Onkologija

Oncology

In recent times, oncological diseases have been occurring ever more frequently as a result of the longer life span of pets and the increasingly sophisticated diagnostic and therapeutic methods in veterinary medicine.

Oncology patients require an in-depth and, above all, holistic approach. The Clinic for Surgery and Small Animals of the Veterinary Faculty in Ljubljana deals in depth with the oncology of dogs and cats. It was the first in Slovenia to introduce electrochemotherapy, and later electrogen therapy. Both treatments are performed under general anaesthesia, which is also required for endoscopic examinations and biopsies for pathohistological examination. Clinical activities include diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.

Primary tumours are identified using the following methods:

a general and focused clinical examination  
laboratory tests tailored according to the individual patient  
various types of biopsies for cytological and histological examination of the samples obtained  
endoscopic examination of organs and organ systems  
determination of the clinical stage of the disease using imaging techniques (x-ray and ultrasound and ultrasound guided biopsies)  

Should other imaging techniques be required (computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging) the clinic cooperates with institutions in Slovenia and further afield that perform these diagnostic procedures.

 

Depending on the oncological condition found, the following treatment methods are used at the clinic:

surgical treatment  
systemic chemotherapy  
electrochemotherapy  
electrogen therapy  
all types of supportive treatments (e.g. painkillers, insertion of nutrition probes, etc.)  

 

In the event that radiotherapy, cryotherapy or photodynamic therapy are likely to be the most successful methods for a particular disease, patients are referred to selected institutions, which treat such diseases. To make an appointment for a check-up and/or procedure, please call from 8am to 7pm on weekdays and from 8am to 1:30pm on Saturdays. Appointments are available during the week in the morning or afternoon with no waiting period. Diagnostic anaesthesia procedures are performed only in the morning; in the event of an emergency contact the 24-hour helpline on 090 60 22.