Veterinary cancer patients usually go through 12 weeks of chemotherapy, followed by frequent checkups. Wood said the most common form of cancer in dogs and cats is lymphoma, an aggressive form of cancer. Her average patient is between 8 and 12 years old. The cost of chemotherapy treatment depends partly on the size of the dog or cat and the duration of the chemotherapy sessions. Although the treatments are expensive and might not seem to prolong the animals life very long, Wood said dogs and cats live shorter lives than humans.
Veterinary cardiology is another growing specialty area.
Kristin Marshman, a clinical specialist in cardiology at the teaching hospitals, said the field offers care to pets that many owners think can't be helped. Unlike humans, dogs and cats do not suffer from the kind of heart disease which causes heart attacks. Certain breeds, including Dobermans and boxers, are genetically prone to heart failure not caused by heart attacks. Marshman said as dogs age, their heart valves tend to thicken, which causes them to leak, leading to heart failure. Cats can also suffer from heart problems as they age, Marshman said.