While the CyberKnife Center of Miami *DOES NOT* treat animals, we only treat people, more animal hospitals, clinics and centers around the country and worldwide are offering CyberKnife to treat tumors in pets.
Dr. Sue Ettinger, one of the first veterinarians in the country to use CyberKnife at her animal hospital is on a mission to make people aware of cancer treatments for pets which can literally save lives. She says, “Cutting edge, life saving technology, including targeted radiation therapy like CyberKnife makes it possible not only to eliminate cancerous and non-cancerous tumors in pets but also to cure cancer. My passion is to educate pets owners that cancer is often treatable, and the treatment is often well-tolerated. As a board certified oncologist by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, my mission is to raise cancer awareness, promote early detection, and help pets with cancer live longer, and live well.”
Dr. Ettinger is a veterinary cancer specialist and currently works at the Veterinary Referral and Emergency Center in Norwalk, Connecticut.
A statement released by Accuray, the maker of CyberKnife says, our technology isn’t just leading the way in improving cancer treatment options for people, it’s redefining what’s possible in the treatment of animals with tumors and cancer as well.
Pet and animal owners are increasingly seeking out radiation therapy as a safe and effective cancer treatment option, driving a rapidly growing demand for radiotherapy in the field of veterinary oncology.
The Cyberknife system can treat virtually any tumor, anywhere in the animal’s body.
It’s robotic system delivers radiation to tumors with unmatched sub-millimeter precision from hundreds of angles.
The system uses Synchrony technology targeting the tumor even if the animal moves a little while sedated on the CyberKnife table.
This level of precision enables radiation therapy to be delivered in fewer treatments, reducing clinic visits and the number of times an animal must go under anesthesia.
And just as important, it greatly reduces the incidence of side effects. Often there are none.
If you find yourself considering or needing this treatment option for your beloved pet, google Veterinarian CyberKnife Centers Near Me, and at the very least call for a consultation.
The treatment could save your pet’s life with a lot less pain and suffering.
Key Takeaways
CyberKnife is typically used for cancers that can’t be treated safely with traditional radiation or surgery. There is some evidence to suggest that in brain cancers in dogs, CyberKnife is more effective overall than conventional radiation.
CyberKnife is non-invasive and painless. It’s also expensive. If your dog has an inoperable tumor that cannot be treated, particularly if it is causing pain (as most tumors in the head do), it is worth considering if it’s in your budget or covered by insurance.
The cost of imaging, treatment, and anesthesia for treatment with a CyberKnife is between $7,500 to $9,000.
Cyberknife is typically used to treat brain tumors, nasal tumors, and less commonly, bone cancers. It is also sometimes used as a follow-up treatment for complex or difficult surgeries, or less commonly for palliative pain relief.
CyberKnife shrinks tumors (decreases their size or stops them from growing), by depositing high doses of radiation with precision in tumors. The radiation damages the DNA in cancer cells so they start to die off. Depending upon where the cancer cell is in its reproductive cycle, it may die right away or within a few months.
CyberKnife Radiosurgery has been used to treat animals for 20 years.
Here are just a few of the veterinarian schools and centers using CyberKnife technology.
University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, BluePearl Veterinary CyberKnife Cancer Center in Malvern, PA, Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of USC (Southern California), the Animal Specialty Center in New York.