AAHA publishes guidelines on managing cancer in dogs and cats

Diagnosing and treating cancer is an essential part of comprehensive primary care for companion animals such as cats and dogs. And the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) has recently published its 2016 AAHA Oncology Guidelines for Dogs and Cats to help veterinarians keep abreast of developments. 

The guide includes comprehensive tables of common canine and feline cancers as a resource for case management and a sample case history as well as discussion of important concepts such as end of life considerations, according to a release from AAHA's website.

AAHA's new guidelines recommend a patient-specific approach, since each oncology case is unique. These include diagnosis, staging, therapeutic intervention, provisions for patient and personnel safety in handling chemotherapy agents, referral to an oncology specialty practice when appropriate and a strong emphasis on client support, according to the release. 

The guidelines were published in the Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association (JAAHA) and are also available on the AAHA website.