For any cancer
Bring these to every oncology appointment, whatever the diagnosis.
- What kind of cancer is it, exactly, and what is its grade if that is known?
- Has it spread, or could it have? What staging tests do you recommend, and what will each one tell us?
- What are all of the treatment options, including doing less, and what does each realistically buy in time and quality of life?
- What is the likely prognosis with the treatment you recommend, and what is it without treatment?
- Is the number you are quoting a median, and what is the range around it?
- What is the goal you are aiming for: cure, remission, or comfort?
- What will the whole course of treatment cost, and are payment plans or financial aid available?
- What side effects should I expect, and how will they affect my dog day to day?
- Are there clinical trials my dog might be eligible for?
- Would a second opinion be reasonable, and can you refer me?
- What should I watch for at home, and when should I call you or go to an emergency clinic?
- If we choose comfort-focused care instead, what would that look like, and when?
If it is hemangiosarcoma
See the full hemangiosarcoma guide.
- What stage is it, and how was that determined?
- Is surgery to remove the spleen or the tumour advisable, and what does chemotherapy add?
- If any vaccine or personalized option interests me, how should tumour tissue be preserved at surgery?
If it is osteosarcoma (bone cancer)
See the full osteosarcoma guide.
- How will we control my dog's pain, starting now?
- Is amputation or limb-sparing surgery the better fit for my dog, and why?
- What does chemotherapy after surgery add, given the high chance of hidden spread?
If it is lymphoma
See the full lymphoma guide.
- Is it B-cell or T-cell, and what does that mean for my dog?
- What stage and substage is it?
- Is my dog a good candidate for CHOP chemotherapy or a clinical trial?
- Should we wait on steroids until the treatment plan is set?
If it is melanoma
See the full melanoma guide.
- Where is the tumour, and what does that location mean for how it is likely to behave?
- What did the biopsy show, including the mitotic index?
- Is the ONCEPT vaccine appropriate here, and how do you weigh its mixed evidence?
If it is a mast cell tumour
See the full mast cell tumour guide.
- What grade is it on the Patnaik and Kiupel systems, and what is the mitotic count?
- Have we tested for a c-KIT mutation, and would that change the plan?
- What margins will surgery take, and what happens if the margins come back dirty?
My notes and answers
About RosieVaccine
We build personalized mRNA cancer vaccines for dogs.
RosieVaccine designs vaccine candidates; we do not provide veterinary care. If an authorized research protocol proceeds, your dog's treating veterinarian would decide whether taking part is clinically appropriate and would administer any investigational product, within an established veterinarian-client-patient relationship. No product is licensed or currently available, and there is nothing to purchase. If you want to follow the work or explore a research collaboration, you can register your interest.
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Important
This checklist is for general educational purposes only. It is not veterinary medical advice, and it is not a substitute for your veterinarian's judgment. Every decision about your dog's care belongs with a licensed veterinarian who has examined your dog.