As holiday festivities approach, pet owners should be aware of several potential hazards for dogs and cats, from turkey bones to tinsel to mistletoe. Review these tips from UW School of Veterinary Medicine clinical instructor Calico Schmidt for a safe holiday season, as well as dos and don'ts for including animal companions in your family's celebrations.
November marks National Pet Cancer Awareness Month. Cancer is one of the most common problems in companion animals and can happen in pets of any age. A lump on a dog or cat should always be evaluated by a veterinarian as soon as possible; fine needle aspirates are easy to do and not painful. Cancer can be very treatable in most pets and an early diagnosis provides a better chance for long-term control. UW Veterinary Care's full complement of services can provide prompt answers and get treatments started quickly. Familiarize yourself with other possible signs of cancer in pets.
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Small Animal Internal Medicine Service is recruiting cats for a study of an oxidative stress marker called isoprostane to help determine if isoprostane is a marker of early kidney disease. Cats diagnosed with stage one chronic kidney disease and healthy cats six years of age or older may qualify for the study. Cats with normal kidney function or evidence of early kidney disease will be eligible for the full study and will receive free blood work. Cats with early kidney disease will also be eligible for part two of the study, which will recheck isoprostane levels after a month on a defined diet.
UW Veterinary Care's comprehensive approach to the management and treatment of cancer enables both medical oncology and radiation oncology clinicians to work closely with each other, as well as with surgeons, pathologists, and radiologists, to quickly and efficiently determine the best options for each patient.
Many types of cat and dog tumors can be treated with radiation therapy. This may involve TomoTherapy -- a radiotherapy delivery system designed to attack the cancer while sparing healthy tissue -- or another cutting-edge approach, as our radiation oncologists constantly innovate new technologies to more thoroughly and efficiently treat cancer. Whether the plan involves standard radiation therapy or advanced clinical trials, our team will surround you with the resources you need to manage your pet's well-being throughout treatment and recovery.
The holiday season is here and we have the perfect gift for the animal lovers on your list -- one that truly helps those special creatures and companions in your lives. For a suggested $10 donation per card (tax deductible as a charitable contribution), the UW School of Veterinary Medicine will send a holiday card to the recipient of your choice. This year's card selections, "Joy Ride" and "Snow Day," feature the original work of Wisconsin artist Robin Raab. The beautiful, full-color cards include a greeting stating that a donation was made to the school in the recipient's name and that proceeds support projects that advance animal health and well-being. Blank card sets are also available for purchase ($30 for a set of 10 cards, of which $25 is tax deductible).
