Cardiology Services | Oncology Services | Other Diagnostic Services
Oncology Services
We provide consultations for pets with cancer or undergoing chemotherapy. Initial consultation may include:
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Fine needle aspirates |
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Cytology |
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Biopsy procedures |
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Abdominal ultrasound for staging |
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Thoracic radiographs |
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Palladia |
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Merial Melanoma Vaccine |
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Bone marrow aspirate |
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Chemotherapy administration |
Fine needle aspirates
This involves a small needle being placed into the mass or lymph node to sample some cells. The cells are spread out onto a microscope slide for evaluation.
Cytology
Once the cells are spread out onto a slide, Dr. Barabas and a clinical pathologist both evaluate the sample. Clinical pathologists are board certified specialists that evaluate cells taken from fine needle aspirates and other sampling techniques.
Biopsy procedures
Most of the time, fine needle aspirates can adequately diagnose a tumor type. However, there are situations where fine needle aspiration does not give us an adequate answer. In those cases, a biopsy of the mass may be necessary. The type of biopsy procedure depends on the location of the mass. Most biopsy procedures require a brief general anesthesia . The sample is fixed in formalin and sent to a board certified pathologist for diagnosis.
Abdominal ultrasound for staging
Sometimes tumors can spread to other organs such as the liver, spleen, or abdominal lymph nodes. An abdominal ultrasound is helpful to determine if this has occurred. If the primary tumor is in the abdomen, the ultrasound can also serve to recheck the size of the mass during or following treatment.
Thoracic radiographs
Tumors can also commonly spread to the lungs. Thoracic radiographs are x-rays of the lungs, heart, and lymph nodes of the chest. Three views of the chest are performed to evaluate the entire chest. Once the radiographs are completed, Dr. Barabas will evaluate them immediately for any signs of metastasis. The radiographs will then be sent to a board certified radiologist for interpretation.
Palladia
This is the new drug for mast cell tumors in the dog. This drug targets an abnormal growth factor found in about half of mast cell tumors and prevents tumor blood vessel growth. Currently, this medication is only available to limited veterinary specialists, including veterinary oncologists.
Merial Melanoma Vaccine
This tumor vaccine targets canine melanoma. Specifically, the vaccine is given in the muscle and expresses a protein found in canine melanoma cells. The immune system recognizes the melanoma protein as foreign and kills the melanoma. It may take weeks for the immune system to mount an appropriate response. Currently, this vaccine is only available through veterinary oncologists.
Bone marrow aspirate
Some cancers spread to the bone marrow or are primarily from the bone marrow. Those cases may require a bone marrow aspirate. This procedure requires a brief general anesthesia to obtain the sample. A board certified clinical pathologist will evaluate your pet’s bone marrow aspirate.
Chemotherapy administration
Chemotherapy may be beneficial to treat your pet’s cancer. We perform chemotherapy administration in our clinic. Chemotherapy drugs are hazardous to handle and administer. Your safety and the safety of your pet are very important to us. We have the proper equipment to handle chemotherapy drugs and have years of experience in administering these medications.
