December 18, 2013 Blog

Clea’s International Healthcare Team: Partnering for Cancer Care

Clea’s International Healthcare Team: Partnering for Cancer Care

Last spring, I was contacted by a New York City veterinarian who often refers patients to me for second opinions. This time, his request was a bit different. One of his patients, a French poodle named Clea, was in France and had been diagnosed with melanoma of the tongue by a French veterinary oral surgeon. Clea’s owner wanted her treated with the DNA melanoma vaccine, a treatment not available in France. She and Clea would return to New York City, but she needed a local veterinary oncologist, so I was asked to help. Of course, I said yes.
Transatlantic medical information
Within minutes of saying yes, my email box filled with photos of Clea’s tumor, a biopsy report and photographs of the actual tumor cells under the microscope. Clea’s owner contacted me and arranged two appointments for Clea, one with me and one with our radiation oncologist, Dr. Rachel St-Vincent.
Treatment of melanoma of the oral cavity in a dog involves controlling the oral tumor using surgery or radiation therapy and using a vaccine to induce an immune response against the tumor in hopes of preventing spread of the tumor, especially to the lungs. The vaccine is not available in France, necessitating a trip home for the melanoma vaccine. Clea stayed with friends for eight weeks while she received four treatments of radiation and four doses of melanoma vaccine. When treatment was completed, she returned to France and her French veterinary team.
The French team
Even though Clea has both an American and a French team of veterinarians, we all speak the same language – veterinary medicine. The French oral surgeon, Dr. Phillipe Hennet, trained in the United States and holds a certification by the American Veterinary Dental College. When new tumors showed up in Clea’s lungs, he referred Clea to an American trained board certified small animal internal medicine specialist at his clinic, Dr. Suzy Valentin. She and I conferred via email to initiate the next step of treatment.
Back in the USA
Clea was back in New York City a few weeks ago and Dr. Valentin wanted another chest x-ray. Clea arrived at The AMC with a report by a French radiologist (in French) and a CD containing her lung CT scan from a month prior. The AMC has a radiologist, Dr. Alexandre Le Roux, who happens to be French. Looking for a translator, I took the written report and the images to him. To my surprise, the trail of veterinarians caring for Clea came full circle when Dr. Le Roux announced he knew Clea’s French radiologist!
Treatment success
For older pets like Clea, quality of life is possibly more important than quantity. I think Clea’s international healthcare team has achieved success based on this note from her owner: “So Clea is doing well. She is eating twice a day and loves the beef stew from the restaurant across the street. Dog food is definitely part of her past….”

Tags: advetia, alex le roux, animal medical center, ann hohenhaus, cancer, CT scan, dogs, france, french, pet health, pets, poodle, rachel st-vincent, radiology, veterinarian,

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