Yesterday, our paths came full circle when we caught up with him at the San Antonio Texas 2 Million Dogs Walk.

Puppy Up, Texas Style!

Luke was at the San Antonio walk because these enthusiastic Texans raised more money for the cause than any other city in America. As the saying goes, everything’s bigger in Texas, and this event was no exception.

With dozens of vendors, hundreds of attendees and more dogs than humans, this fun-filled day was packed with good times for everyone.

In looking back at the afternoon, Luke told us “The energy and excitement were at levels I rarely see. Every aspect of it felt really good!”

When reflecting on the time span between his journey across America and the exceptional turnout at the San Antonio walk, Luke says “The trail magic continues to follow us after the walk, and I really felt that today.”

Last year, there were 12 walks across the country to help 2 Million Dogs raise money for comparative oncology studies. This year, the number of walks exploded to 27. Next year the organization is aiming for even more.

In addition to meeting up with Luke and 2 Million Dogs’ Executive Director Ginger Morgan, Tripawds Spokesdawg Wyatt Ray got to meet some really heroic pups!

Among them was Colonel, a Tripawds member who was looking for a home earlier this year and found it as a therapy dog with Penny’s From Heaven, a project pairing highly trained canines with returning wounded soldiers and civillians in hospital, rehabilitation and hospice settings.

We’ll tell you more about Colonel’s work in a future post, but meanwhile lots of other Tripawds were present, including a greyhound osteosarcoma survivor and a rescue pup named Galileo who’s now living the good life with some very special people.

What’s Next for 2 Million Dogs?

Everyone who’s helped raise funds for 2 Million Dogs will soon see the results of their hard work. Luke and Ginger report that the group is close to picking a comparative oncology study to fund, hopefully by the end of this year.

After dozens of conversations with promising researchers from  around the nation, Luke says that he’s confident that the study selected will be “a game changer” in canine cancer research. “We want to fund studies that have a ghost of a chance of truly having an impact,” he told us.

Over the last two years the organization has done their due diligence to find the right study. Instead of focusing on novel therapeutic studies, such as chemotherapy drug outcomes for a specific breed, 2 Million Dogs is focused on prevention, diagnosis and studies that are working toward finding a cure. This means that the studies they are honing in on will cost more than most studies and take longer to fund.

Next year the impact of the 2 Million Dogs mission will take shape as the money raised from all “Puppy Up” walks gets applied toward these studies that will work toward eradicating canine and human cancers, once and for all.

Stay tuned for a big announcement from 2 Million Dogs about their study selection, which should happen by the end of this year.

Veterinary Oncology Q&A with Dr. Johnny Chretin

Date: Sunday, 10/23/2012
Time: 6:30 p.m. Eastern (3:30 Pacific)
Length: 30 min

Special Guest: Dr. Johnny Chretin, DVM, DACVIM

Call-in Number: (310) 388-9739
Share: bit.ly/ttr102311 (Link to this topic.)

Join us for our second informative canine cancer interview with veterinary oncologist Dr. Johnny Chretin, DVM, DACVIM from VCA West Los Angeles Animal Hospital.

As head of VCA’s busiest animal oncology clinic in the country, Dr. Chretin and his staff provide breakthrough treatments for all types of cancers, including a bone marrow transplant program for dogs with lymphoma!d

Listen as we discuss the presentation and diagnosis of cancer in dogs such as osteosarcoma and the various treatment protocols available. Then call in with your questions or chat live during the show!

Reply to this topic with questions and we will try to get them answered. Please keep your questions brief and specific.

We will post an audio archive of this program here after the show.

Dr. Chretin on Tripawds:

• Don’t miss our previous Tripawd Talk Oncology Interview with Dr. Chretin.
• Check out our interviews with Dr. Chretin about impawtant veterinary oncology topics.

