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Cancer is the number one cause
of death in older dogs and number two killer of cats. Over the past 15
years, a great deal of research has been done on the treatment of cancer
in animals. Today, there are many tumors that can be treated with great
success using any number of modalities.
Each tumor type has a different prognosis for
treatment. Certain tumors are benign in nature, meaning that they are
unlikely to spread throughout the body and kill the pet. For these
types of tumors, surgery is often times curative.
Other cancers are more aggressive and are considered
malignant. They tend to spread from the original tumor into the
surrounding tissues or to other parts of the body by traveling through
the blood or lymphatic system. These tumors usually require
chemotherapy or radiation therapy to treat successfully since we must
prevent them from forming new tumors throughout the body.
At Alta Rancho Pet & Bird Hospital, we offer the
following cancer treatment modalities:
- Surgical Removal
- Surgical Tumor Reduction
- Laser Tumor Ablation
- Chemotherapy
When we approach a cancer patient, we start with a
complete physical examination, during which the doctor will evaluate the
state of the patient, the extent of the cancer and any other anomalies
that may influence treatment. Then we use a combination of blood and
urine tests, radiography and ultrasonography to evaluate the status of
the patients major organ systems as well as the presence of tumors
within the body.
Once we have completed this evaluation, a biopsy of
the tumor will be taken to determine its exact makeup. The sample is
evaluated by an outside lab and the diagnosis is returned to us within a
few days.
Knowing the nature of the tumor from the biopsy, we
can develop a treatment plan based on experimental evidence from the
veterinary literature. We should be able to discuss at that time, the
prognosis for treatment as well as the possible complications associated
with the program.
Although many cancers will ultimately take our pets
from us, cancer treatment can be very rewarding for both the patients
and their owners. With treatment, we are frequently able to add good
quality life to our patients.
If you have a pet suffering from cancer, ask our
doctors if there is anything we can do to help them.
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