High-tech veterinary treatments are helping some animals that previously had no chance.

Bladder cancer often affects the neck of the bladder where the anatomy is complex. Because of connections in this area to the ureters, which deliver urine from the kidneys, removing cancerous bladder neck tissue has previously been impossible.

But now, techniques developed by veterinarians at the University of Florida, make it possible to remove the offending tissue and relocate the ureters to a healthy part of the bladder.

Real-time imaging also allows veterinarians to place small tubes into the ureters to relieve urinary obstructions common with bladder cancers. This minimally-invasive procedure is just one of the high-tech ways veterinarians are pushing the boundaries of pet care. Not that pets will know, or even care. They’ll just be glad to feel better.