Our state-of-the-art Linear Accelerator with on-board imaging allows us to offer the widest range of radiation treatment options available in the South.
- When will my pet start radiation treatment?
Similar to other treatments, we will need to do staging prior to starting radiation. As well, we will need to do a radiation planning CT scan prior to starting radiation. From there, the radiation oncologist will use this CT to develop a treatment plan for your pet. There will be period of 1-3 days between the treatment planning CT scan and starting radiation. We often start radiation treatments on the Monday after the initial diagnostic work up. - What type of radiation therapy will my pet have?
We have a state-of-the-art radiation unit and we can offer all types of radiation, including radiosurgery, full-course radiation and palliative radiation. These different types of radiation all have very specific indications. We will discuss the recommended radiation treatment for your pet’s condition with you. - Does my dog have to stay in the hospital for radiation treatment?
If your pet is treated with full-course radiation, this is generally administered daily Monday-Friday for 3-4 weeks. Depending on where you live, your pet may stay with us during the week, or be dropped off on Mondays to go home on Friday, or stay with us during the entire course of radiation. We will accommodate whatever will work best for you. - What type of radiation side effects can I expect?
This will depend on the type of radiation that is recommended for your pet. If your pet has full-course radiation, which means daily radiation doses for 3-4 weeks, Monday-Friday, then side effects are expected. The side effects that occur with radiation are generally associated with inflammation of the affected tissue. They often start 2-3 weeks into the course or radiation and will last for 1-2 weeks after the radiation is finished. We will give your pet local and systemic treatments to help them through the radiation and we will discuss the anticipated side effects with you. - Will my pet have to be anesthetized during radiation?
General anesthesia is necessary for radiation in animals to keep them still during the treatment. Radiation therapy is not painful when it is administered. We may recommend that a vascular access port be placed surgically during the beginning of radiation to make it easier to anesthetize your pet for daily radiation treatment. - My pet has been diagnosed with a brain tumor. Can I come in for stereotactic radiosurgery?
We have the facilities to do radiosurgery for brain tumors. We will need to assess your pet through our service or our neurology service. Advanced imaging will be needed to diagnose the brain tumor and for radiation planning. From there, we can discuss the best recommendations for your pet’s brain tumor.