Counselling
It is important for us to inform you correctly about the cancerous disease of your animal and decide in consent with you and the referring veterinarian if and which therapy could be suitable for your animal. Our employees are all experienced and competent and almost all are board certified in medical or radiation oncology. The AOI Center is established as an educational location by the Americal college of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM). We are happy to offer advice to you or your veterinarian about diagnosing or treating cancer in your pet. If you have an appointment here at the AOI Center, please send us or bring with you all previously performed diagnostic tests to avoid duplication and enable us to help you as quickly as possible.
Diagnosis
An accurate cancer diagnosis in a dog or a cat is important for the best individual treatment plan.
To begin, an in depth examination of your animal is performed (recording of disease history, physical exam). Various diagnostic tests like imaging studies, biopsies and blood analysis will then help obtain a complete picture of the disease process..
Therapy
Depending on the type and stage of the tumor, as well as on the general condition of your animal, an individual plan is created including: surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or a combination thereof. Typically - if individual situation allows - surgical excision is performed at first. Thereafter radiation therapy or chemotherapy may be necessary.
If surgery is not an option, tumors (especially in the head and neck region) may be solely irradiated. Systemic diseases such as lymphoma are treated solely by chemotherapy.
If animals do not show improvement after treatment or have a disease known not to respond to treatment, they may be placed on palliative medication to maintain good quality of life during the end stages of disease.
Aftercare
Aftercare can be done either by your referring Veterinarian or at the AOI Center as you prefer.
Tests specific to your pet's disease are performed at regular intervals to detect a potential regrowth of its tumor as soon as possible.