Metronomics has been around for years, but is finally gaining acceptance by veterinarians as groups like Morris Animal Foundation release studies showing how metronomics can help dogs with soft tissue scarcomas. In their 2010 study, Morris researchers:

” . . . studied whether metronomic dosing of the drug cyclophosphamide is safe and effective in treating dogs with soft-tissue sarcomas. Thirteen dogs were enrolled in the study and all but two (which experienced tumor growth and were removed to pursue other treatment options) successfully completed the treatment protocol. They identified the dosage of cyclophosphamide that resulted in a significant decrease in the number of small blood vessels within tumors, which suggests that this approach slows tumor growth by decreasing blood supply to tumors.

Because metronomic chemotherapy is associated with a far smaller incidence of side effects compared with conventional chemotherapy, is easier to administer and is less expensive, it is a very attractive treatment option for owners of dogs with cancer.”      (see Morris Animal Foundation’s report)

Metronnomics Explained

Tripawds favorite veterinarian, Dr. Pam Wiltzius, shared her knowledge about metronomics in this Discussion Forum post:

It is only recently that oncologists have started using it as part of metronomic chemotherapy.  The main side effects are on the GI tract although some dogs can have low white cell counts but this should be unlikely at low doses.

I just finished researching metronomics for Sammy and here is what I found.  Most oncologists prefer meloxicam (Metacam) as the NSAID due to it’s wide safety range but a few still prefer piroxicam. There are 5 different chemo drugs that are being tried but the only one with research behind it (so far) for this use is Cytoxan (cyclophosphamide).

The main side effect is on the bladder with some dogs getting infections and some getting sterile hemorrhagic cystitis (bleeding and pain without infection).  This is rare and usually reversible by stopping the drug. Some oncologists give a low daily dose of a diuretic (Lasix) to try and prevent this but most don’t since diuretics can affect the kidneys. My holistic vet recommends cranberry capsules as a way to prevent a UTI. . .

The other drugs used are Palladia (main limitation is cost), CCNU (possible side effects on liver so not good for your dog), Leukeran (chlorambucil), and Alkeran (melphalan).  The latter two are safe but not much info yet on efficacy but there are oncologists trying these.

Metronomics are so new that no one is sure yet what is the best protocol.  Some dogs might do well on 1 drug and others may not. It is hard to evaluate results since some dogs live a long time with amputation alone and no chemo so are these drugs really doing anything? I think it is worth a try!

When I was on metronomics in 2008, it was still a new practice that many veterinarians hadn’t heard about. We’re glad to see it catching on, thanks to funding from groups like Morris and practitioners like Dr. Wiltzius who are enthusiastically exploring this protocol for their canine bone cancer patients.

Are you on metronomic chemotherapy? Or were you? If so, what was your experience?

Recommended Reading:

Tripawds Discussion Forums: Tips and Resources: Metronomic Therapy for Canine Osteosarcoma Metastasis: Jerry’s Experience

Tripawds News Blog: Dr. Rosenberg’s Thoughts on Metronomics and Supplements

Tripawds Downloads Blog: Metronomic Protocol: A Primer for Pawrents

Dr. Dressler’s Dog Cancer Blog: Low Dose Chemotherapy and Cancer

Join the forum discussion on this topic.

When a Tripawds member visits our Discussion Forums to find answers about canine bone cancer, if we don’t have the information, we’ll ask a professional. During our visit with Dr. Johnny Chretin, head of oncology at VCA Animal Hospital West Los Angeles Oncology Center, we wanted to know a little more about chondrosarcoma in dogs.

Chondrosarcoma in Dogs

According to the American College of Veterinary Surgeons, chondrosarcoma is the second most common primary tumor of the axial and appendicular skeleton, after osteosarcoma. Only five to 10 percent of all primary canine bone tumors are of this type. However, compared to osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma is uncommon. Like osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma is a metastatic disease that spreads.

Chondrosarcoma is often found in cartilage of flat bones like the ribs, but sometimes presents itself as apendicular disease on thigh and leg bones. At first glance, it looks like osteosarcoma but it’s a slower moving disease. The tumors are much more resistant to chemotherapy than other types. As a result, surgery is the primary way to treat the disease as long as the tumors are in one part of the body and haven’t metastasized.

