Oncology
A cancer diagnosis for your pet can be scary at first. It's important to remember that treatment options are available for pets with cancer and they can improve the quality and length of your pet's life. The treatments available for pets with cancer are similar to those for humans - including surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation therapy, and palliative care.
Our team's goal is to provide comprehensive and compassionate cancer treatment to slow disease progression while maintaining and improving the quality of life for your furry family member. Fortunately, most cancer treatment options are tolerated very well in pets.
Request an Appointment
If you are interested in scheduling a consultation with our oncologist, please fill out our appointment request form below so we can coordinate a referral from your primary care veterinarian.
Cancer care options offered by the oncology service at Avets:
- Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy is often used to treat cancers that have spread, or have a high likelihood of spreading, to other parts of the body. Chemotherapy drugs are most commonly administered intravenously or orally. Chemotherapy treatment is given on an outpatient basis, and our team will schedule appointments based on the protocol determined by our Oncology specialist. For most pets, chemotherapy is very well tolerated with much fewer side effects in animals than in humans. Pets generally see good results with chemotherapy treatment. The number and frequency of treatments will depend on the type of cancer diagnosis and overall treatment goals.
- Immunotherapy: Immunotherapy is another commonly used form of cancer treatment in veterinary medicine. Immunotherapy is a treatment that stimulates the pet’s immune system to fight off particular cancer cells.
- Surgery: Surgical intervention is often used to control or eliminate local cancer mass to improve the pet's quality of life. The best chance to achieve complete removal of cancer during surgery is during the first procedure.
- Palliative Care: Palliative care is a therapy that focuses on providing relief from the symptoms and discomfort associated with cancer. Since our main goal is to improve the quality of life for your pet, palliative care may be a good treatment option to consider. Palliative care may include pain management, medications to stimulate appetite, and medications to help with nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea.
- Additional Options: Radiation therapy is another common treatment option for pets with cancer. Our oncology team may discuss radiation therapy and other options during your consultation and can refer you and your pet to a veterinary radiation oncologist.
