Canine Cancer

 Last post you met our treasured friend Tucker. Later on in Tucker’s life he was diagnosed with Hemagiosarcoma, which according to caninecancer.com is an aggressive, malignant tumor of blood vessel cells.

Before we delve into the journey that cancer led Tucker on, we wanted to first share with you some facts on cancer in canines.

Tucker

The following facts are from:

Chemotherapy Overview from Mid-Atlantic Veterinary Hospital

What is chemotherapy?

Chemotherapy drugs are serious compounds that are toxic to cancer cells.  Chemotherapy drugs may be administered orally, or by intravenous (IV) or subcutaneous (under the skin) injection.

How does chemotherapy work?

Cancer cells typically multiply very rapidly, so most chemotherapy drugs target those rapidly growing cells to damage their ability to divide, eventually killing them.

Why chemotherapy?

Chemotherapy can be most effective single treatment for some types of cancer, by offering the best chance for remission while maintaining a good quality of life for your pet.

Chemotherapy is often recommended after surgical removal of a malignant cancer.  The purpose of chemotherapy in this application is not only to try to prevent recurrence of the cancer at the original sit, but also to try to prevent metastasis.

Occasionally, chemotherapy will be used alone for the treatment of cancers that are inoperable, or are not good candidates for radiation therapy, or have already metastasized.  In most of these cases, the goal of treatment will not be to cure the cancer, but rather to improve your pet’s quality of life temporarily by reducing pressure, bleeding or pain.

What about side effects?

Compared to people, pets suffer fewer and less severe side effects from chemotherapy.  This is primarily because veterinary oncologists use lower doses of drugs, and do not combine as many drugs as do human.  All rapidly dividing cells in the body are sensitive to chemotherapy, and while cancer cells fall into that category, so do cells that are found in the intestinal tract, bone marrow, and hair follicles.  Chemotherapy, therefore, may result in gastrointestinal upset, immune suppression, and hair loss in some pets.

Possible gastrointestinal effects include decreased appetite, vomiting, and diarrhea which, if untreated, can lead to weight loss and

Dehydration.

Immune-suppressive effects result when the bone marrow is no longer able to make as many white blood cells, which in turn leads to an increased susceptibility to infection.

Some pets, just like some people, may lose their hair during chemotherapy treatment.  While this is less common in pets, it does happen.  Hair generally begins to grow back within a few weeks to a month after treatment ends.

How Will My Pet Be Monitored?

At each chemotherapy visit, your pet will be physically examined by the veterinarian, and blood will be taken for a blood test to monitor white blood cells and other parameters.  Additional diagnostic tests, such as ultrasonography, may be scheduled as needed.  Once the tests are reviewed and your pet is cleared for the next round of chemotherapy, an appointment will be scheduled.

Next, we’ll take a look at the chronological vet visits to treat Tucker’s cancer.

I hope this will help any of you dealing with or who may deal with canine cancer.

Until then…

***Edited to correct Cancer Diagnosis. Tucker was diagnosed with Hemagiosarcoma not Spindle Cell**