How cancer treatment is giving sick pets a new leash of life

Published on Monday 8 June 2009 22:02

LEAPING over a row of hurdles and racing through the arena at breakneck speed, Scrooble was a star turn in last year's Crufts finals.

But unknown to the cheering crowd, the Border collie was only there after completing a gruelling course of cancer treatment. Without help, vets had given him only months to live.

Yesterday, in a demonstration of the latest treatments now available to the nation's pets, Scrooble was the VIP guest at the official opening of Scotland's first 3 million cancer centre for animals.

The centre – at the University of Edinburgh's Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies in Roslin, Midlothian – offers the chance of a cure for pets that would once have been put down. It will deal with up to 20 cases of animal cancer a week.

Approximately one in three dogs and one in five cats will develop cancer, which is the main cause of death in pets. Cancer rates are increasing because animals are living longer, but new treatments have led to better survival rates.

Devoted owners with 1,000 to 4,000 to spare will be able to get a dog, cat, rabbit or ferret treated at the new centre within a week. At the formal opening by the Duchess of Hamilton yesterday, Professor David Argyle, the centre's director, said owners' attitudes to pet care had changed over the past 15 years.

"With access to the internet, people are much more aware of what is on offer and what can be achieved with treatment which can provide animals with a good quality of life," he said.

"There are more treatments available and more people have access to insurance that wasn't around ten or 15 years ago."

The centre's equipment includes a computerised tomography (CT) scanner which can even examine horses, and a linear accelerator allowing radiotherapy treatment to be given to animals for the first time.

The centre will offer the latest therapies and treatments and provide insight for the treatment of cancer in humans.

Prof Argyle added that the centre has the most sophisticated diagnostic procedures available and its research would include identifying cancer-causing genes, understanding tumour progression and analysing the role of stem cells in cancer.

"Our understanding in treating cats and dogs and how cancer takes hold will also pave the way for comparative research, relating what we know about the disease in animals to improve treatment for all," he said.

Scientists at the vet school have already discovered a rogue cancer stem cell in dogs that could help find new treatments for bone cancer in children and adolescents.

Scrooble, now aged seven, was diagnosed with lymphoma of the intestine and underwent eight months of treatment with chemotherapy via a drip of "cocktails" and steroids.

His owner, Sara Hawkswell, 42, from Armadale, West Lothian, said:

"Scooble got so used to treatment that he would look out for anyone he knew walking past in the waiting room and then, when it was time for his treatment, he would jump right up on to the table."

The centre forms part of a 100 million development on the Easter Bush site, which includes a research and teaching building.

Treatment costs up to 4,000

CANCER treatment for animals usually costs 1,000-4,000. However, the cost can be significantly higher.

Part of the costs can be covered by pet insurance.

Petplan, Britain's biggest pet insurer, said insurance premiums varied depending on age, location and breed of animal. Based on their "Covered for Life Petplan", for which owners can claim up to 4,000 per year in vet fees, payments for a four-year-old mongrel dog in Edinburgh would be 19.92 a month – and 27.23 for a pedigree.