Dog, cat and NAC onco-surgery at the Agoravet veterinary clinic

Onco-surgery refers to surgical operations to treat tumors or cancers. These conditions can affect any part of the body, on any animal, at any age. It is important to remove tumors to prevent them from spreading, either locally or as distant metastases. Surgical removal of tumors is not always sufficient to cure the animal, and various medical treatments must be implemented: chemotherapy, radiotherapy, etc.

What medical examinations are required before this type of procedure?

A tumor extension assessment is usually recommended before any tumor surgery. The aim is to check the extent of the tumor locally, as well as the presence of any metastases. This extension workup enables us to establish a more precise surgical plan and prognosis. Various types of examination are possible to assess tumor extension: X-ray, CT scan, blood tests, ultrasound.

Course of oncology surgery

Depending on the area to be operated on or the organ concerned, the animal is hospitalized either the day before or the day of the operation. In the latter case, the animal must be presented on an empty stomach. A general clinical examination is carried out before the anesthetic procedures begin, and a venous line is inserted. A pre-anaesthetic blood test is sometimes necessary for older animals or those with other conditions that may affect the anaesthetic process.

The animal is then anesthetized and operated on. Particular attention is paid to pain control, especially in the case of extensive skin or bone surgery.

What happens after tumor surgery?

The animal is kept in hospital for as long as is necessary to allow it to recover from its surgery and control its pain. It is returned to its owners with care recommendations, and a detailed report is sent to its attending veterinarian.

During surgery on tumors, an analysis of the removed tumor is systematically carried out. This is used to determine the nature of the tumour and whether it has been completely removed. If the margins are infiltrated with abnormal cells, re-intervention may be necessary, or if this is not possible, further treatment may be required.

Depending on the nature of the tumor, regular monitoring of the animal throughout its life is necessary.

For more information on medical treatments, visit the Oncology page.