Pets With Cancer
I have always had a passion for providing excellent care for pets with cancer and supporting the owners of those pets. It can be daunting to get the ‘Big C’ diagnosis. Understanding what options are available and the associated costs can be a lot to take on board.
Our pets are much more likely to be seen for their teeth, ears, weight and anal glands than they are for cancer. In fact, cancer is not even one of the top ten disorders we diagnose. Of the cancers we do diagnose, the five most common are all benign, which means they don’t spread.
Phillipa examines cells under the microscope.
Chemotherapy
The treatment of many malignant cancers can involve chemotherapy. It is a common response for owners to say no at the first mention of chemo. When we use chemotherapy in pets we aim to improve and extend good quality of life, we are not aiming for a cure, and this is one of the reasons we do not tolerate side effects. There are a vast number of options we have for chemotherapy; it doesn’t always need to be costly and time consuming and we will always aim to give treatment options.
New Zealand Veterinary Association Conference
Just like in human medicine, there are constant advances in cancer care within the veterinary industry. One of the many opportunities available to keep up to date is the annual New Zealand Veterinary Association Conference. At Halifax, we aim to send at least one vet every year. I was extremely fortunate to attend the conference in Christchurch at the end of June. The focus was on oncology (cancer) and there were speakers from both New Zealand and overseas.
There were talks on the general care of patients with cancer, including pain management and nutrition, along with talks on specific types of cancers and updates on treatments options. We are very fortunate to have access to a specialist medical oncologist in Auckland and specialist surgeons throughout the country should we need advice on cases or refer for the tricky surgeries. I was astounded at the surgeries the specialists are performing with the aim of curing the pet’s cancer and providing good long-term quality of life for both the pet and the owners.
At Halifax
At Halifax Veterinary Centre we have a lot of experience and are confident in managing all aspects of cancer care. If you ever have any concerns about cancer in your pet it is always best to get them checked, an early diagnosis can allow a better long-term prognosis and often a cure.
Dr Phillipa Bagnall
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