I heard it
said once at a lecture by a veterinary oncologist that “cancer” was the
scariest word in our language and that “chemotherapy” was the second
scariest. From many discussions over the
years, I know that he was right.
Technically
speaking, the term “chemo” means simply chemicals or chemistry. Taking an aspirin is “chemo”. Cancer chemotherapy may involve many different drugs,
in an endless mix of protocols, to treat an array of different cancers. It is just too broad a term to consider by
itself. The details of diagnosis and
drugs dictate what the experience may be like and what we can expect as an
outcome. Of course, there are also many
individual variations in response and how different creatures handle the
medications. The potential benefits can
be profound. The potential side effects
vary widely.
We hope for
ourselves, our families and pets to never hear either word and to never deal
with a diagnosis of cancer. The medical
reality of course is that we do see cancer in pets and it is imperative that we
know how to help these animals. We have
seen several cases of
lymphoma, one of the most common cancers in dogs and
cats, at our clinic in the past several weeks.
The diagnosis is devastating. But,
despite the aggressive nature of the disease, there is room for hope. Chemotherapy can extend the quality and
quantity of life significantly for most patients. Toxicity and feeling sick on the chemotherapy
drugs are a real concern and an important consideration. But the vast majority of patients brave
through therapy with few to no side effects.
A typical chemotherapy protocol for
lymphoma involves 5 drugs used in 16 treatments
given on a schedule over 24 weeks. Two
of the drugs are pills given at home and three of them require brief time at the
clinic to administer. Frequent blood
tests are used to monitor patients. We
try to minimize the time animals are with us at the clinic.
People commonly worry that their
pet will feel sick for the whole time they are being treated. We just would not tolerate that. The animals can feel lethargic and even have
some diarrhea or vomiting after some of the treatments but side effects are usually mild and
transient. Dogs and cats rarely lose
hair. If significant side effects occur,
we may delay subsequent therapy or skip those specific medications when they come up
again. If necessary, we may even decide
to forgo further chemotherapy. Each
successive treatment is an active choice based on the response to the preceding
one. It is a mantra of therapy, and cancer care in general, that we won't allow vomiting or diarrhea and we will alleviate pain.
Lymphoma is a disease we most often
make a positive difference in the lives of our patients and owners. There are many other cancers that we have
effective treatments for as well.
I am also a strong advocate for
complimentary medicine and alternative care.
My patients that receive acupuncture and herbal medicine from
Dr. LenaMcCullough, along with chemotherapy, do the best. In my experience, they have the longest
survival, the fewest side effects and the best overall experience trying to
combat their disease. Visit her website,
www.kingdomofbasil.com, for more information.
Should you ever face a
cancer diagnosis for your pet, remember that there is hope and there are options. I often say and truly believe that our pets
have an enormous advantage over us. They
will never stop and ponder their diagnosis or prognosis. They never look at the dog next to them and
compare their good or bad fortune for the future. They just take the next moment as it flows by
and the tomorrows as they become known.
May you never need any of this
information.
Timothy R Kraabel, DVM, DABVP (Canine/Feline Practice)
Rabies is a disease that we can end, saving people and animals. Rabies is the deadliest zoonotic disease on the planet. Every year more than 59,000 people die from rabies. The deaths are mostly in Africa, India, and other parts of Asia where 99 percent of rabies cases are found. One-half of deaths are children under the age of 16.
