Receiving a diagnosis of cancer is always a bit frightening, especially in the case that your dog is affected. Once diagnosed, there’s a good chance that you won’t be able to listen to your vet discussing the treatment choices, which will likely involve chemotherapy.
When treating certain types of cancer, chemotherapy is a drug that can be utilized as a single treatment or in conjunction with other therapies, such as radiation therapy or surgery. Before surgery, or in some rare cases, chemotherapy could be employed to shrink large tumors or help eliminate cancer cells that are small enough to be entirely removed surgically. Chemotherapy can be prescribed following surgery to reduce or stop the spread of cancer throughout the body when the spread of cancer is a major issue.
Myths Versus Facts
As a pet owner, your initial instinct is to acquire knowledge from whatever source possible, and your friends and family will almost definitely share their thoughts. There are, however, many myths, and many people use what they have learned about the treatment of human cancer on dogs even when it’s not the best time to be doing it. Knowing what this medication is and how it can assist you in choosing the most effective choice for your pet.
1. My pet is too old to undergo chemotherapy.
Age is not a disease. Oncologists will base their treatment guidelines on your pet’s general health and not on age. Oncology experts will run a battery of tests on your dog to evaluate her overall health and devise a treatment strategy adapted to her particular needs. Whatever age your pet is, the doctor can develop a plan of treatment that incorporates different cancer treatments. Chemotherapy is usually safe for dogs and cats of all ages; otherwise healthy.
There are alot of vet facilities to choose from, but the choice may vary depending on the services that the facility offers. If you ought to learn more about it, you can visit their website and read their blog posts and articles.
2. My pet will experience awful adverse side effects.
If pet owners discover that their pet is receiving chemotherapy, they often fear terrible, terrifying side effects. But veterinary chemotherapy doesn’t work the same as human chemotherapy. Chemotherapy for pets can cause less or less severe adverse effects than human chemotherapy because the dosages are much smaller and are more evenly distributed.
Extreme inappetence, dehydration, diarrhea, and vomiting are common in some chemotherapy patients. Many will undergo the same treatment with a dose reduction and preventive medicines.
For emergency vet assistance, you need to contact a facility and visit their emergency page. Such facilities may offer services for emergency purposes. Their expertise can make a difference especially in this type of case.
3. My pet will be in the hospital for a long period.
Your pet’s cancer therapy goal is to help her live in the most ordinary way possible. Patients are generally not admitted to hospitals to receive treatment, even if they require frequent medical examinations and injections of medicine. If complications emerge, that is the only occasion that they’ll require hospitalization, which rarely occurs.
Chemotherapy drugs have varied delivery methods, and most chemotherapy treatments are given orally at home, with only periodic hospital visits to check on your pet’s health. The oncology team members inject medicines over a brief period. Then they schedule chemotherapy appointments that include lab tests and health evaluations your pet requires to decrease visits.
4. My pet’s prognosis is poor, and treatment is unimportant.
The belief that a dog’s cancer diagnosis can be viewed as a death sentence is a common misconception. When you consider chemotherapy or other treatments, most cancers are treatable or reversible, allowing your pet to return to a normal life.
Therapy may frequently delay the spread of cancer and provide you with more valuable time with your closest friend if a cure isn’t possible. Your pet’s last weeks or months ought to be as peaceful as possible. Treatment can reduce the adverse side effects of cancer, including nausea and fatigue.
If your pet has terminal ailment, and does not respond to usual medications, you need to consider cancer. In this case, you are in need of the assistance of a pet oncologist lexington ky to properly address the sickness of your beloved pet.
5. My pet will eventually be bed-bound and need to quit their daily routine.
Chemotherapy-treated dogs live mostly regular lives, despite frequent visits to the veterinarian. Most dogs continue to follow their regular routines during therapy, with the occasional post-treatment lethargy lasting just for a few days. There’s no reason to separate chemotherapy-treated animals from other household members. They can still take an outing with their owners, sleep in their beds, and participate in other activities.
