Chemotherapy Treatment for Dogs
84- Dog Cancer Guide
For more information about signs of cancer, treatment options, alternative medicine as a treatment option, and dietary changes, check this out.
Dog Cancer
It’s never a good day to hear that someone you know has cancer, but have you ever really thought about what you would do if your vet sat you down and told you that your beloved dog has cancer, whether that be bone cancer, abdominal cancer, mammary cancer, etc.
The common answer is probably, “No, but I would probably let him live until he starts suffering, to which point I’ll have him humanely euthanized,” but would you ever think to put your dog through chemotherapy treatments or another form of cancer treatment in attempts to fight the cancer?
I used to be in the first group. I mean, although I’ve never really thought about it, I have just always assumed that my answer would be, “let him be until he starts to suffer," but after doing my research, I think that I would consider the chemotherapy route.
Anyway, I never realized that chemotherapy was an option for dog cancer, which led me to some research that I hope you will find helpful in you and your dog’s battle against dog cancer.
Dog Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a common treatment for dog cancer because it is a means to help control cancer cells. The cancer cells keep dividing and multiplying, and the anti-cancer drugs help to destroy the cancer cells by stopping them from growing and multiplying.
The main problem with chemo treatments is that it not on destroys the cancer cells, but the healthy cells as well, which is what is causing the side effects of the chemotherapy treatments. Luckily, though, when the treatments are finished, the healthy cells usually repair themselves.
Chemotherapy is basically the use of different types of medications, called "anti-cancer drugs." Depending on the type of cancer, extent of the cancer, and your dog's overall health, there are different drugs that your vet may prescribe. In some cases, your vet may prescribe multiple different medications.
Some of the drugs are oral drugs that can be given at home, but others may be injections that will require outpatient visits to the vet, and in some cases, your dog may have to have several treatments throughout one day, which will require you to leave the dog at the vet for a day or two. The treatments are typically repeated weekly to every third week for about 12 weeks. Your vet will probably also do regular blood tests to monitor the treatments.
|
Pets Living With Cancer: A Pet Owner's Resource
Price: $14.44
List Price: $11.50 |
|
Cancer and Your Pet: The Complete Guide to the Latest Research, Treatments, and Options
Price: $10.75
List Price: $18.95 |
|
The Natural Vet's Guide to Preventing and Treating Cancer in Dogs (Natural Vets Guide)
Price: $9.00
List Price: $16.95 |
|
Help Your Dog Fight Cancer: What Every Caretaker Should Know About Canine Cancer, Featuring Bullet's Survival Story, 2nd Edition
Price: $14.99
List Price: $24.95 |
"Anti-cancer Drugs"
There are actually over 50 different chemotherapy drugs that can be considered for your dog's chemo treatments. Some of the more common chemo drugs may include some of the following. Remember that with each different drug, you dog may experience different side effects, so you want to make sure that you discuss with your vet which chemo medications he thinks will be best for your dog.
Azathioprine(Imuran)- used with immune mediated diseases, where the immune system is inappropriately active and damages the body.
Carboplatin(Paraplatin)- is a platinum-containing drug that is used to treat malignant cancer.
Chlorambucil(Leukeran)- used most commonly for chemotherapy to treat cancer and some immune mediated diseases such as pemphigus or inflammatory bowel disease.
Cisplatin- is an important weapon against cancer, but can cause complications.
Cyclophosphamide(Cytoxan)- is the most successful drug to treating cancer and immun mediated diseases because of its ability to kill rapidly dividing
Cytarabine- used to treat certain cancers, most notably leukemia.
Dexamethasone(Azium, Voren)- is used in the treatment of lymphoma
Doxorubicin(Adriamycin, Rubex)- is a very serious medication that has serious potential to do great harm as well as good because it impairs DNA synthesis, which is crucial for cell division.
Fluorouracil(5-fluorouracil, Adrucil, 5-FU)- is an antineoplasti or cytotoxic chemotherapy drug that is an anti-metabolite
L-Asparaginase(Elspar)- is helpful to treat lymphatic cancers because asparagine is an important amino acid for lymphatic cancer cells and the medication destroys that amino acid, which only affects the cancer cells
Lomustine- is a drug that binds DNA to other DNA strands or protein so that the double helix cannot reproduce, and it generates a by-product that prevents normal DNA function
Piroxicam- is commonly used for transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder, as well as prevention for mammary adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and transmissible venereal tumors
Vincristine(Oncovin, Vincasar)- is a multi-drug combination that is used against lymphoid and round cell tumors
How Successful is Chemotherapy on Dog Cancer
Just like you'll find in people, the actual success rate of chemo on your dog will vary per patient. Your vet will be able to give you his best estimate as to how well your dog may respond to the chemo treatments but the type of cancer, the treatment that is available, and your dog's overall health before treatments.
But, for the most part, your vet or oncologist will tell you that the odds are pretty much a 50/50 shot as to whether your dog will make it past the first year after chemo treatments. If you dog makes it past the first year, it's another 50/50 shot for the second year, and so on. There is about a 5-10% chance for 100% cure and survival. It's up to you to decide whether the money for the treatments is worth the odds.
Side Effects of Chemotherapy
There are potential side effects with any procedure that your dog will every undergo. He may have a reaction to regular vaccinations or get an infection from a spay surgery, and this is no different with undergoing chemotherapy treatments for cancer.
Common side effects can include nausea, diarrhea, appetite loss, weight loss, skin discoloration, urine discoloration, low white blood cell count, and fatigue.
You'll find that many vets will prevent the potential side effects by using antibiotics and anti-nausea drugs as needed. And, for the most part, most dogs only experience mild side effects, if any at all.
You will notice that for the first day or two after the initial treatment, your dog may be show signs of fatigue and appetite loss.
Another concern may be with hair loss, and unlike chemotherapy treatments for humans, dogs tend to only experience slight hair loss. In some cases, hair that has been shaved may not regrow and your dog may lose hi whiskers, but for the most part most of the hair will grow back after the chemo treatments are finished.
Also, remember that amongst the concerns of the chemotherapy treatments, dogs can have different, unexpected reactions to different drugs.
The Cost of Dog Chemotherapy
The cost of the treatment is probably one of the main concerns that you may have for whether or not you are going to put your dog through chemotherapy. And, unfortunately the cost is going to vary on the type of cancer that your dog has, the drugs that are used, the size of your dog, the duration of the treatment, the type of chemo that is used, and procedures that your dog has to undergo.
But, don't worry about getting blindsided with a bill that you can't pay. The vet will always give you a price quote in the beginning, so that you can decide if you will be able to afford the cost of the chemotherapy treatments.
Disclaimer: Please be aware that the advice in this article should in no way replace that of a licensed veterinarian. The methods outlined above may or may not work for your pet. If you have any concerns, you should consult a veterinarian.
PrintShare it! — Rate it: up down [flag this hub]
Comments
It will depend on your money situation and want to do the chemo. I would do it, becuase there is still the chance that it can completely get rid of the cancer cells for good. It's not always just to prolong the life. Granted that is the case sometimes. Whether or not you want to put your dog through chemo or holistic medicines is up to you. I think that you will get more results with chemo, but I haven't dont much research about holistic medicines to 100% cure cancer. Remember that it will also depend on the extint of the cancer and the age of the dog as to how well the chemo will take.
Tina, I just had chemo done on my rat terrier on Tuesday for the same thing. He became violently ill (throwing up blood) and wouldn't eat anything. He became severly dehydrated and had to have IV's. Now, our vet recommends that he be put down unless he shows greater improvement. Giving my George, this treatment was the worst mistake of my life because I have now probably shortened his.
My dog Kojak was diagnosed with intestinal lymphoma when he was 9 years old. I was devastated, but listened to the recommedation of my vet and the oncologists at the veterinary college and put him through chemo. He became very sick, weak, and anorexic. He was a rottweiler/lab mix and weighed 89 pounds when he started chemo. He lost 40 pounds as a result of the chemo and every bone in his body was visible. He was so weak and dehydrated. I spent many nights at the emergency vet just hoping he would make it through the night. The vet and oncologist kept telling me he was "fine" and this was "normal". I ultimately halted his chemo treatments, but he passed away three weeks later. My four year old boxer was just diagnosed with mammary cancer which has spread to her vascular system. My vet is pushing chemo, but I have decided that I will not do it to her. If I would have known what was going to happen with my first dog, I never in a million years would have put him through such suffering. The choice to give your dog chemo is ultimately yours to make, but I thought I would share my story to give some insight as to what can happen. Just be sure that you have a vet that you can trust and are well informed as to the side effects and the type of chemo drugs that will be used to treat your dog.
