Maddi Lynn is a 9-year-old Cocker Spaniel
During a routine grooming appointment, a technician noticed a small growth on Maddi Lynn’s front leg. Her owner, Kitty Smith of Christiansburg, Va., acted quickly and arranged to have it examined by her veterinarian. A number of tests confirmed her worst fear: Maddi Lynn had a malignant sarcoma.
“There was no question in my mind that I would go to the Virginia Tech Vet School for treatment,” recalls Smith. It was there that she learned about the new focused ultrasound trial. After some careful consideration and discussion with her family members, Smith decided that the trial offered the best options for Maddi Lynn. In late March, Maddi Lynn was the first patient to be treated in the trial at Virginia Tech.
Clinical Assistant Professor of Radiology, Jeffrey Ruth, DVM, and his team used focused ultrasound to shrink the tumor noninvasively, and then surgically removed the remaining mass. Now, a few weeks after treatment, Maddi Lynn’s outlook is positive. Follow up appointments have indicated that she is cancer-free.
“Her aftercare was so easy,” said Smith. “The first two nights she was home, I gave her pain medication in order that she would be comfortable and rest through the night. She has recovered beautifully.”
The trial is being funded by the Focused Ultrasound Foundation, and owners are not responsible for the majority of treatment costs.
“I felt so fortunate that my Maddi was chosen to be the first dog treated in the study,” said Smith. “To be perfectly honest, I don’t know if I could have afforded this treatment on my own. It would have been difficult to come up with funds to pursue this care.”
Photo courtesy of Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine