Is there a blood test for cancer in dogs and cats?
As a veterinarian, I get asked the question “Is there a blood test for cancer in dogs and cats?” Sadly, no, there never has been until now. Most of the time, when we do blood work, it’s to look at the kidney function, liver enzymes, white and red blood cells, platelet count, salt balance, blood sugar, and protein levels. I talk extensive about why we do blood work on my Pet Life Radio show “ER VET” here with Dr. Garret Pachtinger. Pet Life Radio “ER...
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Mushroom I’m-Yunity for dogs with cancer
December 2019 If your dog was just diagnosed with one of my most hated cancers: hemangiosarcoma (typically of the spleen, liver and right atrium of the heart), read on. I’ve previously written about hemangiosarcoma here. While surgery and chemotherapy are invasive, there are a few newer options out there. Including a few holistic medications like turkey tail mushroom and yunnan baiyao. I’ve also written about some up and coming research about newer drugs (called...
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My cat has squamous cell carcinoma | Dr. Justine Lee, DACVECC, DABT, Board-Certified Veterinary Specialist
If your cat was just diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma (commonly abbreviated “SCC”), I can whole-heartedly empathize. In this blog, I share my own story, along with some important information for cat owners to know if their cat was just diagnosed with this horrible cancer. My own 19-year-old cat, Seamus, was just recently diagnosed with SCC last month, and I’m heartbroken. Seamus was previously diagnosed with chronic kidney failure (CKF) and so I weighed him once a month...
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New drug, eBAT, may help save dogs with deadly cancer hemangiosarcoma | Dr. Justine Lee, DACVECC, DABT, Board-certified Veterinary Specialist
One of the toughest parts of working in the ER is the constant barrage of bad news that one has to deliver. Unfortunately, cancer is one of the top causes for presentation to the veterinary ER, and the leading cause of death in dogs in the United States. In the emergency room, the most common type of cancer that I see is hemangiosarcoma. This is a very aggressive type of cancer that loves bloody organs: the spleen, liver, heart, and blood vessels. This vascular tumor often results in acute...
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Does your dog have lymphoma? | Dr. Justine Lee, DACVECC, DABT, Board-certified Veterinary Specialist
If your dog was just diagnosed with lymphoma, know that there is a new drug called Tanovea that is being developed for the treatment of this aggressive cancer in dogs. Unfortunately, it will likely take years before the release of this drug, but preliminary studies are exciting when used with chemotherapy. Check out the press release below: FORT COLLINS, Colo — VetDC, Inc., a veterinary cancer therapeutics company, today announced the successful conclusion of a new field study of TanoveaTM...
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