Pig Named Nemo Makes History By Undergoing Cancer Treatment
Pigs aren't just for making bacon, they also make great pets. Just ask
George Goldner, who is so attached to his 331kg pal Nemo that he was
willing to pay any price when the piggy got sick.
Earlier this year, Goldner began noticing that Nemo was acting strangely, and had suddenly stopped eating and just laid in the mud. The four-year-old Hampshire pig was sent to Cornell University Hospital for Animals (CUHA), where researchers found he had what doctors believed was the blood cancer B-cell lymphoma.
The self-described animal lover was so concerned about losing his buddy that he asked doctors to devise a way to treat his pig based on their knowledge of cancer in dogs and humans. Thus, Nemo would become the first known pig to undergo lymphoma treatment.
Since pigs have necks bigger than many humans, this makes their veins are difficult to access which make it impossible to deliver many of the aggressive drugs needed for chemotherapy. After consulting with researchers in other fields, the researchers decided to implant a vascular access port directly under Nemo’s skin behind his ear which contained a catheter that ran through a jugular vein in his neck.
Four months of rigorous treatment, and Nemo is now believed to be in remission. The pig is set to return home in September if everything goes according to plan.
Huffington Post
Earlier this year, Goldner began noticing that Nemo was acting strangely, and had suddenly stopped eating and just laid in the mud. The four-year-old Hampshire pig was sent to Cornell University Hospital for Animals (CUHA), where researchers found he had what doctors believed was the blood cancer B-cell lymphoma.
The self-described animal lover was so concerned about losing his buddy that he asked doctors to devise a way to treat his pig based on their knowledge of cancer in dogs and humans. Thus, Nemo would become the first known pig to undergo lymphoma treatment.
Since pigs have necks bigger than many humans, this makes their veins are difficult to access which make it impossible to deliver many of the aggressive drugs needed for chemotherapy. After consulting with researchers in other fields, the researchers decided to implant a vascular access port directly under Nemo’s skin behind his ear which contained a catheter that ran through a jugular vein in his neck.
Four months of rigorous treatment, and Nemo is now believed to be in remission. The pig is set to return home in September if everything goes according to plan.
Huffington Post
