Uploaded May 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
In this episode of Ask the Vet, Dr. Ann Hohenhaus is joined by her AMC colleague Dr. Renee Alsarraf for a heartfelt and informative conversation about cancer in pets. Dr. Alsarraf brings a unique perspective, not only as a board-certified veterinary oncologist, but also but also as a cancer survivor and pet parent to dogs who have faced cancer. Together, they discuss:
· The types of cancers commonly seen at AMC
· How radiation therapy works and when it’s used
· AMC’s use of linear accelerator technology for targeted treatment
· What’s changed in oncology over the years and what hasn’t
· How Dr. Alsarraf helps clients navigate difficult treatment decisions
· Insights from her memoir Sit, Stay, Heal: What Dogs Can Teach Us About Living Well
· What to expect from her upcoming webinar, Navigating a Pet’s Cancer Diagnosis
· How she stays hopeful doing emotionally challenging work
Also on this month's show:
· Viral trending animal story featuring Buford, a 150-pound ranch dog in Arizona who helped lead a toddler to safety
· Animal news, including a biotech company that claims to have brought back dire wolves, a new study showing that dogs understand meaningful words even in monotone speech... and the oldest known domestic cats in history, found in a 1559 shipwreck.
· Pet Health Listener Q&A, where Dr. Hohenhaus answers questions about what a giardia-positive test means in a newly adopted cat, managing inconsistent dog-to-dog reactivity, and whether gabapentin side effects in dogs are normal or worth reevaluating.
Do you have a pet question for Dr. Hohenhaus? Email askthevet@amcny.org to have your question answered on Ask the Vet's Listener Q&A.
In this episode of Ask the Vet, Dr. Ann Hohenhaus is joined by her AMC colleague Dr. Renee Alsarraf for a heartfelt and informative conversation about cancer in pets. Dr. Alsarraf brings a unique perspective, not only as a board-certified veterinary oncologist, but also but also as a cancer survivor and pet parent to dogs who have faced cancer. Together, they discuss:
· The types of cancers commonly seen at AMC
· How radiation therapy works and when it’s used
· AMC’s use of linear accelerator technology for targeted treatment
· What’s changed in oncology over the years and what hasn’t
· How Dr. Alsarraf helps clients navigate difficult treatment decisions
· Insights from her memoir Sit, Stay, Heal: What Dogs Can Teach Us About Living Well
· What to expect from her upcoming webinar, Navigating a Pet’s Cancer Diagnosis
· How she stays hopeful doing emotionally challenging work
Also on this month's show:
· Viral trending animal story featuring Buford, a 150-pound ranch dog in Arizona who helped lead a toddler to safety
· Animal news, including a biotech company that claims to have brought back dire wolves, a new study showing that dogs understand meaningful words even in monotone speech... and the oldest known domestic cats in history, found in a 1559 shipwreck.
· Pet Health Listener Q&A, where Dr. Hohenhaus answers questions about what a giardia-positive test means in a newly adopted cat, managing inconsistent dog-to-dog reactivity, and whether gabapentin side effects in dogs are normal or worth reevaluating.
Do you have a pet question for Dr. Hohenhaus? Email askthevet@amcny.org to have your question answered on Ask the Vet's Listener Q&A.
