Michigan specialty veterinary care center seeks dogs for cancer studySeptember 19, 2017 Oakland Veterinary Referral Services (OVRS) specialty veterinary care center is conducting a nationwide study on dogs with canine splenic hemangiosarcoma (HSA) and the benefits of using traditional Chinese herbal medicine (TCHM) as treatment to significantly extend life expectancy. Erin Bannink, DVM, DACVIM, VCHM, CVA, is leading the study, according to Lucy Henney, DVM, DACVS, owner of Bloomfield Hills, Mich.-based OVRS. Most dogs diagnosed with HSA are treated by removal of the spleen after the tumor has ruptured and bled, causing life-threatening blood loss; most dogs living only two months after surgery due to the spread of cancer to other organs, according to Dr. Bannink. Because of HSA's aggressive nature, chemotherapy is usually recommended after surgery in the hope of prolonging life, but it only modestly prolongs survival, and most dogs still die of cancer spread within three to four months of diagnosis, she said. "The purpose of this study is to determine if treatment with a specific herbal therapy regimen is helpful in prolonging survival time after surgery in dogs with HSA and no evidence of cancer spread," said Bannink. "We hypothesize that dogs treated with this standardized protocol after splenectomy will have …
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Researchers back comparative oncology to solve shared kid, dog cancersAugust 9, 2017Top cancer researchers and leaders in pediatric and veterinary medicine gathered for the first-ever Paws for a Cure Summit, hosted by Canines-N-Kids Foundation, a nonprofit that promotes research for the benefit of both kids and dogs with cancer, to discuss barriers and find solutions for enhancing collaborative efforts aimed at finding cures.
Orofacial manifestations of lymphoma in petsJuly 27, 2017The disease covered in this month’s column qualifies as rare. Each year, I see perhaps only two or three cases. However, it’s important to understand, as it can mimic other less serious diseases, often delaying diagnosis. One retrospective study noted that median time between onset and diagnosis was five months.
Dog noses as a diagnostic copilot?July 14, 2017It's no secret that dogs, through the wonders of their noses, can identify several types of cancers, including prostrate, breast, colon, lung, thyroid and ovarian cancers, and melanoma.
Zoo elephant undergoes successful cancer procedureJuly 6, 2017Joe Impellizeri, DVM, DACVIM (Oncology), MRCVS, of Veterinary Oncology Services of Middletown, N.Y., Lisa DiBernardi, DVM, ACVIM, ACVR, of Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists in Houston, and the El Paso Zoo animal care team successfully performed electrochemotherapy on Juno, one of the zoo’s Asian elephants.
The latest in treating canine lymphomaJune 26, 2017Everybody reading this article has likely had their life touched by cancer, either personally or through a friend, family member or beloved pet. Cancer is something we all want eradicated.
The gonadectomy controversyJune 23, 2017One of the most controversial topics in the veterinary cancer field is the potential effect of gonadectomy on cancer risk. Spaying and neutering have obvious benefits with regard to population control and in preventing ovarian and testicular cancers.
Study reveals ways to determine surgical margins for feline tumorsJune 20, 2017Cats with feline injection-site sarcoma (FISS) often have noncancerous tissue removed with their tumors as a precaution. This can have detrimental effects on felines, which is why new research from Oregon State University (OSU) is so promising.
UC Davis creates test for equine SCCJune 6, 2017There’s still no cure for Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in horses, but a new study from UC Davis can help detect horses at risk for it. SCC is one of the most common cancers that hits equines in their eyes, and the second most common tumor in horses, according to UC Davis.
Equine melanoma: types and treatmentsMay 15, 2017Melanoma—cancer of the skin’s pigment cells—behaves quite differently in horses than in other species, including dogs and humans, and is most commonly, though not necessarily always, associated with gray coat color.