Oncology

Johnny Chretin

Johnny Chretin

What Is A Veterinary Oncologist?

A board certified veterinary oncologist is a veterinary specialist who has obtained advanced training in veterinary oncology, passed board certification examination in either medical or radiation therapy and has earned the right to be called a recognized specialist by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Both have specialized knowledge in the diagnosis of cancer, staging and treatment of cancer, however the focus of a radiation oncologist is in the use of radiation therapy, whereas the emphasis of the medical oncologist is in the use of chemotherapy and other non-radiation cancer treatment modalities. When your pet is faced with cancer, a veterinary oncologist will typically work in concert with your pet's general practitioner veterinarian in order to obtain the best possible medical outcome for your pet. A veterinary oncologist can help your pet by developing diagnostic and treatment plans that may include one or all of the following options:

While your general practitioner veterinarian can diagnose and treat many health problems, certain diseases like cancer require the care of a doctor who has had specialized, intensive training in veterinary oncology and can assist you in the decision making process, treatment and long term care of your pet.

Why Does My Pet Need A Veterinary Oncologist?

Just as in humans, a pet with cancer typically needs the help of an oncologist to help diagnose and treat the disease. Veterinary oncologists determine the most appropriate course of treatment and coordinate the treatment program for pets with cancer. They also frequently serve as consultants to veterinarians in private practice to ensure that their patients receive the best treatment possible for their cancer. You can be assured that a veterinarian who refers you and your pet to a veterinary oncologist is one that is caring and committed to ensuring that your pet receives the highest standard of care for his or her illness.

While in some cases, your veterinarian may be able to simply consult with the veterinary oncologist about your pet's care, in other cases it is necessary to actually refer you and your pet to the veterinary oncologist for more advanced diagnostics and treatment. Board certified veterinary internists/oncologists may also have access to specialized diagnostic or treatment tools that a general practitioner veterinarian may not have.

My Pet Has Cancer. Now What?

Cancer does appear to be becoming more common in pets, most likely because they are simply living longer. The most important point to realize about this dreaded disease, however, is that just as in people, many forms of the disease can be easily treated, managed, and even cured. Early detection and specialized care are leading to increased survival and cure rates in almost all the types of cancers that afflict pets. From surgery to chemotherapy to radiation therapy, veterinary cancer specialists can offer your pet the very latest diagnostic and treatment options and the best chance of survival. With optimal treatment, cancer in many cases simply becomes another manageable chronic disease.

If your pet is diagnosed with cancer, it is important not to become overwhelmed. Ask your veterinarian to write down the most important points for you to review later. Although the disease is serious, treatment decisions generally do not need to be made quickly. If your pet is diagnosed with cancer, you will either want to have your general practice veterinarian work in consultation with a veterinary oncologist, or refer you to one for your pet's treatment.

Common Cancers

Blood Cell Tumors

Lymphosarcoma (LSA)
Leukemia (ALL, CLL, AML, CML)
Multiple Myeloma

Endocrine Tumors

Thyroid Carinoma
Insulinoma

Gastrointestinal Tumors

Hemangiosarcoma

Mammary Tumors

Skeletal Tumors

Osterosarcoma (OSA)
Chondrosarcoma (CSA)
Synovial Cell Sarcoma

Skin Tumors

Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC)
Mast Cell Tumor (MCT)
Basal Cell Carcinoma
Plasma Cell Tumor (PCT)

Soft Tissue Tumors/Sarcomas (STS)

Nerve Sheath Tumor (NST)
Fibrosarcoma (FSA)
Hemangiopericytoma (HPC)

Urogenital Tumors

Prostate Carcinoma
Bladder Transitional Cell Carcinoma (TCC)

Will My Regular Veterinarian Still Be Involved?

In most cases, your regular veterinarian will still supervise your pet's veterinary care and will work in tandem with the veterinary oncologist, veterinary radiation oncologist, and any other members of your pet's veterinary health care team.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will Chemotherapy Make My Pet Sick?

Your veterinary oncologist will give you specific instructions regarding your pet's chemotherapy, but in general, you should be aware that pets typically handle chemotherapy regimens far better than people do. First, as cancer treatment for both humans and small animals has become more sophisticated, the side effects created by chemotherapy regimens have become less severe. Second, chemotherapy administration in animals is less aggressive than it is in humans, so animals typically do not become as sick from the side effects as do people.

Finally, veterinary oncologists have many options at their disposal to help keep your pet comfortable during treatment for his or her disease. From pain management options to special nutritional recommendations to medications that can help lessen the nausea associated with chemotherapy, be assured that veterinary oncologists can keep most pets surprisingly comfortable during treatment. In fact, one of the biggest hurdles to treating pets with cancer is that many owners imagine their pet's treatment will be more difficult than it really is.

What are Cancer Treatment Methods?

