Cancer surgery in dogs and cats

Cancer in dogs and cats is a common reason pets are in our practice for treatment.  Our tools to fight cancer are continuing to evolve and we now combine multiple treatment modalities to give your pet the best chance of a long survival with an excellent quality of life. Cancer treatment starts with an accurate diagnosis of the tumour type and how the tumour is interacting with the body. We often use our helical CT scanner to assist in our surgical decision making and checking that your pet is clear of any cancer spread. Cancer surgery often requires the surgeon to take wide margins of normal tissue around the mass. The challenge for surgeons is to take enough tissue to get a clean margin whilst maintaining function and aesthetics. Our specialist trained surgeons have years of experience in removing cancerous masses and performing the subsequent reconstructive techniques that are often needed. Bone tumours in dogs (osteosarcoma) often require amputation of the affected limb. Whislt amputation can seem daunting, our companion animals manage extremely well on 3 legs. Our specialist surgeons will talk through the procedure and what to expect post-operatively. Depending on the type of tumour, our specialists may recommend a combination of therapies in addition to surgery. Our multi-specialist practice enables us to work together as a team to devise an individually-tailored program for your pet to give them the best chance of living a good quality life for as long as possible. Dog with a large soft tissue sarcoma, which our surgeons were able to remove with clear margins.