Significance

• Just like humans, dogs and cats have similar linings in the heart and lungs that can be affected by asbestos.
  
  

Time Frame

• According to Asbestos.com, mesothelioma can take 15 to 50 years to develop in a human. However, in dogs the disease takes merely eight years to develop.
  
  

Types

• Mesothelioma is more common in dogs than it is in cats. Also, certain breeds are more prone to develop the cancer, including German shepherds, Irish setters and Bouvier des Flandres, according to Asbestos.com.
  
  

Effects

• Just like in humans, the disease most often forms in the lungs of pets. It can also occur in the abdominal cavity, though that is rare.
  
  

Prevention/Solution

• Unfortunately, once a pet is diagnosed with mesothelioma it is very expensive to treat and the success rate is quite low. Your veterinarian will likely recommend euthanasia.