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oncology

Oncology, at its most basic level, involves the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

 

The word oncology comes from the Greek word meaning "mass" or "bulk," referring to tumours.

 

At Belmont Veterinary Hospital we are focused on providing the upmost care for your pet. The treatment process for cancer can be stressful for both pet and owner but we ensure all options are carefuly considered before treatment commences.

 

Please don't hesitate to contact our friendly staff if you have any questions.

 
 

Oncology Inclusions

 
 

Cure for cancer?
Yes there is a cure for cancer. This is usually achieved by early detection by you the pet owner and complete surgical removal. Unfortunately this is not possible for all cancers. Some cancers may not be easily detected e.g. cancers involving internal organs, others may spread rapidly or involve multiple locations e.g. Lymphomas.
Even so, with appropriate treatment your pet's life can often be improved and significantly prolonged even without a full cure.

 

Early Diagnosis - best chance of a cure
Unfortunately it is often impossible to see if a lump is either benign or malignant just by looking at it. Often surgical biopsy and laboratory testing is the only way of achieving a diagnosis.

 

Excision
If the lump is small then the chance of complete surgical removal is good. Although small lumps on the extremities (legs) may require extensive reconstructive surgery to gain a good result.
A large lump is often harder to remove completely and will result in a longer more difficult recovery for the patient.
It is better to remove a small benign lump than allow a nasty lump to grow and then become incurable.

 

Chemotherapy
Some malignant cancers can spread while quite small and may warrant follow up chemotherapy in an attempt to prevent reoccurrence.
Chemotherapy is the only treatment for some forms of cancer. The word 'Chemo' conjures images of what we know of human patients yet the side effects in Chemotherapy for animals can be minimal and a good quality of life maintained.
Chemotherapy protocol is usually specific to a type of tumour and so getting the tumour examined in a lab is essential for diagnosis and treatment.
Most Chemotherapy drugs require the patient to be hospitalised for the day and may be repeated on a weekly, fortnightly or monthly schedule. Some protocols need to be continued indefinitely to remain in remission.
The goal of cancer treatment is to provide good quality of life for as long as possible. Often this can be achieved with a similar level of success as treatment of heart disease or kidney problems.

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