JACKSONVILLE,Fla. – Pet cancer is a tragic condition that pet owners face.
Cancer is the leading cause of death in dogs over the age of 10.
Some breeds are more prone to cancer than others including golden retrievers, Bernese mountain, boxers, and flat coated retrievers. Mixed breed dogs,because they come from larger gene pools, are less likely to get genetically based cancers.
Pets can become part of a family, and the loss of a pet due to cancer is heartbreaking.
There is a new treatment now available in Jacksonville.
Stereotactic radiosurgery, also commonly referred to as SRS, is a noninvasive treatment that requires no incisions or sutures.
Since healthy parts of the anatomy are mostly spared, pets typically experience immediate improvement to quality of life and very few side effects.
Dr. Tracy LaDue of SEVO-Med & PetCure Oncology is one of the few veterinarians in the Jacksonville area who offer this service. In certain cases, SRS can be delivered with the intent to cure cancer rather than merely ease its symptoms. According to LaDue “that is exactly our expectations.”
SRS is rooted in its unprecedented precision. It enables higher doses of radiation to be delivered directly to a tumor with minimal exposure to the surrounding healthy tissue.
Many tumors previously considered “untreatable” can now be targeted, enabling treatment of tumors in sensitive areas of the body such as the brain, spinal column, lungs or prostate.
An entire treatment course is delivered in just 1 to 3 sessions, an 80-95% decrease in both treatment sessions and anesthetic events compared to conventional radiation therapy.
LaDue “We would encourage pet owners to obtain pet insurance. It doesn’t matter what type of breed your pet is."
SRS is only available at a handful of private veterinary practices around the country – and it means pets now have access to the same advanced form of treatment that is the standard of care for human cancer treatment for decades.