Radiation therapy is used to treat tumors. Precise administration of a radiation dose kills the cells in the area being treated. The aim is to spare the surrounding tissue as much as possible. Radiation has also proven effective in relieving pain associated with osteoarthritis.
Alongside surgery and chemotherapy, radiation therapy is an important pillar of tumor treatment (see corresponding article). Depending on the severity of the disease, a distinction is made between curative and palliative treatment. The aim of curative treatment is to cure or control the tumor in the long term. If this is no longer possible, palliative treatment can slow down tumor growth and improve the animal's quality of life.
Radiation therapy is also used to treat the following conditions:
In veterinary medicine, linear accelerators are usually used as irradiation devices. These generate high-energy electrons (= negatively charged elementary particles, components of atoms). The electrons are accelerated to high speeds and then emitted directly from the device as a beam. This allows superficial tumors to be irradiated. High-energy photons (light particles) must be used to irradiate deeper-lying tumors. These are generated by first striking the electrons in the linear accelerator against a plate made of tungsten (a metal). The photons created by the impact on the plate then emerge from the device as an electromagnetic beam.
The radiation used in therapy damages the DNA (=genetic material) of cells, which then lose their ability to divide. Radiation therapy specifically exploits the differences between healthy and tumor cells: both healthy and tumor cells only live for a limited time and are continuously replaced by cell division. During cell division, cells are particularly sensitive to radiation. Unlike healthy cells, tumor cells divide frequently and are therefore more susceptible to damage from radiation due to this high division rate. Every cell has a repair system for damaged DNA. However, this works better in healthy cells than in tumor cells. Healthy tissue therefore recovers from radiation, while tumor cells die.
The exact processes by which radiation reduces inflammatory reactions, such as in osteoarthritis (see related article), are not yet fully understood.
In order to determine the exact location and size of a tumor, a planning computed tomography (CT, see corresponding article) is often performed in advance. This is not usually necessary for the irradiation of a superficial tumor. The optimal positioning of your animal for radiation therapy is then determined. Rigid head masks and vacuum cushions can be custom-made to ensure that your pet is positioned exactly the same way in each radiation session. The radiation field (the area to be irradiated) is calculated with a safety margin to protect vital organs. In the head area, these include the brain and eyes.
An individual radiation plan is then created, specifying the number of sessions and the radiation dose. The aim is to irradiate the tumor with the highest possible dose, but to irradiate the surrounding tissue with as low a dose as possible. The radiation plan depends on the type and location of the tumor, as well as the general condition of the animal and any other existing diseases. Typically, five radiation sessions per week take place. In contrast to curative treatment, palliative treatment often involves fewer sessions with a higher radiation dose. For radiation therapy for osteoarthritis, only a few sessions are required with a very low dose compared to tumor radiation.
Radiation therapy is an outpatient treatment. The radiation itself only takes a few seconds. To ensure accurate radiation, your pet must not move. Therefore, it must be placed under short anesthesia for each radiation session. After monitoring the recovery phase, your pet will be released to go home.
Acute radiation reactions occur primarily during curative radiation therapy. They can develop after two to three weeks of radiation treatment. Hair loss, skin redness, and inflammation of the skin or mucous membranes may occur in the area exposed to radiation. These changes usually heal on their own within a few weeks after the end of radiation therapy. The fur takes a little longer to grow back. In most cases, it grows back white. Acute radiation reactions are treated with painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs and, if necessary, antibiotics. To protect the affected area, your pet should wear a neck collar or a protective bodysuit.
Chronic radiation reactions only occur months to years after the end of radiation therapy. They occur mainly in palliative radiation therapy. In animals with a low life expectancy due to tumors, this is accepted. However, treatment plans are calculated in such a way that late radiation reactions occur very rarely. These can manifest themselves in:
Secondary tumors can also develop very rarely as a result of radiation. At the edge of the radiation field, these are usually osteosarcomas (see corresponding article). Tumors can also develop in areas of the body that were further away from the radiation field but were still exposed to a low dose of radiation. Secondary tumors take several years to develop. Therefore, this risk is only relevant in young animals.
Since radiation is only administered locally in the area of the tumor, side effects such as nausea, dizziness, or vomiting are unlikely.
Your pet suddenly starts behaving differently. But are these really signs of old age? Animals can also develop brain tumors, which are more common in dogs than in cats. Depending on the size of the tumor and its exact location, it can lead to the failure of various bodily functions.
Inflammation of the brain and/or meninges is common, especially in southern Europe. However, it is also becoming increasingly common in Germany due to the rise in travel with dogs and cats and the import of small animals from Eastern Europe. Disease-carrying insects, which are spreading further north as a result of climate change, are also contributing to this.
Just like humans, animals can get all sorts of tumors. Almost any tissue in the body can be affected. But how and why do tumors start? And is a tumor the same as cancer?
Blood poisoning, also known as sepsis, is a severe inflammatory response of the entire body to an infection or a non-infectious cause. It is a life-threatening condition that must be recognized and treated as quickly as possible.
A defect in the MDR1 gene is now inherited within many dog and cat breeds. Affected animals are very sensitive to certain medications. This can lead to severe poisoning and even death. Genetic testing is strongly recommended for certain breeds.
Whether due to age or medical reasons, at certain points in your cat's life, a change in diet is necessary. However, if you want to change your cat's food, there are a few rules you should follow to make the transition as comfortable as possible for your pet. For example, you should introduce your cat to new food gradually to avoid possible digestive problems. Follow our simple seven-day guide to ensure that your cat's transition to a new diet is safe and gentle.
You feel a lump in your pet's skin and wonder what it could be? There are various types of skin tumors, but there are also many non-tumorous causes for lumps in the skin.
A visit to the vet is stressful for many animals—not only for the patient, but also for the pet owner. Medical training allows you to prepare your pet specifically for treatments and examinations. It helps to reduce anxiety, build trust, and make vet appointments much more pleasant.
In this third part of our three-part article series "Pet Health Insurance," we show you what to look for when choosing pet health insurance—from the scope of coverage and reimbursement rates to additional benefits and service quality. This will help you find a plan that suits you and your pet.
Pet insurance policies vary significantly in terms of coverage, cost, and target audience. Depending on the type of animal, its health, and your budget, simple surgical insurance or comprehensive full coverage may be appropriate. In this second part of our three-part article series "Pet Insurance," you will get an overview of the most important types of insurance and their differences in coverage.
Supposedly funny or cute animal pictures and videos circulate en masse on various social media platforms. But is this always funny for the animals shown? Animals suffer for much of this content. However, this is not always obvious to everyone. In this article, you will learn how to recognize animal suffering and how to behave in the best case scenario.
Imagine your dog limping after a walk and your vet uttering the word that makes every pet owner cringe: surgery. Or your cat stops eating and needs an X-ray or blood test, maybe even a stay in the hospital. In moments like these, you want only one thing: to help—immediately and in the best way possible. What you don't want to do is calculate on your calculator whether you can afford it. This is exactly where pet health insurance makes all the difference. It takes away your fear of the bill so you can focus on what matters: your pet. In this first part of our three-part article series "Pet Insurance," we'll show you why insurance is worthwhile for your pet.
