972.437.9499
office
972.680.9233
fax
12101 Greenville Ave
Suite 114
Dallas, TX 75243
OFFICE HOURS:
Monday-Friday
7 am - 6 pm
By
Appointment Only
OUR DOCTORS:
Cheryl K. Harris,
DVM, ACVIM
Philip L. Treuil,
DVM, MS, ACVR
Héctor J. Encarnación,
DVM
Christine Rees,
DVM, ACVD
Jennifer Wiley,
DVM
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What is Canine Lymphoma and How is It Treated?
Lymphoma is cancer of the lymph glands. It is characterized by enlarged glands under the dog’s chin, in front of the shoulders and behind the knees as well as elsewhere in the body. It often develops very suddenly and the dog is usually not sick when the disease begins.
Lymphoma is one of the most treatable cancers in veterinary medicine but it is generally not considered to be curable. Without treatment dogs usually die within 1-2 months. Treatment with steroids (Prednisone) alone may extend survival for 4-6 weeks.
Chemotherapy is the treatment of choice but is not like what you hear about in humans. Dogs typically do not get sick or lose their hair. With chemotherapy dogs can go into remission for an average of 9-18 months and their quality of life is normal. Their activity is not limited in any way and they can do all the things they have always liked to do.
Scientific factors have been observed in several studies to predict
how dogs respond to treatment. Female dogs seem to live longer in many
studies. Dogs with normal blood tests, particularly normal calcium, do
better. (Dogs with a high calcium level usually have
T cell lymphoma, a form which is much less responsive to chemotherapy.) Dogs who are not sick, who are still eating, drinking and feeling well when they develop enlarged lymph glands tend to do better. Most importantly, dogs who achieve a complete remission (whose cancer cells are very responsive to chemotherapy) live the longest.
There are several different chemotherapy protocols from which to choose. They contain from 3-5 different chemotherapy drugs, each of which works on the cancer cells in a different way. If some of the cancer cells are resistant to one drug, hopefully they will be sensitive to another drug. 90% of dogs will go into remission where we can not see or feel the lymph glands. This usually occurs within the first month of treatment. Often the lymph glands are significantly reduced in size within 24-48 hours.
One of the protocols (the University of Wisconsin protocol) requires you to bring in your dog weekly for 9 weeks and then every other week for a total of 25 weeks. Then, if your dog remains in remission, chemotherapy is discontinued until they come out of remission. This is currently considered the most aggressive therapy achieving the best results to date. Other drugs are available when your dog comes out of remission.
Other less aggressive protocols are also available which can also buy significant quality time for you and your dog to enjoy.
If you want the best care possible for your dog, ask your veterinarian for a referral to a board-certified veterinary oncologist, a specialist who has had extra years of training in veterinary oncology and who has passed several stringent exams.
- Board-Certified Veterinary Oncologist - Why your animal needs to see one.
- Oncology Visit - What your should expect during the visit with the Board-Certified Veterinary Oncologist
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Veterinary Specialists of North Texas & Animal Cancer Center
12101 Greenville Ave., Suite 114
Dallas, TX, 75243
972.437.9499