Posts tagged "cancer"

As the owner of a three-legged pup we know how tough it can be seeing your four-legged friend turn into a tripod. Balancing on three legs can be transitionally tough for newly amputated dogs, but we can't begin to imagine how hard it is when you weigh in at 180 lbs.

Gibson, a seven-year-old Harlequin Great Dane and five year Guinness World Record holder for tallest dog (he stands 7-feet tall on his hind legs) was diagnosed earlier this year with osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer that affects between 6,000 and 8,000 dogs annually. Seven weeks post-surgery he's doing great, though he's still adjusting to balancing on just one front leg. We wish Gibson many more years defending his record title!

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What animal lover hasn't daydreamed about ditching their desk job and applying for a job at the zoo? Or at a doggy daycare? Or tracking gorillas in Africa? We sure have, but since most of us may never actually get to work with the animals we love, we thought we'd introduce you to a few people who do.

Name: Dr. Avenelle Turner
Age: 34
Job: Veterinary Oncologist

How long have you been a veterinarian?
Almost 10 years.

What made you want to be a vet?
I'd always wanted to be one, since my earliest memory. I've always liked animals. Friends I've known since elementary school have always remembered me wanting to be a vet.

What does it take to become a vet?
First you'll need a four-year degree from an undergraduate school. Then it's similar to going to medical school. You apply, and if you're admitted, veterinary school is four years.

You specialize in veterinary oncology?
Yes, I'm board certified. Most oncologists have gone to veterinary school, then at least three to four years of post-education to get certified in oncology. We take two exams – one is a qualifying test, the second is more of a specific test for oncology. If you pass both, then you become a board-certified oncologist.

Did you grow up with animals?
Yes, dogs. I like cats, but didn't grow up with them. When I was old enough to get animals, I got a cat to see what it was like to live with one and I do love them.

What made you want to go into oncology?
It's hard to say. I never actually wanted to do it. I thought it was quite sad. But when I did my internship, I got to see a lot of different cases and I liked the oncology patients better. I think the owners are more dedicated, the patients are typically older and they usually come with a story.

When you refer to "patients" are you talking about the animals you see?
Yes. Owners are clients. Dogs and cats are patients.

Do you only treat dogs and cats?
I do. Technically, veterinarians can treat all large animals, but if you don't use it, you lose it, so I wouldn't know what to do if I saw a horse or a cow.

Isn't it a sad job sometimes?
My goal is to make these animals as comfortable as possible for as long as possible. If I do that, that's a success. So, is it sad? Sure. I absolutely know that I'm going to say goodbye to these animals -- sometimes in a couple of months, sometimes in a couple of years. But if I didn't do it, all of these animals would be dead in a few months. So you have to evaluate what your goals for success are. And success is not always a cure.

How do you handle the down side of your job?
You realize that in life there are sad things. You realize that there are certain people and animals that you can help. I feel like if I didn't do this, nobody would be there to help them. During their treatment and afterwards, they have a significant amount of time where their quality of life is relatively good. They usually have the exact same – or very close to – quality of life they had before they got sick.

What are the pet owners like that you meet in your practice?
It takes a special person to actually pursue treating their pet for cancer. Most of the animals are members of their family, so maintaining their family unit is very important. When they know there's something that can be done to make their animal feel better, most people do it.

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How deep is the bond between dog and human? Scott Seymore believes his nine year-old American bulldog Brittney --- who was dying of cancer --- hung on long enough to make sure he was okay before deciding it was her time to go.

On May 7, Seymore, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, received news that every pet owner fears, and never hopes to hear. Ever. His dog had cancer; Brittney's tummy was filled with tumors. The veterinarian didn't think Brittney would survive surgery and Seymore thought chemotherapy would devastate his normally active dog. Not wanting to euthanize her then, he put Brittney on a course of steroids, hoping to make most of the time he had with her and to make her remaining days as pain-free as possible.

Just weeks later on May 23, Seymore awoke at 5:45 on a Saturday morning to the sound of Brittney --- who was, by then, easily fatigued --- barking furiously. Something was wrong. "Brittney might whine a little when she has to go out, but she never, ever barks when I'm sleeping," Seymore, 39, told the Grand Rapids News. "She was demanding that I get up."

And with good reason: the house was on fire. Flames were already shooting towards the roof, yet the smoke detector hadn't sounded an alarm. Instead, it was Brittney, who Seymore has had since she was six weeks old, who saved his life.

Sadly, on the Monday after the fire, Brittney's condition worsened; she stopped eating, her stomach was distended and she had trouble breathing. The cancer had spread to Brittney's lymph nodes, liver and spleen, and a cancerous mass in her spleen was bleeding, causing much pain.

Unable to watch her suffer any longer, Seymore decided to put Brittney to sleep on Tuesday, May 26. "A dog loves you unconditionally and totally, which makes this really hard," Seymore said. "To have to do it days after she saved my life is really depressing. I know that it's the right thing, but it feels like the worst thing."

Seymore was at Brittney's side when she was euthanized at the Animal Hospital of Kentwood. "She hung on for a little extra time," said Seymore. "Like she was looking out for me."

What are potential warning signs of cancer in dogs and cats?