Oncology (Cancer Treatment)

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Oncology

Cancer is a frightening and emotional diagnosis in both humans and our pets. Cancer can be benign or malignant. We help you make informed decisions about your pet and the different possibilities of surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, palliative care and end of life options. One of our goals in cancer treatment is to prevent and relieve suffering. We may not be able to cure every cancer but we can slow the growth and prevent metastasis in many cases. The doctors and nursing staff are equipped to perform advanced surgery and chemotherapy for many forms of cancer. Radiation therapy treatment is more technical and sophisticated than we have available in the Gallatin Valley. We would send your pet to a large referral hospital for radiation treatment. The closest is WSU (Washington State University Veterinary School) in Pullman, Washington. GVH veterinarians consult with both human and animal Oncologists to design an individual treatment plan for each type of cancer and each pet.

Animals handle chemotherapy much better than humans and they don’t routinely get sick. The goal of chemotherapy in animals is to maintain a good quality of life while treating the cancer. Side effects are possible but are limited and controlled as much as possible. We utilize many different medications to control pain, quiet nausea and to stimulate the pet’s appetite if required case by case. Chemotherapies can be oral or injectable and may require a pet to visit the hospital for half a day for treatment. We utilize the same chemotherapy agents used in humans. Monitoring the body’s response to treatment is very important. We require follow up blood work to assess the liver, kidney, bone marrow and blood cells response to the chemotherapy. This is done to ensure the pet has the best quality of life while treating the cancer. We make every decision as easy as we can for you and your pet. There is a large emotional and financial commitment involved with cancer treatment. Please ask any of the veterinarians or staff member’s questions about cancer, cancer screening and treatment options.

GVH News

Recently, a dog named Buddy came to us by way of the Butte Animal Shelter. During a trip back to Arizona, Buddy became separated from his owner. To make matters worse, the owner totaled his truck after looking for Buddy for a day and a half around Dillon. A month after his owner had returned to Arizona, Buddy was found by Butte Animal Shelter, he had survived in the wild with a severe foot injury and was facing amputation. The staff at Butte Animal Shelter contacted Dr. Mark Albrecht here at Gallatin Vet and Dr. Albrecht was able to provide remarkable care that saved Buddy's foot. You can see how GVH saved his Buddy's foot and helped reunite this remarkable pet with his owner--Watch the story about Buddy at the KTVM website.

Please note that we are currently seeking donations from the public for Buddy's care which came to many thousands of dollars and involved many caring people throughout southwest Montana. We hope you will take a moment to consider this request. Call (406) 587-4458 if you can help.

Did you know?

At what age is a dog considered a senior pet?
 

1635 Reeves Road East, Bozeman, MT 59718 p:(406) 587-4458 f:(406) 994-0338

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