Pets Get Breast Cancer Too #Pet360

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, so today I wanted to talk about it a little bit. Breast cancer is something I've dealt with in the past and am now dealing with again in my family. My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer a little over a month ago. She hasn't received any treatments as of yet and we are still waiting to get her a surgery date.

But because this is a pet blog, I really want to focus on our furry companions - our pets. In December of 2011, we discovered a lump on my cat's belly. Her name was Kitty Kitty Meow Meow and you've probably heard me talk about her before.

Being a veterinary technician, I already knew that the lump was a bad one. I could tell by the way it felt. I took her to the clinic where I worked and the doctor confirmed that my cat had breast cancer. She recommended a full mastectomy, because with anything less the cancer would have probably just returned shortly after. There were also some other circumstances.

I'm sad to admit that even working at a veterinary clinic and having an employee discount for procedures, I still would not have been able to afford her surgery and treatment at that point in time. I decided to let Kitty Kitty Meow Meow live out her good ol' kitty days enjoying the stuff she liked most until it was her time. And she did.

She passed away just over one year ago on September 25th, 2012.

Kitty Kitty Meow Meow's favorite napping place. 

All of this was before I was active in the online pet community and working as a pet blogger. Sometimes, I wish that I had known about some sort of support group or something. I mean, my blog readers and friends online were overwhelmingly supportive when I announced my mother's breast cancer diagnosis.

That's why today I wanted to share the Pet360 community for Pet Cancer Support. The group is a "support group for pet parents who are caring for a pet who has been diagnosed with cancer".

If there is one thing I've learned about people who love their animals since I've been a pet blogger, it's that they are some of the nicest and most supportive people out there. I wish I had known about a Pet Cancer Support group like this when I learned about Kitty Kitty Meow Meow. 

Even if your pet does not have cancer, I still think it's nice to stop by and leave words of encouragement to those who need it. 

You can also find many more wonderful groups at Pet360. It's a great place to network with other like-minded pet lovers and pet parents. 

Did you know that it's a good idea to check your pet for lumps and bumps on a regular basis? Here's a great video that shares some tips about checking your dog for lumps. This is a great way to be pro-active in your pet's health.

And for those of us who have lost a loved one to cancer or for any other unfortunate reason, these tips from Carol Bryant and Pet360 can help your pet grieve the loss of their friends. These tips are helpful whether the pet's loss is a human or a fur-sibling.

This post is sponsored by Pet360. I am being compensated for spreading the word about Pet360.com, but Pawsitively Pets only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers and everything in this post is truthful.