New electro-chemotherapy unit means brighter future ahead for Snowy the cat

Direct investment from VetThing into one of its practices has already made a life-changing difference to one lucky cat at Park House Vets in Staffordshire. Ten-year-old Snowy had been diagnosed with a cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) but she is now in remission, thanks to the installation of a new electrochemotherapy unit at Park House – the only practice in the region where such treatment is currently offered.

Electrochemotherapy utilises chemotherapy agents such as bleomycin which are not readily absorbed by normal cells. When an electrical current is applied to the cells within the tumour, it opens up channels within the cancerous cells allowing high concentrations of the chemotherapy to be absorbed into the tumour. Its highly targeted nature means the remainder of the body is largely unaffected by the chemotherapy. The units are not common and Snowy was the first case to benefit from electrochemotherapy at Park House. Initially, the clinical team thought that she would require up to three treatments. But after just one session, staff were delighted to be advised by a specialist oncologist that Snowy was in remission and that no further treatment was needed.

After Park House Vets joined VetThing, it was able to invest in the electrochemotherapy unit, which treats SCCs, mast cell tumours, soft tissue sarcoma, melanoma, and perianal tumours. Dr Williams was also able to benefit from the shared expertise of fellow clinicians across the wider Vetopia community throughout Europe, who advised on their own experiences with electro-chemotherapy, as well as working with a specialist oncologist.

Dr Williams continued: ‘We’ve always done everything we can to proactively invest in the practice at Park House – but joining VetThing has helped us lever this even further, as well as giving us access to a community of like-minded clinicians across Europe, all sharing knowledge, expertise and experience with each other. Being able to discuss our plans with overseas colleagues who had clinical experience of electrochemotherapy was an incredibly valuable part of our learning, both before we bought the unit and when we started using it.

‘Having such a successful outcome for Snowy the first time we had used the treatment could not have been a better feeling and we are so delighted, that we have already started using it with other patients. By incorporating electrochemotherapy into our practice, we believe we can achieve faster results that could reduce the lifelong impact that being diagnosed with cancer can have. We are currently treating a pet with a large soft tissue sarcoma on her leg, for example. This can sadly often result in the loss of a limb, which is obviously life-changing for animals and their owners. The initial results with electrochemotherapy are encouraging and suggest limb loss and other consequences of cancer could be prevented, which would be incredible.’

Ben continued: ‘As well as the electrochemotherapy unit, VetThing is also funding a new extension at Park House Vets and the CT scanner it will house, which is currently under construction. Until now, the practice has only been able to offer CT scans once a month through a visiting service, so this is a much-needed expansion for what is the only practice in Stafford offering 24/7 on-site emergency care with its own staff.’

Working with its practices in this way is central to VetThing, which is building a community where practices feel supported to grow sustainably. This important difference means that the focus is on identifying where expanded services can improve outcomes and then providing the practical support to deliver what is needed – for pets and the owners who love them.