The goal of cancer therapy is to destroy abnormal cancer cells while sparing normal cells. An important difference in human vs. animal oncology is that the goal with humans, due to our extended life spans, is to cure the disease. In animals, the goal is more to extend the length of life while still maintaining its
quality. In many cases, a veterinary oncologist will combine some or all of the treatment options outlined below in order to provide the very best outcome for your pet.

• Surgery

• Radiation Treatment

• Chemotherapy

• Immunotherapy

How Can I Keep My Pet From Getting Cancer?

Just as in people, there is no proven way to keep your pet from getting cancer. You can, however, take steps to minimize the risks. Avoid any known predisposing causes, such as not spaying or neutering pets, or leaving pets exposed to sunlight. Also make sure your pet has regularly scheduled checkups and follow your veterinarian's advice regarding any necessary screening tests.

How is the VCA West Los Angeles Animal Hospital different from other specialty hospitals?

Welcome to VCA West Los Angeles Animal Hospital. If you are new to our hospital, I hope your experience will be as pleasant as possible and we hope that we can live up to your expectations. If you are returning, we are pleased that you have once again chosen our hospital to help meet your pet's health care needs. In order to improve our service, I wanted to take this opportunity to tell you a little about our hospital, how it functions and how we can both work to provide your pet with the best care possible. VCA West Los Angeles Animal Hospital is one of the largest private small animal hospitals in the country. We have referral hospital for veterinarians in Southern California and we are a teaching hospital providing post-graduate education for veterinarians. We have a professional staff of over 25 veterinarians including specialists in such disciplines as internal medicine, surgery, oncology, radiation therapy, dermatology, ophthalmology, radiology, and cardiology. Specialists are available 7-days-a-week on an appointment basis. One advantage of a large hospital like VCA WLA is that all cases receive the benefit of input from a number of veterinarians all of whom lend their special expertise to the problem at hand.

We are open 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week, 365 days of the year to provide comprehensive care. However there are instances when waiting times to see a doctor may be long depending on the time of day and the number of emergencies that are being handled. To avoid unnecessary delays, especially if you don't have a medical emergency, you may wish to call ahead to determine if there is a wait to see a doctor or to schedule an appointment with one of our staff doctors at a time convenient to you.

VCA West Los Angeles Animal Hospital has one of the largest graduate teaching programs in the country through our internship and residency programs. Interns and residents are graduate veterinarians who are seeking to obtain additional supervised training and expertise in a facility such as ours where the caseload and the availability of specialists ensures an excellent teaching environment. Competition for these positions is intense and those selected are amongst the brightest in their class.

Having a sick or injured pet can be very stressful and we will work to help alleviate your concerns while we tend to the needs of your pet. In order to help improve our service, we do wish to remind you of a few items that should help. First, if you need to obtain a prescription refill please let us know 24 hours in advance. All prescription refills must be approved by a doctor. We need this time to obtain approval and have your prescription available. Secondly, when your pet is hospitalized, the attending doctor will be calling to give you an update after 11 a.m. in the morning. Prior to 11 a.m., your doctor will be in rounds where all the hospitalized cases are discussed amongst our medical and surgical staff and unless there is an emergency, your doctor will not be able to take your phone calls until this time. This allows us to obtain a wide range of opinions regarding your pet's condition, and obtain the input from all the specialists on duty that day. We work as a team, which helps in providing more complete medical care. Of course, we do have visiting hours every evening from 7 to 8 p.m. so that you can visit with your pet, talk face to face with the attending doctor, and help in the healing process. Lastly, if your pet is being admitted in the morning for an elective procedure (simple mass excisions, endoscopy, etc.) your pet should be able to go home the same evening between the hours of 7-10:30 p.m. This helps us ensure that your pet has completely recovered from anesthesia and is ready to return home after evening rounds have been completed. It is possible that on rare occasions, elective procedures may be performed later in the day or even postponed until the following day if unforeseen emergencies arise which demand our immediate attention. We will always place the medical needs of a patient above those of a schedule and if we need to unexpectedly change you pet's procedure date or time we will be sure to notify you as soon as we are aware of the situation.

We are primarily concerned about your pet's health and will do our best to provide the best health care possible. This of course involves a fee and at times veterinary bills can seem quite expensive. At first this may be hard to understand but the reality is that veterinary medicine is not all that different from human medicine. Veterinarians spend as much time as physicians in school and veterinarians can provide many if not all of the services that would be available to you or I in a human hospital. Our veterinary facility is also unique in many respects. Our hospital is quite large. We employ over 30 doctors and over 150 technicians, front office and housekeeping staff. VCA WLA also has a large specialty staff and a great deal of sophisticated equipment, which helps us to provide the best care possible. Lastly, we are open 24-hours-a-day, with doctors and technicians always available to see any emergencies as they arise and to monitor those pets that are hospitalized. We will do our best to provide you with written initial estimates and to keep you updated on a daily basis on the status of your account when your pet is hospitalized. It is expected that 100 % of the estimate will be left as a deposit when your pet is admitted (not necessary for routine or elective procedures) and that the balance will be paid in full at the time of discharge. While we do not offer payment plans we can offer you a financing plan through CareCredit. Again our front office staff can help you with these arrangements.

