Cancer can have major impacts on all members of a family — and sometimes, that includes our pets. As with humans, cancer is prevalent among animal populations, with some, such as dogs, being diagnosed at a similar rate. To address the need for cancer care for our pets, veterinary medicine experts, like Dean Rustin Moore, DVM, PhD, of The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine, work closely with counterparts in oncology fields to develop and implement treatments. “We could not ask for a better partner than The James,” says Moore, whose team regularly partners with Ohio State cancer experts on joint clinical trials. Get more information on pets and cancer from Moore on our Cancer-Free World Podcast. Listen via the video player above or via Soundcloud. Some of the similarities and differences found in human and animal cancer effects and care can be seen in dogs, who are diagnosed at about the same rate as people but seem to tolerate chemotherapy and other treatments a little bit better. “Dogs tend to be more tolerant of everything, including pain,” Moore says. “That doesn’t mean they don’t feel pain, but they have a higher threshold.” The most common types of cancer found in dogs are lymphomas, tumors in the blood vessels, spleen, liver and heart, and osteosarcomas (bone cancer). Some breeds of dog are more susceptible to specific types of cancer, with boxers tending to develop lymphomas, golden retrievers getting lymphomas and soft tissue sarcomas, and larger breeds, such as greyhounds and rottweilers, being especially susceptible to osteosarcomas in their legs that can result in amputations. “Horses — especially gray horses — tend to develop melanomas,” says Moore, whose specialty is equine surgery. “They’re typically not malignant, and many times we don’t treat them unless they’re in an area that interferes with function. For example, where the saddle goes.” The diagnosis and treatment of cancer in dogs and cats is similar to that of human patients and includes surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and immunotherapy. A pet owner’s primary care veterinarian often makes an initial diagnosis and then makes a referral to a comprehensive veterinary cancer center, such as The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine — one of the nation’s leading facilities. “We have been collaborating on clinical trials with The James and Nationwide Children’s Hospital for more than a decade,” Moore says, explaining that new chemotherapy and immunotherapy drugs are often initially tested in dogs with a naturally developing cancer. The biology of the cancer found in dogs is very similar to that of people. “This provides access to the best therapeutics for pets, and it’s an important pipeline of data in treating people,” Moore says. If a new therapy works well in dogs, the next step is often a clinical trial with human patients. “Team science is so important, and I have to give a shout out to The James for being so receptive to working with us — understanding the win-win of collaboration,” Moore says.