“Are you sure?” I replied when I found out. Tears rolled down my face. This had never happened in my career. How could I tell Tanner’s family? I could not believe this was happening.

It’s one of the hardest parts of my jobs as a veterinary cancer specialist. Clients who want to treat their dog or cat but cannot afford it. Treating cancer in pets can be really expensive. I always try to present a range of treatment options at a variety of costs. I am used negotiating which diagnostics might not be needed before we start treatment. I am used to discussing plan B, plan C and sometimes plan D for treatment. And then sometimes the no treatment option is picked because everything else too expensive. And even though I am used to it, it can be heartwrenching.

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Should a veterinarian treat a patient as if the pet were her own?

Last year I was asked to do just this by clients I had just met. But making decisions as if a pet is your own is hard thing to do. What I may choose for my pet may not be right for someone else.

Case in point: Paige.

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CVC speaker Sue Ettinger, DVM, DACVIM (oncology), offers tips to make cancer talks an open dialogue. Check out the sneak peek below (click for a printable PDF), then visit thecvc.com to see a complete listing of Dr. Ettinger’s sessions.

I messed up. I missed a tumor in my own veterinary technician’s dog. How did I let this happen? How did I fail Smokey and Amanda?

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In veterinary oncology, chemotherapy is often recommended to control a pet’s cancer, prolong survival and maintain a good or even excellent quality of life. What risks should clients know about, and what can they expect during the process? This client handout contains insights from Dr. Sue Ettinger, or “Dr. Sue Cancer Vet,” as her clients call her. Download it now.