Brain Tumour & Neuro-Oncology Centre for Companion Animals

Brain Tumour & Neuro-Oncology Centre for Companion Animals

Brain tumours affect from 2.8 to 4.5% of dogs and around 2.2% of cats. Additionally, dogs and cats can suffer from spinal or nerve tumours. Although frequently associated with a poor prognosis, current advances in veterinary therapeutics allow for considerable improvements in the quality of life of many companion animals with cancer affecting their nervous system.

Our Neurology and Oncology teams here at the Small Animal Hospital of the University of Glasgow hold vast experience in the diagnosis and treatment of tumours involving the nervous system of dogs and cats and have access to state-of-the-art facilities to provide the best standards of care for affected patients. The University of Glasgow Small Animal Hospital is proud to establish the first neuro-oncology clinic for dogs and cats in Europe, the Brain Tumour & Neuro-Oncology Centre for Companion Animals.

Our aims:

  • to provide dogs and cats with primary and metastatic spine, nerve and brain cancer with the best standards of care including the most advanced treatment options
  • to educate and support pet-owners and referring veterinarians
  • to further progress our understanding of cancer affecting the nervous system of companion animals

Facilities available at the Brain Tumour & Neuro-Oncology Centre for Companion Animals

  • one of the largest Neurology/Neurosurgery teams in Europe
  • on-site imaging facilities including MRI & CT for diagnosis and therapy planning
  • state-of-the-art facilities for brain and spinal surgery including CUSA Excel+ Ultrasonic Aspirator to optimize tumour removal
  • on-site radiotherapy and an experienced, compassionate Oncology team
  • large team of anaesthetists with broad experience on managing patients with nervous system tumours
  • a 24/7 intensive care unit
  • on-site pathology service to provide prompt specific diagnosis for sampled tumours allowing most appropriate treatments to be implemented timely

Diagnostic techniques and therapeutic modalities available:

Meet the team

Joanna Morris BSc, BVSc, PhD, FHEA, DipECVIM-CA (oncology), FRCVS

RCVS and European Recognised Specialist in Small Animal Oncology

Bio: Jo joined Glasgow University in 2003 as Head of the Oncology service and has been Professor of Small Animal Oncology since 2015. She expanded the oncology service to include a radiotherapy facility in 2010 with an upgrade of the treatment delivery equipment in 2023. Jo’s research has focussed on tumour biomarkers such as acute phase proteins, mammary tumours and lymphoma but she is interested in many areas of oncology.

Jo is a Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and European Recognised Specialist in Small Animal oncology. 

Katie Anne McNaught BVMS MVM DipECVIM-CA (Oncology) MRCVS

RCVS and European Recognised Specialist in Small Animal Oncology

Katie graduated from Glasgow University in 2008 and after several years in general practice, returned to Glasgow to complete an internship and residency in oncology, combined with a master’s degree looking at Clusterin as a potential serum biomarker in canine lymphoma. Katie became a European specialist in Veterinary Oncology in 2021.

Katie is a Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and European Recognised Specialist in Small Animal Oncology. 

Mariana Lopes DVM MSc DipECVIM-CA(Oncology) MRCVS

Clinician in Oncology

Mariana graduated from the University of Lisbon, Portugal, in 2017.  She completed her undergraduate rotation in a referring oncology hospital in Lisbon, and later presented her master's dissertation in immune characterization on canine lymphoma, focusing in IL-17.

Mariana completed an internship and residency in oncology at the University of Glasgow, combined with a Master’s degree looking at Genetic causes of canine lymphoma in 2023.  

Mariana is a Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and European Recognised Specialist in Small Animal Oncology.

Jade Webster BVMS MRCVS

Resident in Oncology 

Jade is from Perthshire, Scotland. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 2015 and then spent a few years working in first opinion small animal practice before returning to the University of Glasgow in 2019 as a rotating intern.

Since then, Jade has completed an internship in Internal Medicine and Oncology and is currently one of our Small Animal Oncology residents. Jade is also pursuing a Master's Degree on the subject of canine Apocrine Gland Anal Sac Adenocarcinomas (AGASACAs).

Pablo Delgado Bonet

Resident in Oncology 

SHONA MUNRO

Senior Support Nurse

‌Shona qualified as a veterinary nurse in 2010 and for her first job, joined the small animal hospital as a general nurse rotating through different areas.

She quickly became interested in oncology and delivering chemotherapy to veterinary cancer patients and has been senior support nurse for the oncology service since 2016.

Kirsty Allen 

Oncology Nurse

Kirsty qualified as a veterinary nurse in 2016 after first working as an Animal Care Assistant in the small animal hospital.  After a period as a general rotating nurse, Kirsty joined the oncology team in 2022

SHONA BURNSIDE BSC HONS, PGDIP, MSC

Radiotherapist

Shona graduated as a Therapeutic Radiographer from Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh in 2006 and took up a position working at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre rotating through all areas of radiotherapy including a secondment into physics treatment planning department.

In 2010 she obtained an MSc in Radiotherapy and in the same year joined the small animal hospital. She has enjoyed transferring her skills from human radiotherapy to animal radiotherapy.

Diane Thomson 

Radiotherapist

Diane did a post graduate diploma in Radiotherapy at London South Bank University, graduating in 2008. She completed her Masters in Radiotherapy through Queen Margaret University in 2013. She has ten years radiotherapy experience in the NHS and fifteen years radiography experience. Last year she got the chance to transfer her Radiotherapy skills to animals working as a locum at the Small Animal Hospital. Diane has now taken up a permanent post as a Radiotherapist working part-time, whilst continuing to work in the NHS.