWNERS NEED TO REGULARLY CHECK FOR LUMPS.

SOT
Length: 04(Dr. Mary Kay Klein, DVM)
"Go ahead and get your hands all over them. Take a look in their oral cavity when they're playing with their toys."

TRACK FIVE Length: 11
LUMPS ARE EITHER FLESH TONE OR BLACK. OTHER WARNING SIGNS: BLOOD IN THE WATER BOWL OR UNUSUALLY BAD BREATH. IF YOU FIND ANYTHING SUSPICIOUS, GO TO THE VET RIGHT AWAY.

SOT
KEY @: 1:09 Dr. Mary Kay Klein, DVM
"When we treat our melanomas aggressively, we can still have our patients live a very long time."

TRACK SIX Length: 12
TARZAN HAD SURGERY TO REMOVE THE TUMOR ALONG WITH SEVERAL CHEMOTHERAPY TREATMENTS. HE'S DOING JUST FINE NOW, BUT LESLY DOES EVERYTHING SHE CAN TO KEEP A CLOSE WATCH ON HER PRECIOUS PUG. AFTER THAT?

SOT
KEY @: 1:25 Lesly Beck, Pet Lover
"We keep our fingers crossed. We try, you know? (laughs) So, now it's up to him to stay healthy."

ANCHOR TAG:
DR. KLEIN SAYS SEVERAL MELANOMA VACCINATIONS FOR PETS ARE IN CLINICAL TRIALS AND EARLY RESULTS ARE PROMISING.
SHE ALSO SAYS NO ONE REALLY KNOWS WHAT CAUSES THE CANCER, BUT SUN IS NOT THOUGHT TO BE A MAJOR FACTOR, SINCE PETS USUALLY GET MELANOMA IN SPOTS THAT DON'T GET SUN EXPOSURE. WHILE MELANOMAS CAN OCCUR ON THE SKIN OF DOGS AND CATS... THE MAJORITY OF THOSE TUMORS ARE BENIGN.

SOURCE INFORMATION:

Mary Kay Klein, DVM
141 E Fort Lowell Rd
Tucson, AZ 85705-3920
(520) 888-3177

Dr. Klein is board certified in both medical and radiation oncology. She has been practicing since 1985 and owns her oncology practice. Dr. Klein says she treats dogs and cats with melanoma frequently.