The Food and Drug Administration gave approval to drug specially developed to treat cancer in dogs. Usually vets have to depend on cancer drugs meant for human to treat cancer in dogs. This new drug will offer a new option to vets.

Federal agency said that cancer treatments used in animals are used in an "extra-label" manner as allowed by the Animal Medicinal Drug Use Clarification Act of 1994.

The new drug known as Palladia can treat canine cutaneous mast cell tumors, a type of cancer responsible for about 1 of 5 cases of canine skin tumors. Palladia is manufactured by Pfizer Animal Health Inc. Some side effects of drug are decrease or loss of appetite, lameness, diarrhea, weight loss and blood in the stool.

Dr. Bernadette Dunham, director of the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine said: "This cancer drug approval for dogs is an important step forward for veterinary medicine."

Canine cutaneous mast cell tumors are removed easily but sometimes it can lead to life threatening disease.