I don't know why I have not done this before now, I guess I am an idiot!

In January of 1999 the Dog World column Science and the Dog had an article on using carbon dioxide lasers to do veterinary surgery, and one of the surgeries mentioned was for transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder. 

I just sent this info to Bonnie for Annie, but for heaven's sake, everyone file this away, and talk to your vet, ask them to find out if there is a surgery or oncology practice or a vet school near you that has one of these lasers.  We all know the risk our beloved Scots bear for this terrible cancer, and while we can do some things to reduce the chance of them getting it (NO cigarrette smoking if you have Scotties, avoid chemicals like the old-style pesticides, let them drink as much water as they want and have free access to a fenced yard through a doggie door to potty as many times a day as they want) TCC can still strike.  While piroxicam produces a remission in 2/3rds of the cases, there is still that 1/3rd that does not respond.  My first Scottie, Maggie, was in that 1/3rd, we lost her barely 6 weeks post diagnosis!  Her family (Cederbrae/ Revran) was known to live, commonly, to 15-16 years of age, and she died before her 10th birthday of TCC.  Now, on to laser surgery!

Laser surgery debulks the tumor while preserving the urinary sphincter.
Loss of that sphincter is one reason conventional surgery is contra-indicated, as well as the reson that it tends to turn loose some cancer cells that migrate, still alive, and set up new tumors in new locations either further up (ureters, kidneys) or further down (urethra)
the urinary tract, or even outside the bladder in the body cavity, since the dog is wide open for surgery.  The laser kills the tumor cells as it removes them, reducing this risk and preserving the bladder wall at the same time.  It also cauterizes, reducing bleeding.  Since one of the main causes of death from bladder cancer is the urethra or ureters becoming blocked, causing hydronephrosis, debulking the tumor and using piroxicam to stop or drastically slow re-growth can add valuable time to a remission. 

The vet who was interviewed in this article, and who is probably one good source for information on other locations which offer the service, is Dr.  Karen Campbell of the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine Teaching Hospital.  The mailing address of the college is 2001 S.  Lincoln, Urbana, Illinois, 61801.  As I said, ask your vet if they know of any surgery or oncology specialty practices who offer CO2 laser surgery in your area or write your local veterinary college for more information, or, if you still need info write to Dr.  Campbell, who will probably hate me for publishing her name this way, but hey, she was interviewed in Dog World, she's "famous" now!  Scottie owners need to be prepared with information before TCC is diagnosed, as there are still vets out there who know nothing about piroxicam and insist on doing conventional surgery, both very bad options!  I have no idea how much CO2 laser surgery would cost, and it might be more or less depending on where one lives, but given the alternative, it is certainly something everyone who owns a Scottie should know about, so they can weigh the options if TCC does strike.  Maybe some day we will have a true prevention strategy, but until then, we need all the treatment info we can get.

Camille Partridge 
Gaelforce Scottish Terriers