FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- The surgeon's tools Dr. Stephanie Correa uses to fight cancer every day are familiar, but her patients are not who you would expect.

The Animal Cancer Care Clinic is one of only a handful of its kind in the country. Pet owners from all over the state and beyond are lining up to have their pets treated.

On a recent afternoon and under the supervision of Correa, 1-year-old Labrador Casey received radiation therapy for a tumor on his leg.

As Correa explained, cancer treatments for pets like Casey are the same as those used on humans.

"Cancer is cancer, whether it's a person or a pet," she said.

In fact, she added, some methods used to fight cancer in humans were first tested in clinics like hers, on pets like Casey. It's a new take on "man's best friend."

"We do clinical trials here. If they work, then it's that much more likely that medicine will be approved by the FDA for humans," Correa said.

A case in point: The melanoma vaccine used to treat skin cancer in humans was first successfully used on dogs.

Correa began the veterinary treatment of cancer in 2004. In August, due to high demand, she opened her flagship clinic in Fort Lauderdale. She said she can treat any pet with cancer, though her main patients are dogs and cats.

Correa said pets are 35 times more likely to have skin cancer than their owners and four times more likely to have breast tumors. Pet owners have spared no cost and no distance to save their family members.

"We get people from the Caribbean, the Bahamas, all over the world," said Correa.

Correa said that every day, the clinic treats about a dozen pets with radiation therapy and another dozen with chemotherapy.

Casey is halfway through her treatments. She will require five more treatments using radiation.

Correa's schedule is booked. Her work brings new meaning to the term cancer survivor.

"To be able to see these patients and do something about them is incredibly gratifying," said Correa.

The Animal Cancer Care Clinic performs traditional cancer treatments every day. Correa said clinical trials occur throughout the year. In those cases, drug companies testing their product cover some or all of the treatments. For more information, visit www.animalcancercareclinic.com.