You are right in that some dogs suffer side effects, but statistically more dogs don't suffer any side effects than those that do. It's always a decision that one must make, and the oncologist will always discuss the side effects and the different chemo drugs.
My APBT showed minimal signs of side effects with her first two treatments; she will resume treatments next week.
The oncologist can also use different drugs, as you've mentioned, some have more side effects than others. Carboplatin is a lesser chemo treatment that has fewer side effects. The oncologist suggested that we actually alternate the next chemo treatments with carboplatin and another chemo with stronger side effects because she already had the two treatments which could have built up resistance cells.
My beloved dog Louie was just diagnosed with anal gland cancer and he had his left anal gland removed 2 weeks ago. His blood work and xrays came back and they were good so I'm now torn as to what to do next. I've already spent $1200 on the surgery, tests etc...and would find a way financially to pay for the chemo if I felt better about it. Bottom line is that while the dog may not be vomitting or showing outward signs of sickness while on chemo, it does not mean that he/she is feeling well. Dogs hide their weakness/sickness so it would break my heart if he was suffering through the treatments to end up just prolonging his life for a year or so.
We just began our dog on chemo. She was recently diagnosed with lymphoma. We had to make a quick decision, with hardly any time to do proper research on this because this is an agressive cancer. Basically, if we did not do this, she would go downhill really fast and we would be putting her to sleep soon.
I try to look at it as practically as possible. First, we will give the chemo a shot. If she starts to get really sick from it and develops other health complications, then we put her to sleep, just like we would with other illnesses. We won't put her through any more chemo treatments. If it begins to benefit her, then we successfully extended her life for a temporary period of time. It gives us more time to adjust to the fact that she does have a terminal illness and will eventually have to be put to sleep. It gives us more time to appreciate her, give her a few more weeks or months of life (but only if it has quality), and to prepare for what we will have to eventually face, when we do have to put her to sleep.
My dogs was just recently diagnosed with GI Lymphoma - stage 5. Aside from Leukemia it is the worst kind you can have. I've been struggling with whether to do chemo or not and have decided not to do chemo. Cancer in a dog can never be cured. It can go into remission once for a short time with a second remission nearly impossible to achieve. While they say and the internet says that they don't experience side effects I've read more and more stories of ones that have and do. Chemo would prolong his life for maybe 8 mos. Maybe. Prednisone will maybe give him 3 mos. For an additional 5 mos. to me it is not worth him not living life feeling good. If he were a stage 3 I might have considered it. It is a tough decision and there is no right or wrong answer for anyone.
You are correct in that it is a tough decision that each person must make for themself and their dog.I am sorry to hear that your dog was diagnosed with cancer, as it is a tough thing to find out. My APBT has bone cancer, which is also one of the worst cancers that a dog can get, and she was diagnosed at 17 months old, which means she has a very aggressive case. I have opted to do chemo because of her age and her wonderful temperament. It's just a decision that each person must make for themselves.
She has had very little side effects from the treatment. The last few she may have had one or two bad days and that was it. She is a strong and sturdy dog that is taking to the chemo well, but that does't mean that all dogs do and will.
I just lost my beloved Sascha, a 7 year old pure German Shepherd from Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. I should have left her on the prednisone which made her feel better and increased her appetite. She was almost a normal dog until after her 1st chemotherapy treatment. It was only days when she became severely ill, leading to several emergency visits and finally had to put her to sleep last night. Never again will I subject my dog to chemotherapy. I realize now that prednisone will make them feel better and extend their life a little, not a cure and will only give you a little more time. In the future, I will let my dog get sick on her own without a push from poison. Then when it is time, I will give my dog the peaceful end they deserve. Please don't make the mistake I made with my precious Sascha which I lost on June 7th, 2009.
I'm sorry to hear about yoru dog. I haven't had anyu problems with the treatments with my dog, and it's not the best idea to tell everyone not to do it, as not all dogs have the same reaction. Also remember that prednisone does not extend life just removes pain.
