Receiving the news that your pet has cancer can be devastating & scary. Fortunately chemotherapy can be a valuable treatment option for many types of cancer that effect cats & dogs. An important part of choosing chemotherapy is understanding what it can & cannot do. Our goal with treatment is to improve the quality of life & longevity of our patients. This may include a cure, but for many forms of cancer it simply prevents or reduces the severity of symptoms & adds quality time with your pet.
At Animal Clinic Suburban we can safely administer a number of different chemotherapy agents. Many different protocols or medications may be available to treat a cancer so an in-depth consultation is required. Understanding the difference between protocols, costs, drug administration frequency & side effects all influence which one may be right for your pet. It’s also important that you are aware of other treatment options that may be available for your pet, like radiation or immunotherapy. These options may only be available through a board certified veterinary oncologist but should be discussed before starting any chemotherapy regimen.
Cancers commonly treated with chemotherapy
- Lymphoma
- Mast Cell Tumors
- Transitional Cell Carcinoma (TCC)
- Sarcoma/Carcinoma
- Melanoma
- Apocrine Gland Adenocarcinoma (Anal Gland Adenocarcinoma)
- Hemangiosarcoma
Pets undergoing chemotherapy often have minimal side effects but these medications are powerful & do have the potential to cause harm. Many pets may be started on medications at the time of chemotherapy to minimize side effects. Watching closely for side effects, frequent rechecks & bloodwork assessments all reduce the chance of a more serious problem from developing.
Click here to learn more about common chemotherapy side effects.