Cancer is an awful diagnosis to get and has unfortunately become more common in the past few years. Advances in veterinary medicine and pet care have given our furry family members longer lives. But this has meant an increase in age-related illnesses, such as cancer.
Tumours
A tumour forms when a cell undergoes a mutation which makes it able to make more of itself in an uncontrolled fashion. This forms a mass of aberrant cells that cause a host of problems within the body. Any cell in the body is capable of transforming into a tumour cell, which is why we find so many different forms of cancer.
Benign tumours are those that do not spread to other organs or invade nearby tissues. This means that surgical removal of the tumour can be curative.
In this article, we will focus on malignant tumours and cancer, which require more intensive care and may have a terminal course.
Diagnosing cancer
If your veterinarian suspects that your pet may have cancer, they will recommend various tests. These will likely include surgical biopsies, blood and urine tests, radiographs, ultrasound and maybe even CT or MRI scans. These tests will help establish a diagnosis, establish your pet’s general health and evaluate for signs that the cancer has spread to other organs.
Once your veterinarian has established an accurate diagnosis, they can recommend appropriate treatment. Surgical removal of the primary tumour is in many cases the first indicated step of treatment. This may then be followed by chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Not all tumours are good candidates for surgery, and chemotherapy or radiation may be the only treatment options.
Treatments
Chemotherapy is a treatment where drugs are given that target rapidly dividing cells (such as tumour cells) to kill them. Unfortunately, these drugs also injure healthy rapidly dividing cells, such as intestinal cells, hair follicles and the bone marrow. This then leads to the common side effects seen, such as vomiting, diarrhoea, poor appetite, hair loss and an increased susceptibility to infections.
Referral to a specialist for this type of therapy is ideal. However, if you are unable to take your pet to a specialist, your veterinarian will tell you if there are any of these treatments that they feel comfortable administering themselves.
Radiotherapy is a treatment where an affected area is bombarded with ionising radiation, which disrupts and destroys tumour cells. This type of treatment is available only through certain specialist facilities. Side effects of this therapy are typically localised to the area being treated, for example, inflammation of the skin, mucosa (for example, in the mouth) or other tissues that cannot be avoided during therapy, such as the eyes.
Palliative care refers to those treatments that are given to your pet to provide relief from their symptoms, such as pain, nausea or seizures. These symptoms may be a result of their cancer or side effects from other treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation. These treatments do not treat the cancer but are meant to maintain your pet’s quality of life.
The availability of alternative therapies has grown significantly in the past few years. CBD has shown some promise in targeting cancer cells. There is, to date, however, no clinical data proving its efficacy against cancer in human or veterinary patients. Ongoing research may provide us with the evidence we need to prescribe this treatment routinely. Treatments such as homeopathy and natural remedies have not been shown to be beneficial to patients suffering from cancer. Please discuss the use of any alternative therapies with your veterinarian to ensure that you are not doing your pet more harm by using them.
Check-ups
Your veterinarian will want to see your pet for regular check-ups and tests to see how they are doing. They will adjust any treatments as necessary to keep your pet as comfortable as possible. It is vital that you contact them immediately if you notice any new symptoms or unexpected signs of deterioration. Weakness, collapse, difficulty breathing, vomiting, diarrhoea and not wanting to eat should prompt you to see your vet. It may be necessary for your pet to be admitted to hospital for a drip, pain and nausea injections or tube feeding to pull them through a rough patch.
Home care
At home, your role will centre around providing good nursing care to keep your pet comfortable and monitoring him carefully for deterioration. Ensure that he is, as far as possible, supervised at all times. Limit access to areas where he may injure himself, like falling into a swimming pool or down a flight of stairs.
He may struggle to get up and move around and may need to be carried out to go to the toilet. Ensure that at all times he has easy access to food and cool, clean water without having to get up and walk far. How much he is eating must be carefully monitored. Feed the best quality diet that comes recommended by your veterinarian to maintain nutrient intake.
Sick dogs and cats will often have poor appetites and maintaining nutrition is vital for supporting body functions. Make sure he has somewhere soft and comfortable to sleep. Try to keep as much as possible of your normal routine; this will help him feel more at ease. Most importantly, spend as much time as possible loving him and reassuring him that he is not alone.
Letting him go
There will come a time when treatment is not working or your pet is no longer responding to palliative care. If this time comes, it is important for you to be able to recognise signs of poor quality of life and know when it is time to let him go gently.
Ask yourself: Is he eating? Is he able to get up and do normal things, such as going to the toilet? Is he in a lot of pain? Is he breathing comfortably? Is he showing signs of being happy, such as a dog wagging his tail or a cat purring? If your pet appears to be miserable all the time and cannot live a joyful life anymore, it may be time to consider euthanasia.
Treating a pet with cancer can be extremely difficult and emotionally draining. Your vet is there to help guide you through the process from beginning to end. We will work together with you to ensure that your pet is receiving the best care possible, is not suffering, or can pass gently if that becomes the only option.
By: Dr Kathryn Knipe from Birnam Veterinary Clinic on behalf of the South African Veterinary Association