As Dr. Chretin discusses in the following video, chemotherapy is “a long shot” and has not been shown to be as effective in treating it.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Chemotherapy and Chondrosarcoma

Like many cancers, chondrosarcoma behaves similarly in dogs and people. And unfortunately when it comes to treating it with chemotherapy, the success rate is typically less than 20 percent. That may sound positive, but in the oncology world, if a therapy doesn’t work for patients at least 30 to 40 percent of the time, it’s not considered to be effective or a good option.

Dr. Chretin states that there haven’t been any good, large scale studies done on dogs with chondrosarcoma who were treated with chemotherapy. However, plenty of studies done with humans indicate that the odds of success are just as slim for dogs.

“Unless there is a significant reason why we should give them chemotherapy,” says Dr. Chretin, “it’s hard to recommend it (chemo), because it doesn’t work in people and based on what we know, it’s probably not going to work for the majority of dogs.”

Although Dr. Chretin doesn’t recommend chemotherapy as a primary treatment for chondrosarcoma, if the dog isn’t a candidate for surgery, the tumor can be treated with radiation therapy to alleviate pain. However Dr. Chretin cautions clients to remember that “we’re not treating the tumor, just treating what the tumor is doing to the patient.”

Stay Tuned for More Canine Cancer Oncology News

This is the latest in a series of video interviews with Dr. Chretin at VCA Animal Hospital West Los Angeles. Stay tuned for additional interview clips with Dr. Chretin that offer informative advice about canine bone cancers, such as:

• Cisplatin and Doxorubicin Side Effects in Dogs
• Bone tumor removals: do they promote or prolong metastasis?
• Does the location of a primary tumor impact cancer development?
• Thoughts about combining holistic and traditional oncology therapies

Tripwds sends sincere thanks to Dr. Chretin and his helpful staff for allowing us to bring this impawtant information to you!

Recommended Reading:

Vet Info: Chondrosarcoma in Dogs

American College of Veterinary Surgeons: Bone Tumors in Cats and Dogs

Tripawds Discussion Forums: Chondrosarcoma

Tripawds News Blog: Bisphosphonates; When Amputation Isn’t an Option

VCA Animal Hospitals: Bone and Joint Tumors in Dogs

Join the forum discussion on this topic.

If you’re a Tripawd in West Los Angeles who needs cancer care, there’s no better crew to help you than Dr. Johnny Chretin and his colleagues at VCA Animal Hospital West Los Angeles Oncology Center.

As head of VCA’s busiest animal oncology clinic in the country, Dr. Chretin and his staff provide breakthrough treatments for all types of cancers. He’s even leading the way with one of the world’s few bone marrow transplant programs for dogs with lymphoma!

Dr. Chretin helped answer many of our questions about chemotherapy treatments in the following video (read on for more detailed information). Watch to learn the advantages, disadvantages and side effects of choosing either cisplatin (Platinol) or doxorubicin (Adriamycin) to treat your dog’s bone cancer.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Stay tuned for additional interview clips with Dr. Chretin that offer informative advice about canine bone cancers, such as:

• Chemotherapy for treating canine chondrosarcoma
• Bone tumor removals: do they promote or prolong metastasis?
• Does the location of a primary tumor impact cancer development?
• Thoughts about combining holistic and traditional oncology therapies

Doxorubicin versus Cisplatin: Survival Rates and Cost Comparisons

Both doxorubicin and cisplatin are excellent drugs for treating cancers in dogs as well as humans. But when it comes to survival times of cisplatin versus doxorubicin, cisplatin can give patients a 10 percent (or better) chance of making it to the two year survival mark.

For most of us, the costs will play a big role in deciding what treatment to pursue. If you have a choice between the two drugs, keep in mind that cisplatin costs nearly twice as much as doxorubicin. Possible side effects of cisplatin can increase those costs even more.

