Why Veterinarian's Refer

I just finished reading a really good article, the first of its kind in the veterinary literature. The article talked about why veterinarians in Ontario Canada referred dogs with either osteosarcoma or lymphoma to a veterinary oncologist. The main findings were that there were multiple factors associated with their decisions. One of the most significant factors was the veterinarian's confidence in the referral center. We at The Veterinary Cancer Center in Norwalk, CT certainly believe this and we try everyday to ensure that our referring veterinarians have confidence in us. Two of the other factors that influenced whether a referral was made were the general health status of the dog and whether the client had a strong bond to their dog. Assessment the health status is certainly important and is generally a very objective measure. On the other hand, the measure of a client's bond to their dog is much more subjective and sometimes quite difficult to measure. Yet despite this, a veterinarian's assessment of the strength of this bond was a very influential factor in determining whether they referred or not.

This article just talks about dogs and only two forms of cancer, it would be very interesting to see if these trends are the same for cats and for all other cancers.

The Veterinary Cancer Center has built its reputation on earning the communities trust and confidence every day. With this article in print, we now have proof of how important this truly is.

How to Strengthen Your Creative Skills - Simon Sinek

Very interesting video on how to be more creative and some very interesting thoughts on building upon your strengths.

Melanoma Tumor Board Meeting and ACF

I just returned from a Melanoma Tumor Board Meeting in Washington, DC and I do not remember being more excited by the outcome of a conference. There were close to 50 people in attendance ranging from medical oncologists to molecular biologists to geneticists to veterinary medical and radiation oncologists to pathologists-both veterinary and human. This group of people represented the “best of the best” in terms of melanoma researchers and clinicians.

This conference, supported by the Animal Cancer Foundation, will result in the publication of a “white paper” describing a consensus statement espousing the value of canine oral malignant melanomas as a model for certain types of melanomas in people. People from both sides of the “human and veterinary aisle” passionately and eloquently described the need for developing this model.

The organizers of this conference have done what no one has been able to do for 20 years—effectively guide such a diverse group of cancer researchers to reach a consensus statement.  They have truly allowed me to see a dream of mine move towards fruition. Since starting the Animal Cancer Foundation in 1999, I have hoped to galvanize the cancer community in this manner. It is such a wonderful feeling to