oncology

Charlotte, a 7-year-old Cavalier King Charles spaniel, was always a happy and healthy dog. Last summer, her owners Lannis and Jamie Pope noticed a small (but growing), discolored dot on her nostril that seemed to cause her nose to run excessively. After taking her to their primary veterinarian, where it was determined to be cancerous after a basic lab result, the Popes sought an advanced diagnosis from the oncology specialists at the UC Davis veterinary hospital.

Sadie Mae, a Catahoula/Rottweiler mix, narrates a tale of her journey through cancer treatments. Along the way, she tells you of her relationship with her owner and the care she got at the UC Davis veterinary hospital.

UC Davis’ comparative oncology program, a partnership between UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center and Veterinary Medicine that combines human and companion-animal oncology, has been included as part of the renewal of UC Davis’ status as a “comprehensive” cancer center by the National Cancer Institute.

Bubbles, a 10-year-old male boxer, was brought to the UC Davis veterinary hospital’s Emergency Room following an inability to maintain his coordination accompanied with weakness in his hind limbs. Critical care specialists in the ER referred him to the Neurology/Neurosurgery Service for further evaluation. Following examination and an MRI, a tumor on Bubbles’ spinal cord was discovered.

As a bird dog, Josie is one of the best. The 9-year-old chocolate lab goes everywhere with her owner and is a popular guest at the Cordelia Duck Club, tucked away in the Suisun Marsh. She is very social, extremely good at her sport and would really be missed if she weren’t around.

When it comes to dog years, cancer can have a big impact. Dogs 10 years and older have a 50% chance of dying from cancer, and human oncologists are studying the disease in canines in the hopes of benefiting both animals and humans.

Porsche, a 4-year-old female boxer, had a lipoma surgically removed from her hip and lower back in 2019. But when it came back even worse in 2020, her primary veterinarian referred her to the Oncology Service at the UC Davis veterinary hospital. So, her owners Chuck and Jennifer drove the 90 minutes to campus for a consult with the oncologists.

The 2020 LNU Lightning Complex Fire in Northern California devastated many lives. None more so than the owners of Quinn, a 12-year-old female Labrador retriever. Just before the fire erupted, Quinn was not feeling herself and was twice taken to her primary veterinarian. After many tests, she came home on the night of August 18. That would be the last time she would be in that home.

The UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine recently received an additional $75,000 grant from the Petco Foundation to continue its support of pet cancer treatments at the school’s veterinary hospital.

Scruffles, a 9-year-old female Shetland sheepdog, was referred to the UC Davis veterinary hospital after her white blood cell count continued to increase. The Oncology Service performed complete blood count tests to gain a better understanding of Scruffles’ condition, as well as a test called flow cytometry, which helped determine if Scruffles was dealing with a cancer of her bone marrow (leukemia).