Treating bone and lung tumors in dogs and cats is more successful than ever. Thanks to a new “real-time” cat and dog cancer radiation therapy treatment at the University of Wisconsin’s Veterinary Care Center, cats and dogs with lung metastasis have a better chance of surviving cancer!
New Radiation Treatment Precisely Zaps Bone and Lung Tumors in Dogs and Cats
“With this technology, we can now treat tumors and spare healthy tissue with more confidence and more accuracy, in addition to targeting tumors in areas of the body that we couldn’t previously,” said Professor Lisa Forrest, head of UW Veterinary Care’s Radiation Oncology Service, in a UW pet cancer treatment news release.
The new Radixact radiation therapy treatment is groundbreaking because it is the most precise therapy ever. In basic terms, it spares healthy tissue around the tumor itself, while the bone and lung tumors get treated (and hopefully obliterated!).
Preserving good tissue and zapping the rest.
This new pet cancer radiation treatment is mind blowing! Known as “adaptive radiotherapy,” it uses a process called “real-time motion tracking motion” to stay zeroed in on the tumors and zap them, even when a patient’s body moves as they inhale and exhale to breathe.
The Radixact is a huge win for the cat or dog with cancer. In the past, pets who had tumors in hard to reach locations could not get treatment. But thanks to this new technology, they can. This is the biggest breakthrough in pet cancer treatment that we’ve seen in a while.
Only UW Veterinary Care currently offers this new kind of radiation therapy for dogs and cats.
We asked Dr. Forrest to clarify, “Can Radixact treat lung metastasis?” When she said “Yes!” we did a hoppy dance! Imagine all the cats and dogs with lung tumors who can get help! Dr. Forrest did say that not all tumors are treatable. But many larger lung tumors are good candidates. Watch the video for her explanation.
Yes, Radixact can treat lung metastasis in pets!
You can get the whole story and learn more about how UW helping pets beat cancer. Here’s the entire webinar about dog and cat cancer clinical trials and of course, the new Radixact radiation therapy.
Inside the SVM: Helping Pets Fight Cancer
Donors Make Advances in Vet Oncology Happen!
Technological advances in pet cancer oncology happens because of generous donors like you and me. For instance, the Radixact technology is funded for in part by pet parents who give to the UW School of Veterinary Medicine’s Pets Make a Difference Fund. This is the fund inspired by the late golden retriever Scout. You probably remember this beautiful Golden Retriever from the WeatherTech’s 2020 Super Bowl commercial. Thanks, Scout!
Hi Jerry thank you for your reply . Yes it is osteosarcoma sorry typing error! I was wondering if there was anything the new treatment at UW could help Beau with ? Does the treatment extend to the UK in any way . I was wondering if there were any University Veterinary Centres here that carry out the new treatment or work alongside UW ,or that UW could advise my referral vets on the best way to help Beau .
I am now going to get Beau to a rehabilitation specialist as he has finished his chemotherapy. Looking to take him to hydrotherapy too. Thank you again .
Anthea
Anthea, I’m not 100% sure, you would have to contact UW to find out. Best wishes to you and Beau. Keep us posted in the Forums!
Hello it is lovely to be in contact with you.
I have just clicked onto this topic so please bear with me to the fact I have not read looked into it yet fully . I just had to reply to you as I am in need of hope for my dog and I know time is the essence.
I have a wonderful 5year 11month old Hungarian Vizsla who showed a limp just before Christmas 2019 . Still showing it when I returned after days away ,I made an appointment at my vets for us to call in on our journey home. There we were told to my relief that he had bruised toes and to carry on with his metacalm for a few more weeks. Over the next week I became increasingly worried as he had a lump over his wrist area and I was looking at it all the time wondering if it had got bigger. My other dog was registered from birth at another closer vets and so I seemed a second opinion there. As you can imagine I was out of my mind with worry but after xrays the vet came and showed me one and explained he had broken his wrist ! He said he had not seen anything quite like it before but that nothing needed to be done surgically as it was stable between the two outside bones . We went home with an appointment for a few weeks later and told to keep him as quiet as possible. Only exercising on the lead for a toilet run. I went back with Beau for check up . Vet said he was happy and perhaps give him short walks . I insisted I had another consultation as I wanted to do everything right for Beau and didn’t want to take things too fast . Once again everything was reported to me as ok . I was told to increase his exercise s little periodically. He did not want to see Beau anymore and said it would just be time.Anyway. I still wasn’t happy and so I took Beau back in June 2019 to just get confirmation everything was ok. Once again I was told by the vet he was happy with Beau progress and that some dogs limp for a very long time after .
I took Beau up for his vaccinations on September 16th 2019 we were not thinking the worst. I made the appointment with the same vet who had treated him for the break just so that he could see him again . When he brought Beau back to the car ,all consultations were done from the car park with the dogs taken off by the vet if treatment was needed because of Covid , he said he was not happy with Beau and to fear the worst . I was floored totally devastated. He wanted to do a biopsy the following day to confirm his thoughts. After the biopsy we waited another 10 days for the results. It came back Beau had Oesteocarcinoma ! . I did not want Beau to be treated by this veterinary Hospital so I asked for him to be referred to Cave Referrals. We were contacted by them almost immediately and Beau was booked in for consultation the next day. After some tests the vet phoned me and said they would go ahead with amputation of his left front leg. He was in Vets for 3days . There was no sign of spread to his lymph glands ,they did have his leg and one near it that was removed tested . From his scan there was no significant spread anywhere but an off the scale mark on his lung which they said could have been scarring .
He was quite out of it for some days after returning home . After his check up we booked him in to start chemotherapy. He has had 6 treatments the last one only 3 days ago .
I am not sure what to do now . I have been offered another scan. Chemotherapy treatment to be given at home . I turned down another scan if it is not going to be beneficial to Beau and will not change decisions to give anymore treatment at the moment . I am considering having one done in a couple of months maybe but I do not know whether this is the exact right time for one as I do not want it to be too late or early .
I have now seen your report/ trial and wonder with so much hope if you could offer my wonderful boy ❣️❤️any help PLEASE. I lost previous My Hungarian Vizsla to prostrate/urethra / bladder cancer at exactly the same age . Beau was even named to help me over Sonny’s loss and to be able to move forward with this beautiful breed. Beau was born only two days after Sonny died. We lost Sonny 13 months after diagnosis when he was 6years 8 months old . I can not believe this horrific time has happened again to me . I live in hope . THANK YOU for reading this .
Regards
Anthea Clark
Hi Anthea, I’m assuming you are talking about osteosarcoma, correct? Either way I’m so sorry you went through such an awful ordeal with the vets and hope you were able to find more competent ones to treat Beau. Please consider searching for an AAHA-accredited clinic in your area for his primary care. Meanwhile it sounds like Beau is doing really well, which is great. After chemotherapy is over you can certainly do metronomic chemotherapy in an attempt to prevent metastasis, but recent studies show it is falling out of favor and hasn’t been as beneficial as once believed. What you can do is help Beau stay strong and healthy by 1) following the awesome guidance in The Dog Cancer Survival Guide, and 2) making an appointment with a canine rehabilitation therapist to ensure he stays strong and injury free, and to learn how you can help him do that. The Tripawds Foundation can even pay for your first visit!
Finally, please consider joining us in the Tripawds Discussion Forums where you will receive MUCH more help from the entire community. Hope to see you there.