1. Know how to diagnose and stage patients with mast cell tumors
2. Learn which medications to administer perioperatively
3. Learn surgical dose recommendations
4. Learn the principles and techniques for sentinel lymph node mapping
5. Know when to refer a patient with a mast cell tumor
Dr. Alejandro (Alex) Alvarez was born in Caracas, Venezuela, moved to the United States at the age of four, then moved to Tenerife, Spain, when he was 12. He completed his veterinary degree at the University of Cordoba in southern mainland Spain. After internships in France, Ireland, and Prince Edward Island, he completed a combined surgical residency and Master of Science degree at Oregon State University (OSU). His research focused on sentinel lymph node mapping in dogs with mast cell tumors and laboratory techniques to detect mast cell tumor lymph node metastasis. Dr. Alvarez enjoys soft tissue surgery, orthopedics, and surgical oncology. He has a special interest in minimally invasive surgeries, like thoracoscopy, laparoscopy, and fracture repairs. He is dedicated to fostering a collaborative and inclusive surgery department and enjoys teaching surgery to veterinary students and surgical training.