Another reason for the dramatic difference in costs is that doxorubicin allows the dog to go home in less than two hours after receiving the treatment, but Cisplatin requires an all-day office visit so the dog can be monitored for signs of nausea.

We all want our dogs to live as long as possible after a cancer diagnosis. But the question to ask ourselves is: can I afford to take the chance and pay the higher treatment fees of cisplatin, hoping that my dog won’t have any serious side effects and be one of the lucky 10 percent to make it to the two year mark?

Overview of Side Effects

Doxorubicin and cisplatin have respective side effects which can range from mild diarrhea to heart damage (please consult with your vet about these risks).

Doxorubicin: Typical Side Effects

• About thirty percent of dogs do not experience any side effects
• For dogs who do experience side effects, they usually won’t take hold for at least three days. At that point, nausea, lethargy and diarrhea can occur.
• Prescription medications usually alleviate appetite loss, nausea and lethargy within 24 hours.
• Less than 10 percent of patients will be hospitalized because of doxorubicin’s most common side effects. Even if this rare situation happens, they can usually be stabilized and ready to go home after 48 hours.
• Generally once a dog has gastrointestinal side effects from doxorubicin, they won’t happen again.

Cisplatin: Typical Side Effects

• Cisplatin’s mild side effects can strike twice: once immediately after the dose and again four or five days later.
• Appetite will usually wane a few days after receiving cisplatin. An appetite stimulant is often required.
• There is about a 15 percent chance of being hospitalized for side effects that don’t respond to medication.
• Should hospitalization be necessary, a dog might stay as long as six days in the most extreme cases.

Again, keep in mind that this short list only describes the most common side effects. Both drugs carry the risk of worse side effects in rare instances. This page on Bone Cancer Dog’s chemotherapy overview describes more serious but rare risks in detail. Please talk to your vet about your concerns.

Stay tuned for more exciting new about canine bone cancer therapies from Dr. Johnny Chretin. Meanwhile, if you’re in Los Angeles and looking for the best cancer therapy around, be sure to visit Dr. Chretin at VCA Animal Hospital West Los Angeles!

Recommended Reading:

Dr. Demian Dressler’s Dog Cancer Survival Guide

University of Georgia Oncology Service: Client Information Sheet: Cisplatin

University of Georgia Oncology Service: Client Information Sheet: Doxorubicin

Colorado State University Animal Cancer Center: Chemotherapy

Reno is not only amazing because he’s 12 years old, and a three year bone cancer survivor, but he’s also super amazing because . . .

Reno has lived with lung metastasis for two years!

This pawesome pup wants everyone to know that despite a dog’s age, or his size, or even the fact that he might have lung mets, sometimes miracles do happen, and the statistics get tossed out the window. Without further ado, here’s Reno’s story in his own words.

My Canine Bone Cancer Story

“My name is Reno. On July 5, 2010 I was 12 years old; for a malamute like me that’s over 65 years old, but I look fantastic for my age and am as spry as any pup one third my age.

I’ve decided that the time has come to share my story, the saga of my journey with cancer to encourage all species that it’s important to fight to beat the odds, even if it’s just for an extra year or more to lie in the sun and get your caretakers to massage your ears and scratch your back.

I have now lived longer than any other dog with this condition, over three years since my diagnosis when most live two to six months or a year at most.

The Bad News: Osteosarcoma

It all began with a pain in my back leg in early fall of 2007, which first made me just hobble a bit. I didn’t want to be a wuss, so I just adjusted as the pain got worse, until I was walking on three legs, letting the sore leg dangle because any weight sent sharp pain shooting up the bone.

The vet thought I had injured it getting into my usual mischief, but when cortisone and other meds didn’t help, he decided to take an x-ray and then a biopsy.

It was October when the bad news came back: osteosarcoma, a malignant bone tumor that spreads to the lungs, the bad luck special disease of big dog breeds like me.

