Finding a Veterinarian for
Cancer Treatment
Learning
that your precious pup has cancer
is shocking and frightening. You want to do everything possible to
fight the disease and help your dog survive. The first thing to do is
find a doctor who can provide cancer treatment.
Veterinary
Oncologists
There are
about 200 veterinary oncologists in the
U.S.
today, and thousands - possibly millions - of dogs with cancer. Many of
these dogs will
receive
expert treatment, but not all of them will receive it from an
oncologist.
Until
recently, there were no
veterinarians
trained to diagnose or provide treatment for dogs with cancer. There
was no
specialty within veterinary medicine to teach doctors how to diagnose
and treat cancer in pets.There were no "veterinary oncologists." What
defines a veterinarian as a veterinary oncologist? Years of
specialized training after becoming a veterinarian, and ACVIM Board
Certifiication in the specialty of oncology.
Veterinary oncologists devote their entire practice to this
one disease. Therefore, they have a more extensive and current
understanding of all aspects of cancer in pets than a general practice
veterinarian. They are up to date
about new diagnostics and treatments, and are better equipped to choose
the best treatment for a specific pet with a specific cancer. They are
prepared to respond when a pet has an adverse effect from treatment or
concurrent health issues indicate that a change in treatment is needed.
Since
1990, about 200 veterinarians
have become board certified oncologists and are
still in practice in that specialty. But also in
that time, the demand for cancer treatment for
pets has skyrocketed, with thousands of devoted pet owners seeking
deseperately to give their pets a chance
to survive cancer. If you are
unable to find a
veterinary oncologist in your area, don’t despair!
Residents
Find
out
if there is a candidate for board certification in oncology in your
area. This is
a veterinarian who has copmleted training in oncology but is not (yet)
board
certified. General Practice veterinarians are often aware of local
candidates for
board certification.
Non-Specialists providing cancer
treatment
Because of this
shortage of
specialists, many veterinarians with a general practice or with
certification in internal medicine have stepped up to the plate. These
doctors are not oncologists (i.e., they are not board
certified). Those who are responsible consult
with a veterinary oncologist on a regular basis. They gain experience
through every case
they treat. They provide a service very much in demand and I
encourage you to be open to finding treatment for your dog by a
veterinarian who is not board certified, as long as that doctor
regularly seeks guidance from an oncologist, particularly for difficult
cases or
when any unexpected results or side effects occur.
If your
doctor does not have a consultant (veterinary oncologist), ask your
doctor to contact an oncologist at
Oncura
Partners for consultation. (www.OncuraPartners.com)
Special
Non-Specialists
You may find treatment for your dog through a board
certified
veterinary oncologist or a non-specialist who keeps counsel with an
oncologist. There is also a class of veterinarians who are not
oncologists
but who can none-the-less provide top of the line cancer treatment for
pets. This group includes veterinarians
who focused on pet cancer for decades, long before the ACVIM offered
it as a specialty. These pioneers in veterinary oncology took bold,
aggressive, "thinking outside the box" measures to provide
treatment for their patients with cancer.
