What to Expect During Your Pet’s First Oncology Appointment
To help you prepare for your pet's oncology consultation, please read on or download and print out our What to Expect Guide. It outlines the appointment process and how we prioritize your pet's comfort and quality of life.
Finding out your pet has cancer can be very scary. It is normal to feel anxious and overwhelmed in the days leading up to your pet’s first visit with our oncology team. We hope that this information will help put your mind at ease and help you prepare for your visit. We want you to feel supported throughout the entire course.
What will happen at our first visit?
The main purpose of your pet’s first visit is to provide you with the information needed to make decisions about their treatment. Dr. Boisclair will discuss everything you need to know about your pet’s condition, and the team will work closely with you to offer the best treatment options available to you.
How long does the appointment last?
The initial appointment will take approximately 60 minutes, but we do recommend being available for at least 90 minutes in case you have additional questions, or we begin treatment that day.
Do I need to bring anything to the appointment?
The most important thing you need to bring with you is your pet! This gives us the opportunity to meet your pet and build a relationship with them, while also being able to perform a comprehensive physical exam that will help us make decisions regarding their treatment. We also recommend, that if your pet is receiving any medications, that you bring them with you to the appointment as well.
Will any additional testing be done?
This depends on what testing has already been performed by your family veterinarian. Any additional diagnostics will be discussed with you.
Will any other veterinarians be involved in the treatment of my pet?
Depending on the type of cancer your pet has, sometimes other veterinary specialists (such as surgeons or internists) may be consulted. On some occasions, a veterinary radiologist will be asked to interpret any radiographs, ultrasounds or CT scans that are performed.
Will I be given the cost of treatment?
We realize that finances play a big part in deciding the best course of treatment for your pet. An estimate for any treatment will always be given to you prior to performing anything beyond the initial consultation.
Will treatment be done the same day?
This depends on what course of treatment you decide on. We always prefer treatment to start right away, but we realize that sometimes you may need to take a couple of days to decide what you would like to do with your pet.
Should I take notes at the appointment?
Sure! We will provide you with a comprehensive report at the end of your appointment that will summarize everything we discussed, but if you feel you need to take additional notes for yourself, by all means!
Will my family veterinarian be involved?
Of course! Treatment will be a collaborative effort between us and your family veterinarian. They will receive full reports after every one of your pet’s visits.
What is the most important thing to know about our first visit?
There are no wrong questions and no wrong decisions. We will always offer you the treatment we think is best for your pet, but we understand that sometimes finances and circumstances may not allow this. Wherever there are alternatives, we will work with you to provide the best care possible, while still allowing your pet to have the best quality of life possible. We want to make your first visit, and any follow up visits after that as seamless and stress free as possible.
We look forward to meeting you both.
Your oncology team,
Dr. Charles Boisclair
Shannon McCooeye, RVT