And the bad news just kept coming; taking off the leg would only give me another couple of months; chemotherapy offered no real promises, a few more months, but maybe longer with some new methods. Most humans choose to give up at this point, “put them down,” as the euphemism goes, but we’re all fighter’s in our family and always choose to take a shot, even if it’s a long shot.

My Recovery and Treatment

So began the next phase of my life. First, the affected leg had to go. It’s not as bad as it sounds; it was great to wake up and have the pain gone for good. Since I was already used to walking on three legs, everyone was amazed that I just popped up and was ready to go home.

There still was some adjustment; the extra weight on the only back leg causes some muscle strain, so I have to keep getting leaner and need to rely on aspirin and such, but it also has its advantages. It’s easy now to pee on absolutely anything I want to, no leg to balance up in the air, just a straight shot. Pooping is a bit trickier, but I’ve managed that quite well too since squatting for a long time is kind of hard. I sort of hop squat when I poop, which spreads it around a bit, but that’s no big deal to me, since I don’t have to pick it up.

I can still run and chase the other dogs, go up and down stairs, and can drag anyone down the street at a good romp when they take me for a walk.

Lung Mets Can’t Stop Me!

Chemotherapy is a big story all to itself. First came the big whamee, the megadoses of chemotherapy, five doses over 10 weeks of Doxorubicin (adriamycin). I feel bad for the human species; chemotherapy does some pretty harsh things to you. It’s not as hard on my species, though it’s no picnic.

I didn’t feel particularly sick, but I wasn’t my energetic self, and my caretakers were careful because my immune system might be a little weakened temporarily. So they gave me my own bachelor pad, a room with the floor converted into one huge dog bed. It was especially important when my fur started to thin out. My once thick double coat I had every winter became wispy and light, too thin for the outside dog house and the cement I used to love sleeping on to keep cool. I never got bald, but I looked ancient for awhile, my beautiful top coat with all the black markings gone and just a grayish white fluff left behind.

But, you know, unlike humans, none of my dog pals even noticed my hair or my missing leg, and my caretakers pampered me to the max. And when the chemo was over, before long all my hair, including my gorgeous black and white mask, grew back.

That should have been the end of the story, but three months later we got more bad news, a couple of tiny spots were found in my lungs; the chemo hadn’t stopped the metastasis, the news every cancer patient of every species dreads.

Metronomic Therapy Works for Me

But my doctor offered hope, a new experimental treatment, a low dose chemo given at home every other day, along with doxycycline (to inhibit formation of blood vessels that would feed any tumors), was promising for a small percentage.

We started the regimen, and it seemed to be keeping everything in check, but the side effect of a bloody bladder infection was too much for me. There are times when fortune comes your way disguised a misery; this was one of those times.

Because of the side effects, the doctor and my caretakers decided to try a different drug, Leukeran, because it has no side effects and “theoretically” should work the same, but hadn’t been tested that way.

To everyone’s happy surprise, it worked even better, and on my last x-ray, the very small spots on my lungs have shrunk beyond visibility.

One last thing about treatment, we also saw a homeopathic vet, who put me on herbals, mushrooms, and bovine colostrum. We can’t tell what is contributing to my improving health, but are happy for all the alternatives.

Thriving Today and Loving Life with My Pack

I’ve managed to milk this thing as much as I can. My caretakers now buy raw hamburger or share their cooked (and boned) chicken thighs with me just so they can hide my pills inside.

When I’m bored, I like to jerk them around a bit and can eat the meat and spit out the pills.

This makes them work a little harder to please me, adding a coating of cat food gravy, peanut butter, or mayonnaise to whatever they’re offering. I don’t know how much longer I have, but I feel fine and life is good.

If you would like more information on my treatment, or just about me, my secretary (I let her think she is my owner) will be happy to answer any questions and provide any information you need. You can contact her through Tripawds. She calls herself Diane; I call her whenever I need something.

Many thanks to Reno’s Mom Diane for contributing his inspiring story to us.

