College of Veterinary Medicine

Michael Childress, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Oncology)

Bio

Dr. Childress obtained his DVM degree from the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine in 2004. He subsequently completed a rotating internship at the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine from 2004-2005, an oncology internship at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine from 2005-2006, and a medical oncology residency at the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine from 2006-2009. He is currently an associate professor of comparative oncology with the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine and chief of the medical oncology section within the Purdue Veterinary Teaching Hospital. His research focuses on developing new therapies and identifying novel prognostic and predictive biomarkers for canine lymphomas.​

Past Presentations

Managing canine lymphomas: Getting the right diagnosis and choosing the right treatment
This lecture​ focuses on the diagnosis and staging of common and uncommon forms of lymphoma, as well as established and emerging treatments. The focus of the talk will be on choosing the appropriate treatment for individual dogs with lymphoma, emphasizing pros and cons of each treatment option.
Controlled Poisoning: Mastering the Death-Defying Art of Cancer Chemotherapy in Small Animals
​This lecture will discuss the principles of administering cancer chemotherapy, including appropriate drug selection, dosing, and management of treatment-related side effects. The concept of chemotherapy drugs as workplace health hazards will be discussed, as will methods to minimize the exposure of workplace personnel to chemotherapy drug residues.
Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Cancer Patients: What you and Your Clients Should Know
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) encompasses a diverse array of herbal, nutraceutical, physical, and other treatments whose use is generally not taught in conventional U.S. medical or veterinary school curricula. CAM is popular with owners of pets with cancer, but many veterinarians are unfamiliar with the potential benefits or risks of CAM therapies. This lecture will review several popular CAM therapies and cover strategies for discussing CAM with pet owners.
Coming Down from the Ivory Tower: Practicing Real-World Oncology on a Shoestring Budget
​The expense of cancer diagnosis, staging, and treatment is often a significant barrier to practicing effective small animal oncology in a general practice setting. This session will feature in-depth discussion of several strategies to reduce the cost of cancer management, while still providing compassionate and high-quality care.
The Top 5 Mistakes in Managing Small Animal Cancer Patients
While there is not a dogmatically “correct” way to manage many canine and feline cancers, certain principles of cancer therapy should be followed in most cases. Failure to adhere to these principles will produce suboptimal care for patients. This lecture will review commonly-encountered mistakes in the diagnosis, staging, and treatment of cancer patients, as well as strategies for avoiding these pitfalls.

View other speakers