When it comes to your pet’s health, there is no word more terrifying than "cancer." The immediate reaction is often fear, followed by a difficult question: "I wouldn't put myself through chemo, so why would I put my dog through it?"
In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Rance Gamblin, a veterinary oncologist formerly at Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital and now professor at Mississippi State College of Veterinary Medicine with 24+ years of experience and a calming presence that could soothe even the most "OCD" pet parent (just ask Alice!). Dr. Gamblin helps us navigate the emotional and medical complexities of a cancer diagnosis, explaining why veterinary oncology is often far more compassionate and focused on quality of life than human medicine.
In this episode, we discuss:
- The "Quality of Life" Philosophy: Why the goals of pet oncology differ from human oncology—focusing on making pets feel better for longer, rather than "curing at any cost."
- Common Culprits: A look at the most frequent cancers Dr. Gamblin treats, including Lymphoma, Mast Cell Tumors, and Osteosarcoma.
- The Truth About Side Effects: Do dogs lose their hair? Dr. Gamblin shares the reality of how pets handle chemotherapy (hint: there’s a lot more tail-wagging involved than you’d think).
- Treatment Innovations: Insights into the Yale vaccine study and the fascinating science behind the Melanoma vaccine.
-Proactive Pet Parenting: Why Dr. Gamblin’s biggest pet peeve is the "let’s just watch it" approach, and why your pet’s breath or a quick rectal exam could be a lifesaver.
- Knowing When It’s Time: A heart-to-heart on the "Big Four" indicators of quality of life and how to navigate the toughest decision a pet owner can make.
Dr. Rance Gamblin earned his BS in Biology from Mississippi State and completed his residency in Oncology and Hematology at The Ohio State University. For over two decades, he has been a pillar of the veterinary community at Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital, known for his expertise, his steady hand, and an accent you'll just have to hear for yourself to guess where he’s from! He is currently a professor at Mississippi State College of Veterinary Medicine.
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Support our sponsor for this episode Blue Buffalo by visiting bluebuffalo.com. BLUE Natural Veterinary Diet formulas offer the natural alternative in nutritional therapy. At Blue Buffalo, we have an in-house Research & Development (R&D) team with over 300 years’ experience in well-pet and veterinary therapeutic diets, over 600 scientific publications, and over 50 U.S. patents. At Blue Buffalo, we have an in-house Research & Development (R&D) team with over 300 years’ experience in well-pet and veterinary therapeutic diets, over 600 scientific publications, and over 50 U.S. patents.
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All footage is owned by SLA Video Productions.