The American Animal Hospital Association, based in Lakewood, announced the release of the 2026 Oncology Guidelines for Dogs and Cats, aimed at equipping primary care veterinary teams with essential knowledge and tools for managing cancer cases in pets. With general practitioners often being the first to detect cancer, these guidelines are designed to assist veterinary teams from diagnosis through treatment and client communication.
“AAHA is thrilled about this much-needed update of the Oncology Guidelines,” said Jessica Vogelsang, DVM, AAHA Chief Medical Officer. “Primary care veterinarians are often the first to recognize cancer in pets, and these guidelines equip primary care veterinary teams with the knowledge and tools to navigate oncology cases, from diagnosis to client communication, to referral and treatment.”
The guidelines emphasize that a suspicion or diagnosis of cancer marks the beginning of a thorough diagnostic process. They include comprehensive information on common cancers in dogs and cats, diagnosis and staging protocols, surgical biopsy principles, new drugs and treatments, and safety recommendations for handling chemotherapy.
“The field of veterinary oncology continues to rapidly evolve and at the same rate, the human-animal bond grows stronger,” said Jaci Christensen, BAS, LVT, VTS (Oncology), cochair of the AAHA Oncology Guidelines. “These guidelines are designed to support the veterinarian through the complexity of oncologic care and in doing so, contribute to the well-being of our companion animals.”
The primary goal of the chemotherapy protocols outlined in the guidelines is to maintain the best quality of life for pets. Most chemotherapy treatments are generally well tolerated, with side effects that can be managed through collaboration between veterinary teams and pet owners.
The 2026 AAHA Oncology Guidelines for Dogs and Cats are currently available at aaha.org/oncology-guidelines and are supported by CareCredit, Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Merck Animal Health, and Zoetis.
The primary source was EIN Presswire.