Getting a cancer diagnosis for your dog, or cat, is shocking. The idea of losing your pet is heartbreaking, and the thought of what he or she has to go through is awful too. Dealing with cancer in animals has become a lot more revolutionary, and depending on the kind of cancer, where it is and how advanced it is, there are treatments available.

The first thing you, as a pet owner need to do, is make a choice. Our advice is not to rush this decision. Your pet will have been through many tests already,  to reach this diagnosis, and we will give you all the treatment options.

The things that you now need to think about are:-

  • Current and future quality of life.
  • Can this be cured?
  • What is the cost of the cure.
  • Will treatment be the best thing for your dog?
  • Will you be able to manage his treatment?

Our vet will help you make the right choices

As a vet who cares, we will help you make the right choices, and will be by your side every step of the way. We will talk you through the possibilities of treatment plans, discuss the idea of dog chemotherapy with you, and give you your options with surgery.  We will be honest with you regarding the best kind of treatment, or in some instances and this is hard to bare, when care should just be palliative. If we think that surgery and / or chemo are the best option, and will work, we will tell you. If we are unsure of the end result, we will tell you that too.

We will communicate with you

Communication is key. Our animals make us highly emotive, as they should, and often that bond between dog and owner, or dog and child, is the most beautiful bond there is. When your animal gets sick, it’s incredibly hard to deal with. You need a vet to help you with the big decisions, as well as to be honest with you. You also need a vet who is kind, caring and understand, and we pride ourselves on loving not only the animals that work through our doors, but their owners too.

Options for cancer treatments

Cancer treatments for animals can include:-

  • Chemotherapy
  • Radiation
  • Immunotherapy
  • Surgery
  • Medication

Sometimes these treatments are harsh and your dog will be need to be treated for side-effects and for pain. It’s good to know that chemotherapy for dogs is not nearly as brutal as it can be with humans, and your dogs side effects may be minimal. As specialists, we will tell you exactly what to expect, and how we expect your animal to react.

Get your pet checked out

Remember. If your dog, cat or any other kind of pet, is behaving oddly, seems to be in pain, or has unusual growths or lumps on their body, get them checked out.  It may be that your dog is just in a bad mood, but it could be something more sinister. Just like in humans, early detection and treatment can ensure that your pet makes a full recovery.