When a pet is diagnosed with cancer, things can seem pretty grim. Cancer is a disease that brings with it many fears, worries, and concerns. It is understandable to become caught up in the emotion of the diagnosis and what happens next.
However, a cancer diagnosis doesn’t mean the worst possible outcome, and many pets who are diagnosed with the disease go on to enjoy a good quality of life.
Summeridge Animal Clinic has a lot of experience diagnosing and managing pet cancer patients. With this experience comes the knowledge that there is still incredible hope and effective options for treating pet cancers. If your precious pet is diagnosed with cancer, know that we are here to help you achieve the best possible outcome for them.
Not All Cancers Present the Same Prognosis
When you are told that your pet has cancer, it may feel like the worst diagnosis imaginable, but it is important to learn more about the specific type of cancer your pet is facing. Cancer in pets can have many different outcomes, and not all of them are bad.
Your pet’s prognosis depends on many factors, including:
- The type of cancer
- The location of the cancer
- Whether or not it has spread (metastasis)
- What treatment options are available
Some tumors, for instance, may be entirely cured simply by removing a cancerous growth. Other pet cancers may be very susceptible to treatment methods like chemotherapy.
Most times when a pet is diagnosed with cancer, more information is required. Biopsies and staging steps to gather information about the prognosis are often essential to treating cancer successfully.
Managing Cancer in a Pet
Our approach to managing the disease is to prioritize and enhance your pet’s quality of life. What good is it to prolong life if that life is painful or unrewarding?
When treating cancer in a pet, we take several steps to ensure that our patient is reaping benefits from the treatment. Treatments like surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation can have side-effects. We minimize these negative effects by:
- Using a multimodal approach where possible
- Monitoring closely for signs of pain
- Proactively treating pain
- Utilizing medications to combat digestive upset
- Providing a good nutrition plan to help the body stay strong
- Stimulating the appetite as needed
- Encouraging an active lifestyle
Cancer is certainly a scary diagnosis to consider – and especially when it impacts those we love. We understand that pet owners often have a difficult time when a pet is diagnosed with cancer.
Our approach to managing cancer is to provide our patients with the most effective treatment possible, tailored to the individual situation, while maintaining a vibrant, pain-free pet. There are many promising treatments we can enlist to fight cancer in pets, and several complementary options we can use to help our four-legged friends feel good throughout treatment.
When Your Pet Is Diagnosed with Cancer
If you are caring for a pet diagnosed with cancer, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We are always happy to discuss the options and to assist you in making the right decisions for your sweet pet.
