Overview

Veterinary oncologists lack accessible focused ultrasound treatment options for animal cancer patients, requiring expensive referrals to specialized centers that are often hundreds of miles away and cost $5,000-$15,000 per treatment series.

The Openwater Veterinary Oncology model leverages OpenLIFU technology to provide accessible, cost-effective focused ultrasound treatment for common animal cancers, starting with soft-tissue sarcomas in dogs—the most common cancer type in companion animals.

🎯 Key Benefit: Brings advanced cancer treatment to local veterinary clinics, reducing costs by 70% and eliminating the need for multi-state referrals while improving quality of life for animal patients.

Clinical Need

Companion animal cancer treatment faces significant accessibility barriers:

  • Limited Access: Only 12 veterinary centers in North America offer focused ultrasound therapy
  • High Cost: Treatment series costs $10,000-$15,000, prohibitive for most pet owners
  • Geographic Barriers: Average travel distance to treatment center is 300+ miles
  • Treatment Delays: Referral process takes 4-8 weeks, during which tumors progress
  • Alternative Risks: Current options (surgery, radiation) have higher complication rates
⚠️ Market Need: Over 6 million dogs are diagnosed with cancer annually in the US, but fewer than 5% have access to advanced focused ultrasound treatment options.

Clinical Procedure

The OpenLIFU-based veterinary treatment protocol provides non-invasive tumor ablation with same-day discharge:

Pre-Treatment Imaging & Planning

CT or MRI imaging performed to map tumor location, size, and proximity to critical structures. Treatment planning software generates optimal acoustic window and energy delivery pattern. Planning time: 30-45 minutes.

Patient Preparation & Anesthesia

Patient placed under general anesthesia and positioned on treatment table. Treatment area shaved and acoustic coupling gel applied. Continuous vital sign monitoring established.

Real-time Targeting & Verification

OpenLIFU system uses integrated ultrasound imaging to confirm tumor targeting in real-time. Treatment plan adjusted if patient positioning has shifted. Target verification: 5-10 minutes.

Focused Ultrasound Ablation

Focused ultrasound energy delivered in controlled pulses to heat and ablate tumor tissue. Real-time temperature monitoring ensures safe thermal dose. Treatment duration: 20-60 minutes depending on tumor size.

Post-Treatment Recovery

Patient recovered from anesthesia with standard monitoring. No surgical incision means minimal post-procedure pain. Same-day discharge with oral pain medication. Follow-up imaging at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, and 3 months.

Technical Implementation

Treatment Parameters

  • Frequency Range: 500 kHz - 1.5 MHz (optimized for tissue depth and targeting precision)
  • Acoustic Power: 50-200W (adjusted based on tumor size and depth)
  • Treatment Temperature: Target tissue 55-60°C for complete ablation
  • Pulse Protocol: 10-30 second pulses with 30-60 second cooling periods
  • Treatment Volume: 1-8 cm diameter tumors (expandable to larger with multiple focal points)

Safety Features

  • Real-time MR Thermometry: Continuous temperature monitoring in treatment zone
  • Acoustic Intensity Limits: Automatic power reduction if temperature exceeds safety threshold
  • Near-field Protection: Acoustic pattern avoids skin and superficial tissue damage
  • Critical Structure Avoidance: Treatment planning identifies and protects blood vessels, nerves
  • Emergency Stop: Immediate shutdown capability if patient movement detected

Target Indications (Initial Phase)

  • Primary Focus: Soft-tissue sarcomas in dogs (trunk, limbs)
  • Tumor Size: 2-6 cm diameter
  • Tumor Depth: 1-5 cm from skin surface
  • Exclusions: Tumors near critical organs, metastatic disease, poor anesthesia candidates
📋 Future Expansion: Protocol designed to expand to mast cell tumors, osteosarcomas, and feline cancers once initial validation complete.

Implementation Roadmap

Phase 1: Clinical Partnership & Protocol Design (Months 1-4)

Objective: Engage veterinary oncology clinic to co-design initial treatment protocols for soft-tissue sarcomas.

  • Partner with 1-2 veterinary oncology specialists at university teaching hospital
  • Review 50+ historical soft-tissue sarcoma cases to understand typical presentation
  • Document current treatment workflows (surgery, radiation, chemotherapy)
  • Define LIFU treatment protocol adapted from human oncology experience
  • Establish patient selection criteria and safety protocols
  • Obtain IACUC approval for clinical pilot study

Phase 2: System Adaptation & Preclinical Testing (Months 5-10)

Objective: Adapt OpenLIFU system for veterinary use and validate in tissue models.

  • Design veterinary-specific positioning and restraint systems
  • Develop acoustic transducers optimized for canine tissue properties
  • Create treatment planning software with canine anatomical models
  • Validate ablation accuracy in ex-vivo tissue and gel phantoms
  • Conduct cadaver studies to refine positioning and targeting
  • Perform safety testing with healthy animal subjects (n=5-10)

Phase 3: Clinical Pilot Study (Months 11-22)

Objective: Treat 20-30 dogs with soft-tissue sarcomas to demonstrate safety and preliminary efficacy.

  • Recruit client-owned dogs meeting inclusion criteria
  • Treat 20-30 patients with complete follow-up imaging and outcomes
  • Document treatment safety: adverse events, complications
  • Measure tumor response: complete ablation rate, local control
  • Assess quality of life: pain scores, activity levels, owner satisfaction
  • Compare outcomes to historical surgery/radiation controls
  • Refine protocol based on early results

Phase 4: Multi-Center Validation (Months 23-36)

Objective: Expand to 3-5 veterinary centers for broader validation.

  • Install systems at partner veterinary oncology clinics
  • Train veterinary oncologists and technicians on system operation
  • Treat 100+ patients across multiple sites
  • Establish standardized reporting for outcomes database
  • Pursue USDA approval for commercial veterinary device
  • Develop business model for sustainable veterinary deployment

Expected Outcomes

Clinical Outcomes

  • Complete tumor ablation rate: 75-85% (comparable to surgery)
  • Local tumor control at 1 year: 65-75%
  • Complication rate <10% (vs. 25-30% for surgery)
  • Same-day discharge for 95%+ of patients
  • Return to normal activity within 3-5 days

Economic Outcomes

  • Treatment cost: $2,000-$3,500 (vs. $10,000+ for referral)
  • 70% cost reduction vs. current specialized centers
  • Eliminate travel costs averaging $1,000-$2,000 per case
  • Enable treatment access for 10x more pet owners

Accessibility Outcomes

  • Bring advanced cancer treatment to community veterinary practices
  • Reduce treatment timeline from 4-8 weeks (referral) to 1-2 weeks (local)
  • Enable second opinions and retreatment without multi-state travel
  • Support veterinarians in providing comprehensive oncology care

Get Involved

We're seeking partners to advance accessible veterinary cancer care:

  • Veterinary Oncologists: Clinical protocol co-design and pilot study sites
  • Veterinary Teaching Hospitals: Research partnership and system validation
  • Specialty Veterinary Clinics: Multi-center expansion partners
  • Veterinary Imaging Centers: Integration with CT/MRI treatment planning
  • Researchers: Comparative effectiveness studies and outcomes research
  • Funders: Support for clinical validation and system development

Contact: vet-oncology@openwater.health