Of course, the buck stops here. If you have any comments/suggestions/complaints or praise, I am always available. I can promise that I will listen to all of your concerns and compliments as we are always looking to improve our service and patient care. Feel free to call (310-473-2951) or fax (310-477-7412) and I will get back to you as soon as possible. You may also e-mail me at David.Bruyette@vcamail.com. I would like to thank you again for selecting VCA West Los Angeles Animal Hospital and I hope that both you and your pet have a pleasant experience.

Sincerely, David Bruyette, DVM
Medical Director
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine

What Additional Training Does a Veterinary Radiation Oncologist Have?

Any veterinarian who wants to become board certified in radiation oncology must seek, intensive training to become a specialist and earn this prestigious credentialing. Specialty status is granted by the American College of Veterinary Radiology (ACVR). A veterinarian who has received this specialty status will list the initials, 'DACVR,' after his or her DVM degree. Or, the veterinarian may indicate that he or she is a 'Diplomate' of the ACVR. The word 'Diplomate' typically means the specialist has achieved the following:

Obtained a traditional 8 year veterinary degree (four years of college plus four years of veterinary school).
Completed an additional three to six years of advanced training, including a residency at a veterinary teaching hospital where the veterinarian will have trained with some of the best experts in the field and obtained hands on experience.
Completed the credentialing application process established by the ACVR

Once a veterinarian has met prerequisite requirements and completed the application process, he or she must obtain additional training in radiation oncology and sit for an intensive examination. These doctors will list their credentials after their boarded status, for example, as 'DACVR (Oncology).'

When your pet needs the care of a veterinary radiation oncologist, years of intensive training and additional education will be focused on helping him or her to recover from the disease and/or enjoy the highest quality of life possible.

Will my pet's cancer treatment place me or other members of my household at risk?

Pet medication:

Repeated, long-term exposure to chemotherapy drugs can result in severe health problems. However, it is very unlikely that an individual occasionally administering chemotherapy pills or liquid to their pet would ever develop these problems, but precautions in handling medication should always be taken. Wear gloves when handling any medication, especially chemotherapy. Wash hands thoroughly when administration is complete. Women who are breast feeding, pregnant or trying to conceive, as well as children and immunosuppressed individuals should never handle chemotherapy drugs. NEVER split or crush the pills. For cats, pet pillers are an inexpensive, easy way to administer medications. Please ask your doctor or technician for a demonstration on how to administer medication to your pet if you are not sure. If your pet spits out the pills and they begin to 'melt' or break apart, wear gloves and use paper towels when picking up the medication. Wipe the floor with a diluted soap and water or dilute bleach solution and rinse with water. If possible flush the towels and medication down the toilet. If not possible place all materials into a sealed plastic bag and discard in an outdoor receptacle. Although rare, any vomitus occuring within 90 minutes following treatment should be handled as chemotherapy waste (see below). If you have any specific concerns please contact your veterinarian for further assistance.

Contact with pet and their eliminations:

Provided that a few safety steps are followed, humans and other household pets living with animals receiving chemotherapy are at a low health risk from their eliminations, just as in the case with humans. Even with direct exposure to their waste the risk of you becoming exposed to significant amounts of chemotherapy is very low. Therefore you and your pet's daily interactions do not have to be altered. In general the chemotherapy that your pet receives may be found in low levels in their urine or feces for up to 5 days after administration. Women who are breast feeding, pregnant or trying to conceive, as well as children and immunosuppressed individuals should never handle any animal waste, especially the waste of an animal receiving chemotherapy. Wear gloves when handling waste and wash your hands thoroughly when done. Specifically for cats, change the entire litter box once daily for the first 2 days after chemotherapy administration and be diligent about scooping waste throughout the entire time your cat receives chemotherapy (place waste in an outdoor receptacle). For dogs, encourage them to eliminate in low-traffic areas, away from play areas such as in the back corner of the yard and pick up their stool regularly. If your pet has an accident in the house, wear gloves when cleaning it up. Wipe up the waste then clean the area with a mild soap and water or dilute bleach solution followed by a water rinse. If possible flush the towels down the toilet. If not possible, place the materials in a plastic bag and deliver it to an outside trash receptacle. If you have any specific concerns about your pet's eliminations please contact you veterinarian for further assistance.

Oncology

Common Cancers

Frequently Asked Questions

Pet medication:

Contact with pet and their eliminations:

Services Offered in Oncology

Veterinarians in Oncology

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