Date: Saturday, 02/26/2011
Time: 3:30 Pacific / 6:30 Eastern
Length: 30 min

Call-in Number: (310) 388-9739

Dr. Chretin will be taking your calls about the presentation and diagnosis of bone cancer in dogs and the various treatment protocols available.

We’ll also talk about the innovative bone marrow transplant program Dr. Chretin is leading, for dogs battling lymphoma.

Ask Your Questions Ahead of Time

Please post your questions for Dr. Chretin before Saturday, here in the Forums.

About Dr. Chretin

Dr. Chretin received his DVM from Colorado State University and completed an internship in Small Animal Medicine and Surgery at North Carolina State University. Johnny then completed a 3 year residency in Oncology at Tufts University in 2002 prior to joining VCA West Los Angeles Animal Hospital. His interests are in novel chemotherapeutics and strategies to minimize their toxicities. In addition, Dr. Chretin is heading up VCA West Los Angeles’ bone marrow transplant program for dogs which began treating patients last July.

Remember, ask your questions here in the Forums and we’ll be sure to ask the good doctor during Tripawd Talk Radio, this Saturday at 3:30 pm Pacific, 6:30 pEastern.

Disclaimer: Information provided at Tripawd Talk Radio and Tripawds.com is not a substitute for medical care by your personally selected, qualified veterinary professional. Always seek the advice of a licensed veterinarian prior to making any medical decisions or undergoing treatments or therapies, or if you have questions about your dog’s health. We advise against any medical decisions made without the direct involvement of your veterinary team. Tripawds.com is a project of Agreda Communications, which is not responsible or liable, directly or indirectly, for any form of damages whatsoever resulting from the use (or misuse) of information contained in or implied by the information available at Tripawd Talk Radio or Tripawds.com.

Even so, the cost of care most often plays a big role in what we can or can’t do for our animal companions.

While there’s nothing wrong with taking price into consideration when it comes to veterinary care, keep in mind that finding the lowest price doesn’t necessarily guarantee the best medicine either.

Dr. Nancy Kay, author of “Speaking for Spot: Be the Advocate Your Dog Needs to Live a Happy, Healthy, Longer Life“, recently discussed this in her blog post:

“Price Shopping: To Be Avoided at All Costs.”

Dr. Kay advises clients to take a few things into consideration after recovering from sticker shock. Before hurrying out the door to the cheapest place in town, try to  understand that the reasons why prices can be so dramatically different from clinic to clinic is because:

• The level of experience that the staff has achieved may be different
• The level of technology and care provided may be of higher or lower quality

For example, paying for a board-certified veterinary practitioner to handle your dog’s chemo care will cost more, because, “the expertise a veterinary specialist brings to interpreting laboratory test results may be greater than that of a general practitioner,” says Dr. Kay.

Additionally, if a clinic has on-site lab processing, 24-hour care and advanced imaging equipment, these services wil require on site technicians, which of course Dr. Kay says will have “time and costs involved in maintaining equipment.  Certainly charges to the client for this should be higher.”

The more services a vet clinic office provides, the more time you’ll save, but the more you will pay for care. And while even the most frugal of us may think that those bells and whistles aren’t totally necessary, when it comes to veterinary care they can save your dog’s life.

While many pawrents have had great success saving money on amputation surgery and chemo treatments, we have seen some tragic outcomes of dogs who received substandard care. This also applies to purchasing supplements, many of which seem like a bargain but are total rip-offs.

The best advice Dr. Kay shares in her post?

“Keep in mind the potential for complications.  If a significant complication occurs due to substandard care, you will end up spending a great deal more money treating it, not to mention associated emotional energy, than you would have spent at the better more expensive clinic to begin with.”

Join the forum discussion on this topic.

What does a pawrent do when their dog, who has just been diagnosed with osteosarcoma, isn’t a good candidate for amputation?

