Cancer Care for Pets Becomes Easier with the Opening of an Animal Care Center in St. Louis

Intro:	By springtime the St. Louis area will have a new cancer center for animals. Becky May has more from Jefferson City.
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Wrap: The University of Missouri is planning on opening a Veterinary Cancer Center in the St. Louis area to accommodate to more pet owners.

Hospital Director of the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital in Columbia, Dr. David Wilson says they treat around six to seven hundred pets yearly.

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Description: "We have really one of the only radiation therapy clinics in the state, but since a good portion of our animals come from the St. Louis area, when we saw this opportunity we thought that that would be a good thing for us to do."

Wilson says that when the center moves locations the number will only increase.

Reporting from the state Capitol I'm Becky May.

Intro:	The only veterinary center that specializes in cancer treatments in Missouri will be relocated to the St. Louis area to accommodate to pet owners. Becky May has more from Jefferson City.
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Wrap: Owners of dogs and cats that have cancer no longer have to make the trip to Columbia, Missouri to get treatments for his or her pets.

The Hospital Director, Dr. David Wilson says the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital in Columbia is the only facility in the Missouri area that has the proper equipment for radiation treatment, but now its cancer center is moving to the St. Louis area and will be open in the spring.

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Description: "The equipment is relatively expensive, and the vault you have to have a concrete encased room basically to use this and that's very expensive."

Wilson says that the majority of pet owners come from the St. Louis area, but some also come from out of state because of the specific equipment at this facility.

Reporting from the state Capitol I'm Becky May.

Intro:	Six to seven hundred dogs and cats are treated for cancer annually at Mid-Missouri's Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, and by springtime this center is planning on moving to the St. Louis area. Becky May has more from Jefferson City.
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Wrap: The University of Missouri plans on moving the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital cancer center in Columbia to St. Louis.

The new center will be in the Wentzville area, where many veterinary clinics already exist, like Banfield, The Pet Hospital. Hospital Manager, Brandy Kisiel(KEY-SAL)says she wouldn't be worried because it specializes in cancer treatments.

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Description: "If it is a cancer center specifically not so much, but if it's just veterinary services we have a lot of competitors out here already."

Dr. Wilson says the reason for the move is also due to popularity in radiation treatments.

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Description: "Well it's probably one of our fastest growing services that we provide here at the veterinary school, so it's becoming very popular."

The University of Missouri plans for the center to open by spring.

Reporting from the state Capitol I'm Becky May.