Exciting Developments in Veterinary Medicine

During my lifetime, the art of human medical and surgical procedures have taken incredible leaps and bounds in healing conditions that just a few years ago may have been considered impossible. What blows me away is how these procedures have been adopted in the field of Veterinary medicine, which will allow our pets with serious medical issues to be treated.

While many of these surgical protocols are still in its infancy, a few forward thinking veterinary surgeons are becoming pioneers in the field, taking on individual cases which more traditional practitioners have refused, by using techniques which were once performed only in human medicine.

The other day, I was fascinated reading about two incredible procedures performed by a veterinarian in Australia, which was published by The Herald Sun, Victoria, National and Australian News.

One such person is Dr. Chris Preston, a Veterinary surgeon practicing in Melbourne, well known for taking on cases which are considered risky, using techniques which were reserved for human surgery. He has performed a bone marrow transplant on his own personal pet, Bailey, a terminally ill Bernese Mountain dog suffering from Lymphoma, a common form of Cancer. Bailey is the first dog in Australia to undergo this procedure.

With the help of Dr Angela Frimberger, a world famous animal oncologist brought in to assist in Bailey's treatment. Dr. Frimberger removed 400 ml of Bailey's bone marrow, and after two weeks of chemotherapy, the marrow will be returned to his body.

While neither Drs Preston nor Frimberger are positive that this untried procedure will save Bailey's life, they both are committed to prolong Bailey's life without side effects. If the transplant is successful, however, many new doors will be opened with which other animals may be treated.

Dr Preston has also undertaken the challenge to treat Kramer, an injured three-legged Australian Kelpie dog, making him the first canine to be fitted with a custom designed metal frame permitting his damaged muscles to heal.

Credit: Three legged Kelpie Kramer by Alex Coppel

With the state of the art veterinary medical procedures growing so quickly, it seems to me that what was considered unique and novel may someday become fairly commonplace and within the financial reach of pet owners around the world. Hopefully veterinary health insurance will help defray some of the high cost of these treatments which will be able to add years of high quality life to our sick and injured pets.

What are your thoughts about these new techniques which are developing in the field of Veterinary medicine? Leave a comment with your opinions.