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Oncologists
In Australia, we have twelve medical Specialist Veterinary Oncologists who are registered with the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council (AVBC). To become a Specialist Oncologist, an additional 3-7 years of study in the field of oncology is required after the initial veterinary degree. Those who have qualified as Specialist Oncologists are identified by the following title(s), depending on where they have done their training:
- FANZCVS, (previously FACVSc), for specialist level qualifications obtained in Australia or New Zealand
- Dip ACVIM (Oncology), for specialist level qualifications obtained in North America
- Dip ECVIM (Companion Animals Oncology), for specialist level qualifications obtained in Europe
You may not know that you can request a referral to a Specialist Oncologist when you or your vet first notice a lump on your dog. You do not need to wait until your vet has removed the lump and pathology has confirmed a diagnosis of cancer. Instead you can ask your vet for an immediate referral. Very often, a veterinary oncologist will be able to advise you on the best way to get a diagnosis, before any procedures have been done.
Yes, it is more costly to use a Specialist Veterinary Oncologist. BUT it gives your dog the best chance of survival. The advantages include:
- They have different treatments available to them which may not be available to the general veterinary practice.
- They have specialised experience and techniques to remove tumours without causing spread to other areas.
- A Specialist Vet Oncologist will tailor treatment for the type, staging and grading of the cancer being treated, which is essential for the treatment to be effective. Chemotherapy treatment for dogs usually doesn’t cause side effects, if used correctly.
- They have information on the latest treatments and studies pertaining to cancer on hand.
- They undertake additional years of study dealing only with cancer patients.
Depending on the type of cancer some treatment options such as direct injection chemotherapy will not be possible if the lump has been removed. In other cases, it might be completely unnecessary to subject your dog to surgery as the tumour may not need removing. If the cancer is on an internal organ, a Specialist can give you the best and latest advice on treatment options.
If you choose to use a Specialist Veterinary Oncologist for your pet, you will be giving them the best chance for a good outcome. I believe my decision to use an oncologist with Frodo is why he had a good outcome. The Specialists listed on this site can be contacted directly, if you have any difficulty obtaining a referral.
There are three Specialties within Veterinary Oncology:
The Medical Oncologist is the vet you would normally go to when your pet has cancer. They will refer to both Surgical and Radiation Oncologists as necessary,
The Surgical Oncologist, who in addition to his or her Specialist training in surgery, has done a further year of training in Surgical Oncology.
The Radiation Oncologist, who has Specialist training in radiation.