I am so sorry to hear about all these dogs. But feel better that there are other people going through what we are now. Our 8 year old retriever was diagnosed as having 2 tumors on her spleen. Given a 50/50 odds of either a normal life after a spleen removal or a 4 month to live verdict. We removed her spleen on the Friday and today got the news that it was a Splenic haemangiosarcoma. We got the 4 month verdict. I have been in absolute turmoil over whether to put her through chemo or not. After reading these comments, I just can't risk it. I will go the homeopath way and also pray for a miracle. I wasn't really too much a dog person, until I was faced with losing her. Now I want to appreciate her, and putting her through possible effects of chemo for the last months of her life is not what I want as my last thoughts of her. We had been told that chemo will only possibly lengthen her life by a few months. If it could have cured her, then it might have been worth a shot. Thanks to all, for helping me come to a very difficult and painful decision.
My 8 year old lab has just been diagnosed with stage 4 lymphoma. I took him to the oncologist yesterday, and they started the wisconsin protocol chemo. He was very ill all last night, vomitting, diarhea, panting, restless, etc. Today he is very lethargic, and will only eat small amounts of boiled chicken. I don't know if this is a common reaction to the first treatment, or not. If this is not going to improve, then I don't want to continue with it. If you stop the chemo, will they have any 'good' days after?
I would give it a try before giving up on chemo. Although it isn't the answer for all dogs, chemo can be very beneficial and have little side effects and complications. Talk with the oncologist about the type of chemo and there may be a different form that your dog can receive. Good luck.
When we heard our beautiful chihuahua Tinkerbelle had stage 5 lymphoma we were devastated. Diagnosed in Oct 08 by our local vet we were then referred to a specialist veterinary hospital, Anderson Sturgess in Winchester. Tinkerbell was hospitilised over a weekend where a number of tests were carried out and a treatment plan formulated. Initial prognosis for Tinkerbelle was that she may not see 2009 which left us all feeling terribly sad and concerned for her. Although just a little chihuahua Tinkerbelle had to be sedated each time to have chemo admistered as she wanted to eat the vet! The day after the treatment she was a little off her food and a bit tired but overall was much the same as normal. She has continued with chemo being administered both intraveniously and in pill form although the need to sedate her was no longer required after about the 5th visit. Apart from two sessions of large dosage chemo that have knocked her back I would say that I am glad we decided to get her treated. For a little dog of 3.8 kg's she has put up a considerable fight against her disease and continues to do so. It is only the last two week-ends (June 09) that Tinkerbelle's health seems to be going downhill and I have monitored her and feel it is time for her chemo to stop. In the past she has had more good days than bad, but the last two sessions have resulted in her being quiet poorly. She has been very brave throughout her whole ordeal but I believe that as she has never gone into complete remission there is not much more we can do for her. I am looking at her sleeping in her basket now and know that in a short while I will have to take her to the vet for the final time and this will be one of the sadest moments in my life. If Tinkerbelle could talk I am sure she would say she is glad she had the treatment even if it gave her only a few more months to bark at the cat next door.
I'm sorry to hear about your dog. She does sound like a fighter that's for sure. No many small dogs of that weight would have been able to pull through as she did, even if not for a full dog lifespan, I'm sure you helped her through additional months that she would not have seen otherwise.
My Springer Spaniel just had a Biopsy today to determine what type of cancer she has. Two weeks ago I noticed her lymph glands in her neck were extremely large. I was hoping that it could be a thyroid problem. She doesn't seem sick at all. I guess this is the calm before the storm. I was very apprehensive on doing the surgical biopsy as the doctor told me that he would try to take out as much of the mass a possible which I know can sometimes start cancer to progress through out the body. After reading these comments I have come to the conclusion that as long as she is still happy and not showing signs of severe illness, I will not do the Chemo and just administer the steriods. I prefere to let her have the best life possible with out side affects that could take her strength away. What good is Chemo if there are side affects that do not give you quality of life. I remember that old saying it's not how much time but the quality of that time.
I'm sorry to hear that your dog has been diagnosed with cancer. Remember that chemo isn't for every dog but you never know how your dog is going to react until you try. There are more dogs that have absolutely no problems with chemo that those who do. When we opted to give my APBT chemo treatments the oncologist told us that about 9 of 10 dogs have no problems and no side effects when on chemo.
Tina Landau says:
7 months ago
My dog was recently diagnosed with a mast cell tumor on one of his toes. One surgery was done to remove the tumor, second to remove the toe and the margins are still not clean and the cancer has spread but he's in awesome health and eating well. I just am so torn if I go the route of chemo which they said will only prolong his life or do I go the route of supplements and holistic medicine or do both? Someone give me some insight as to how they feel. This is driving me crazy and I just love my Golden. He's my best friend. Thanks for any input.
Tina