Veterinarians at Texas A&M University in College Station are using breakthrough treatments to save pets that until recently would have had little hope of survival.
Teddy, a 6-year-old Shih Tzu with bladder cancer is one of the pets receiving special treatment.
“He had just days to live when we met him,” said Dr. Audrey Cook.
Teddy’s owner, Ben Layman, was desperate to find a way to help his best friend.
“You don’t expect to hear devastating news like that so early in a dog’s life,” Layman said.
Layman decided to turn to the experts at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.
Teddy was placed in the care of a special team of veterinarians known as the Guidewire Group, which specializes in the most challenging cases.
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In Teddy’s case, Cook used minimally-invasive surgical techniques common in human hospitals.
“There’s a tremendous opportunity to move technology and advances very flexibly from one side to the other,” Cook said. “If we hadn’t had these techniques available, there would have been nothing we could have offered, and we wouldn’t have Teddy with us now.”
More than a year after his diagnosis, Teddy has made dramatic improvement. Even Cook is amazed.
“I can’t believe how good he looks. He looks fabulous,” Layman said.
Teddy is still fighting cancer, but Layman is overjoyed that Teddy is still by his side.
“For me, it’s just a miracle. I’m filled with such joy every second I look at him. I love this thing more than anything."
Veterinarians with questions about unusual or difficult cases are invited to contact the Guidewire Group via email or by calling the Small Animal Hospital at 979-845-2351.
