Board-Certified Veterinary Experts Collaborate to Provide Lifesaving Specialized Care
“He was running one day and all of a sudden he started crying and holding up his leg,” recalls Bernard Shuster of his dog Artemus. It was odd behavior for the 7-year-old borzoi breed who is an AKC field champion. “He was still limping the next day and so I took him to a local ER to be evaluated and I was given very bad news,” adds Bernard. X-rays revealed Artemus had osteosarcoma. A very aggressive tumor had caused a fracture in his leg. “I’ve known about this type of tumor, since I’m active in the borzoi community. I know it’s a bad prognosis.”
But doctors gave Bernard hope. “They told me about a new type of therapy and directed me to Advanced Veterinary Care Center where they saw me the very next day.” Bernard met with the Director of The Cancer Center at AVCC, Board-Certified Veterinary Oncologist Dr. Sindy Piscoya. “The fact that they have a veterinary oncologist right there at AVCC is amazing.”
Dr. Piscoya discussed all the options from supportive care and keeping Artemus comfortable to other medical alternatives, including a cutting edge treatment for canine appendicular osteosarcoma known as ELIAS Cancer Immunotherapy (ECI). “I heard about ELIAS before, but I didn’t know how fortunate I was that AVCC is the only place south of Orlando to offer the treatment.”
For dogs that meet the criteria for treatment, ECI works in three steps; first by using a pet’s own cancer tissue to create a personalized cancer vaccine to prime a dog’s immune system to recognize the cancer. Next, the primed immune cells are collected and activated into killer T cells to attack the cancer cells in the body. Finally, a series of immune hormone injections keep the immune response going, in the weeks after treatment.
A CT scan revealed that Artemus was a candidate for ECI, as his cancer had not spread. As part of the immunotherapy process, his leg would require amputation. So, Dr. Piscoya collaborated with Advanced Veterinary Care Center’s Board-Certified Director of Surgery, Dr. Shiara Arulpragasam. “The surgery went really well,” adds Bernard. “Artemus was very well cared for in their ICU and recovery. They let me visit as much as I wanted and they had a great space for him, even as a big dog. Everyone has been so kind and he healed beautifully.”
After undergoing immunotherapy following his amputation, Artemus’ cancer has remained undetectable. He’s feeling great according to Bernard. “He hasn’t felt this good in over a year. He is swimming and running as fast as he’s ever run. It was a big change for him, but he is back to his form and his playful self.”
Bernard is especially grateful for AVCC’s lifesaving care. “We can’t express how appreciative we are of Dr. Piscoya and Dr. Arulpragasam. We are so fortunate to have AVCC in our community. It’s a top notch surgical facility, cutting edge oncology, with such a warm and welcoming staff. We couldn’t ask for anything more in a better team or facility.”
To Learn More About ELIAS Cancer Immunotherapy click here!
About Advanced Veterinary Care Center
South Florida’s Premier Veterinary Emergency Hospital
We Have a Fully Staffed Veterinary Emergency Hospital
We have the largest team of veterinary emergency doctors and nurses in South Florida. Our emergency doctors are internship trained and have years of experience in emergency medicine. Every person on our ER team is RECOVER certified (basic and advanced life support/CPR training).
A Collaborative Approach to Veterinary Care
Our emergency doctors are supported 24/7 by our team of board-certified veterinary specialists. We work as a team to provide the best possible outcomes for pets and their people. Great veterinary medical care is a team sport – our collaborative approach and the quality of our team give patients the best chances for the best possible outcomes. We have earned a reputation for handling the most challenging cases because of our team and our approach.
Board Certification. It Matters!
Board certification in an accredited veterinary specialty is the only accepted standard for expertise in veterinary medicine. Our experts are all board certified in their specialties and they have collectively published over 30 peer-reviewed publications in veterinary medical journals.
We Have a State-Of-The-Art Facility
Including a full in-house lab, canine and feline blood products, a brand new 32-slice Fuji CT unit, surgical suites, minimally invasive surgical equipment, flexible and rigid endoscopy, mechanical ventilator, blood products and all equipment and services necessary for state-of-the-art care.
Centrally Located, Easily Accessible, and Worth the Drive.
We are 20 minutes from most of Broward County and 45-60 minutes from much of Miami-Dade and Palm Beach Counties.
We are Privately Owned and Operated.
The owners of AVCC are full-time veterinarians and active members of our community.
Advanced Veterinary Care Center in Davie (Broward County) is open 24 hours a day, 7 days per week. If you have any questions regarding our services, please feel free to call us anytime at 954-500-8387 or visit us online here.