The most common advice given by veterinary professionals would be to explore pain management options, such as Fentanyl combined with a non-steroidal such as Deramaxx. The downside is these types of drugs can leave dogs in a fog, and rarely do they provide permanent pain relief from bone cancer. Plus, the side effects of long-term heavy use, such as gastrointestinal damage, may reduce quality of life.

Another option for some is radiation therapy, a pain management technique that aims intense beams of radiation at tumors to help shrink them and reduce pain. Unfortunately, this is only available in a few select clinics.

More recently, there is a promising new option for non-amputation candidates: bisphosphonates. You’ve probably heard of them: Fosamax and Boniva are two. This class of drugs is used in human patients with osteoperosis, or those with prostate or breast cancer that has metastasized to bone.

Now, many veterinary oncologists are using bisphosphonates for canine patients, to build and stabilize bone, and effectively manage pain. In some cases, bisphosphonates can also be used for dogs with osteosarcoma metastasis to bony areas such as the spine or skull.

Typically, non-amputee dogs being treated for osteosarcoma are given the bisphosphonate drug Pamidronate. This drug is given as a two hour IV injection every four weeks. Pamidronate may also be given in conjunction with radiation therapy for pain control.

At the Veterinary Cancer Center (VCC), dogs have the most powerful bisphosphonate available; Zoleddronate. For the last year, the VCC team has conducted a Zoledronate clinical trial on dogs with bone cancer, and so far, the results are promising.

Zoledronate Bisphosphonate Trial in New Mexico

Zoledronate is one of the most promising bisphosphonate drugs available in veterinary medicine. Zoledronate is administered as a quick 15 minute IV drip, and can provide long-lasting pain control within 24 hours of the injection. The effects can last up to one month, and can even increase bone production to help form new bone. Dogs can stay on this treatment indefinitely. Several studies indicate that Zoledronate can also kill cancer cells locally and possibly prevent metastasis to other areas.

At over $1,000 per dose, Zoledronate is also one of the most expensive bisphosphonates. Which is why Dr. Kelly is so excited that her clinic is able to provide this drug at no charge to qualified canine candidates. After a year of studying its effects on patients, she says that so far the results have been “beautiful”:

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Veterinary Cancer Care center looks forward to helping as many bone cancer dogs as they can while funds are available for this trial. If you know a dog with osteosarcoma who is not a candidate for amputation, be sure to contact the VCC and ask them about the Zoledronate trial.

For further reading, please see:

• Veterinary Practice News: How to Treat Osteosarcoma When Surgery is Refused
• Veterinary Practice News: Pain Control in Cancer Management

Many thanks to the good people at the Veterinary Cancer Care for sharing this information with us. Catch our other interviews with the VCC:

• VCC Interview Part 1: “Dr. Hady Demystifies MRIs and CT Scans”
• VCC Interview Part 2: “Tripawd Max Does Swimmingly Well, Even After Hip Replacements”
• VCC Interview Part 4: “How to Pick a Veterinarian for Amputation Surgery”
  

“Veterinary Cancer Care P.C. is committed to providing compassionate, high quality treatment to all pets with cancer. Using state of the art therapies, nutrition and kind care, we treat the whole patient, not just the cancer. To alleviate the hardships of cancer, our staff provides a positive family atmosphere, filled with love and hope. We hold a great respect for the human-animal bond, and will always honor your relationship with your pet above all.”

Join the forum discussion on this topic.

To dog pawrents, there are few words scarier than “cancer” and “oncology.”

Seventeen months after my amputation, I got lung mets. The news was bad, but we regained hope when we discovered the Veterinary Cancer Care center in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Once we stepped into the VCC’s warm, friendly clinic and found out how they could help me, our fears disappeared. After all, how could cancer be so scary when I had a crew of friendly experts doting over me?

