My dog has lymphoma. How to ease her stiffness before her oncologist?

Hi there. I think it was me that answered your initial question. I was sure worried about lymphoma and I'm sorry that was the diagnosis but glad I could help you prepare. That is so unfortunate and I will keep you guys in my thoughts and prayers. If you need anything else please don't hesitate to post again. Give Marv a kiss for me. Best wishes. Dr. Amber

Poor Millie. Chemo is an option but you will need to have access to a veterinary oncologist. I would talk to your vet about referring you to an oncologist if you have one in your area. If not, the best option would be to start her on steroids. Steroids isn't a cure but it can help improve her symptoms/clinical signs. It will help make her have a good quality of life during her time left. I hope this helps!

I am so sorry for this sad news. I would call your vet and see if they can give her any fluids to help hydrate her and get her started on an appetite stimulate. They could also possibly give her an infection of cerenia or Zofran which are great to help with nausea and vomiting. Unfortunately, she may need something to help with the nausea so she feels better and more willing to eat and drink. If you can figure out a way to make her eat and get the pred in her, it will make her feel better. The vet may even have an injectable form of prednisone or some other type of steroid that could be beneficial if you can't get the oral type in her. If these things don't work and you don't want to take her to an oncologist, then I would conisder her quality of life and euthanasia may be the best option for her. I hope this helps and I am so sorry you are having to deal with this. Hang in there!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Lymphoma is in fact a cancer. This is typically treated with chemotherapy. There are many chemotherapy options that can be considered such as a multi agent protocol called CHOP. There are other chemotherapeutic medications that can be considered depending on what your veterinarian has available. In general, chemotherapy is well-tolerated in dogs when done appropriately. If not able to proceed with chemotherapy, there are other options like prednisone therapy alone which in itself can help dogs with lymphoma though for a very short amount of time. The prognosis with chemotherapy varies and depends on the type of lymphoma he has (B-cell vs. T-cell) and the treatment chosen. The prognosis varies between 6 to 12 months with chemotherapy and about 2 months on just prednisone. Please feel free to request a consultation with me if you have more specific questions. Good luck!

I'm so sorry you and Fendi are going through this. Please consider a referral to a veterinary oncologist for a consultation to see what options are available for Fendi's treatment. There are chemotherapy protocols for canine lymphoma treatment/management that may be good options for Fendi, but they need to be started asap. Fendi may be acting normal now, but if left untreated, lymphoma in dogs can be fatal in a matter of weeks. The good news is that in dogs where lymphoma is treated with chemotherapy protocols and goes into remission, the dogs usually feel good, and often seem to be back to “normal” while in remission. The oncologist and your regular veterinarian can work with you to find the best plan for you and Fendi based on Fendi’s overall health and response to treatment. Please see the following links for more information and to learn more about staging: https://caninelymphoma.com/ https://caninelymphoma.com/canine-lymphoma-stages/ https://vet.purdue.edu/pcop/canine-lymphoma-research.php

I am so very sorry to hear about Lucy. It is always heartbreaking to get this news. If you cannot afford chemotherapy I would discuss the possibility of treating with just prednisone (a steroid) alone. This can provide temporary improvement in some pets and is not expensive. As far as how long she has left, it really can vary by dog. I have seen some decline very rapidly after diagnosis, within a week or two. That is the more rare case. Others on prednisone may live for another several months, and occasionally we will have one live 6 months or longer. The average is about 2 months. You can read more about the disease at http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=575

I'm sorry to hear that Daisy received this diagnosis. There are certainly risks and benefits to both options with respect to side effects, life span and cost. Side effects of prednisone in the short term can cause excessive drinking and urination. Some animals with underlying heart disease can go into congestive heart failure and other animals can develop diabetes as a result of the high doses of corticosteroids given in these situations. Around 40% of dogs can achieve remission for 4-6 weeks with prednisone alone, but this is certainly based upon an individual's response to medication and if any metastatic (spread) of disease is present. Obviously, this treatment is much less expensive, but a much shorter survival time is expected. Daisy's chemotherapy protocol is based on whether she has B cell or T cell lymphoma and if any metastatic disease is present. As a generalized statement, lymphoma responds to chemotherapy better than most cancers. Oncologists strive to administer chemotherapeutic drugs at doses that will kill cancerous cells while avoiding as many side effects as possible. The side effects possible vary with different chemotherapeutic drugs. In short, there is no right or wrong choice. You need to evaluate both options to determine your comfort level. If you haven't already done so, consider a consultation with a veterinary oncologist for more information. I hope this helps!