Spinal tumor radiation therapy for dogs and cats — AARADONC Palm Beach Florida
Spinal Tumor Radiation Therapy · Dogs & Cats · Florida

Spinal tumor radiation
therapy for pets
in Florida.

Spinal tumors cause progressive neurological compromise — weakness, paralysis, and pain. Radiation therapy can relieve spinal cord compression, slow progression and may improve function when surgery is not possible or incomplete.

Request a Consultation
Understanding Spinal Tumors in Pets

When the spine is the problem,
precision matters most.

Spinal tumors compress or invade the spinal cord — producing progressive weakness, incoordination, and pain that worsens as the tumor grows. The spinal cord's sensitivity to radiation requires high-precision targeting. At AARADONC, this is exactly what our technology provides.

Spinal tumors in dogs and cats are classified by where they arise relative to the spinal cord: extradural (outside the dural sac — most often vertebral tumors or metastatic disease), intradural-extramedullary (within the dural sac but outside the cord — includes meningiomas and nerve root tumors), and intramedullary (within the cord itself). Each type has different surgical accessibility and radiation responsiveness.

Why radiation therapy is often the primary option

Many spinal tumors — particularly intramedullary masses and tumors at surgically challenging vertebral levels — cannot be safely removed without risk of permanent neurological damage. Radiation therapy can treat these tumors, delivering therapeutic doses to the tumor while respecting the adjacent spinal cord's tolerance limits.

Timing is critical for spinal tumors. Progressive neurological deficits — weakness, ataxia, paresis — indicate worsening spinal cord compression. Once paralysis is complete or damage becomes permanent, radiation cannot restore function. Early treatment gives the best chance of neurological recovery.

Precision for the spine

Radiation therapy can be a non-surgical option for select spinal tumors, delivering high doses while limiting dose to the spinal cord — and may improve neurological function.

At AARADONC, Dr. Lisa DiBernardi is on site and personally reviews every spinal tumor case — MRI and CT imaging, neurological status, and treatment history — before designing the radiation plan.
References

Scientific references.

The clinical information on this page is grounded in peer-reviewed veterinary radiation oncology literature.

  1. Swift KE, LaRue SM (2017). Outcome of 9 dogs treated with stereotactic radiation therapy for primary or metastatic vertebral osteosarcoma. Vet Comp Oncol.
For Pet Families
Get a specialist review.
Prompt response.

Dr. DiBernardi is on site and personally reviews every case. Tell us about your pet and we'll respond promptly with a clear recommendation.

Request a Consultation
For Veterinarians
Refer a patient with
a spinal tumor.

Submit a referral and receive prompt acknowledgment. We coordinate directly with your practice throughout treatment and provide full written reports.

Referral Information →