The Southwest’s Best Specialty Care

Since 2004, the Veterinary Cancer Care clinic has provided the most compassionate, modern cancer care in the Southwest. Founded by Dr. Jeanette Kelly, a board-certified oncologist and graduate of Colorado State University’s vet school, the VCC team helped me successfully battle cancer while making my quality of life the number one priority. Thanks to their advanced treatment with Metronomic Therapy and their K9 Immunity clinical trial I participated in, I fought cancer longer than anyone ever thought pawsible.

In April, my pawrents returned to the VCC to see what they’ve been up to since our last visit in 2008. The clinic has grown tremendously, especially after relocating to a campus which also houses the Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Centers of New Mexico (VESC), a 24-hour animal emergency and specialty center.

The VESC is a one-stop-medical center where animals can receive the most modern specialty care available for surgery, internal medicine, ophthalmology, dermatology, oncology, physical therapy, dentistry, animal behavior, and acupuncture.

X-Rays, CAT Scans and MRIs: What’s the Difference?

In this first video interview at VESC, Dr. Laura Hady, a veterinarian certified in canine physical therapy, explains the difference between digital radiographs, MRI and CT scans. The VESC has the only veterinary Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in New Mexico, and computed axial tomography (CT) scan equipment in their Albuquerque facility.

Dr. Hady will also discuss which technologies are best at diagnosing things like lung metastasis, cancerous growths and fractures. She also explains how fast osteosarcoma can grow in a dog’s leg and lungs, as she shows us chest and leg X-rays of a bone cancer dog who wasn’t a candidate for amputation.

Click here to view the embedded video.

If you’re the patient of a dog cancer patient and wondering what technologies will provide the best look at your dog’s cancer, remember these differences:

Computerized Tomography (aka “CAT Scan” or “CT Scan)

While digital X-rays are better than film X-rays, Dr. Hady says that lesions less than 3 millimeters large won’t always show up on any X-rays, and it may be hard to distinguish between a lung met and an alveoil. With X-rays, a tumor can only be seen from a few angles, but with a CT scan, the surgeon knows exactly where the tumor begins and ends.

A CT Scan uses X-ray images taken from many different angles around the animal, which are then processed as a computer to show cross-sectional slices of the body. Dr. Louise Murray, DVM, author of “Vet Confidential,” says that CT scans are best at detecting small abnormalities, such as metastatic cancer in the lungs. CT Scans require general anesthesia and sometimes contrasting agents must be injected into the body to enhance the images.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (aka “MRI”)

Unlike an X-ray or CT scan, MRIs do not use radiation to process images. Dr. Murray explains that MRIs use strong magnetic fields and pulsed radio frequency waves that cause hudrogen protons in the body to wobble, and then relax. As this happens, the proton s emit signals, which are then processed by a computer to form images.”

MRIs give exceptional detail of soft tissues, such as the shoulder, brain and spinal cord. MRIs can be used to diagnose tumors, strokes and herniated spinal disks as well as neurological issues. MRIs require general anesthesia.

Stay tuned for more great canine cancer information and tips we learned from the good people at the VESC and the Santa Fe Veterinary Cancer Care center.

Many thanks to the good people at the Veterinary Cancer Care and Veterinary Emergency Specialty Center for spending the day with us! Catch our other VCC / VESC interviews:

• VCC / VESC Interview #2: Tripawd Max Does Swimmingly Well, Even After Hip Replacements
• VCC / VESC Interview #3: Bisphosphonates: When Amputation isn’t an Option
• VCC / VESC Interview #4: How to Pick a Veterinarian for Amputation Surgery
  

“Veterinary Cancer Care P.C. is committed to providing compassionate, high quality treatment to all pets with cancer. Using state of the art therapies, nutrition and kind care, we treat the whole patient, not just the cancer. To alleviate the hardships of cancer, our staff provides a positive family atmosphere, filled with love and hope. We hold a great respect for the human-animal bond, and will always honor your relationship with your pet above all.”

“Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Centers of Santa Fe is a state-of-the-art veterinary hospital that provides emergency care for injured and sick dogs and cats as well as specialty medical and surgical treatment by skilled doctors on a referral basis. “