Abstract<\/strong><\/p>\nDiagnosing and treating cancer can be challenging, but small animal general practitioners should be prepared when a patient is diagnosed with cancer. This article aims to answer questions that general practitioner veterinarians commonly ask oncologists and to assist general practitioners with treating and referring oncology patients.<\/p>\n
Take-Home Points<\/strong><\/p>\n\n- Development of multiple cutaneous mast cell tumors cannot be prevented, but there are surgical and nonsurgical treatment options.<\/li>\n
- Using prognostic panels for canine mast cell tumors to predict the risk for recurrence or spread of grade 2 tumors can be challenging, but their use may help predict the behavior of tumors showing conflicting histopathologic features.<\/li>\n
- Before lymphoma patients are referred to oncology specialists, testing (e.g., fine-needle aspiration, cytology) is recommended.<\/li>\n
- Before lymphoma patients are treated, a confirmed diagnosis, laboratory work, staging, and immunophenotyping are recommended.<\/li>\n
- Corticosteroids can be used to treat lymphoma, mast cell disease, and plasma cell disease; nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can be used to reduce pain and inflammation and may also have anticancer properties.<\/li>\n
- Chemotherapy is generally well tolerated by most patients, but individual tolerance varies according to multidrug resistance mutation status, patient size, presence of renal\/hepatic insufficiency, and other concurrent illnesses.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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