AAHA Issues New Oncology Guidelines

The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) recently released a comprehensive set of oncology guidelines designed to assist primary care veterinary teams in diagnosing, treating and supporting pets with cancer, the group announced Friday.

The 2026 AAHA Oncology Guidelines for Dogs and Cats aim to equip veterinarians with practical, evidence-based tools covering cancer detection, accurate diagnosis, staging and treatment planning, along with strategies for client communication and supportive care throughout the patient’s journey.

“Primary care teams often struggle with balancing thorough, guideline-based staging with real-world constraints like time, cost and client anxiety, especially when owners want an immediate ‘just remove it’ solution,” said Kim Johnson, DVM, DACVIM (Oncology), cochair of the 2026 AAHA Oncology Guidelines. “Another common challenge is knowing how to stage proportionally without over testing, including when lymph node sampling and imaging are truly necessary based on tumor type and risk.”

Cancer remains a common and complex challenge in veterinary medicine, and general practitioners are often the first to encounter cases, AAHA said. The new guidelines address that frontline role by outlining protocols for early recognition of common cancers, cytologic and histopathologic diagnoses, surgical biopsy principles and updates on novel therapeutic options.

The 2026 AAHA Oncology Guidelines provide clear decision points that help general practitioners determine when a case can be managed in-house and when referral improves outcomes particularly for complex tumor locations, aggressive biologic behavior, or when advanced imaging and margin planning are essential. “They also reframe referral as a proactive strategy to remind clinicians that timely collaboration with specialists preserves options and supports the best first treatment. Think of referral as a strategy and not a failure,” Dr. Johnson said.

The resource also clarifies regulatory distinctions in cancer drug approvals, offers staff and patient safety recommendations for handling oncology cases, and emphasizes interventions to preserve quality of life for pets.

A team approach

The 2026 AAHA Oncology Guidelines also outline the various ways in which the veterinary technician and support staff can be utilized with oncology patients, Dr. Johnson noted. “Technician utilization is crucial to job satisfaction and retention, and many veterinary technicians find great fulfillment in assisting with the complexity and gratifying nature of cancer cases,” she said.

The opportunities for involvement could include performing advanced skills such as difficult phlebotomy, chemotherapy administration, preliminary cytology and lab work review, verifying chemotherapy calculations, mass measurements and sampling, as well as other duties.

From a client facing perspective, these guidelines outline ways in which the team can be utilized with cancer cases and include history taking, client education, and quality of life discussions among others.

“Involvement of the care team with oncology cases enriches the client experience, enhances patient care, and provides many benefits to the veterinarian and staff. Thus, it was imperative to include this information within the 2026 AAHA Oncology Guidelines,” Dr. Johnson said.

Ultimately, the guidelines emphasize structured communication and practical scripts that help veterinarians explain staging, prognosis and treatment options without overwhelming clients.

“By encouraging clear ranges rather than false certainty, tiered plan options, and shared decision-making language, the guidelines support more compassionate, trust building conversations while reducing stress for the veterinary team,” Dr. Johnson said.

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