Can doxycycline help my dog with lymphoma if chemo is too costly?

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!

Hi there. I am sorry that Cain is having this issue. When clients cannot afford to do the long course of chemotherapy the next best option is to do high doses of oral steroids (prednisone) which is extremely inexpensive. A dog his size would it would probably only cost you $20 or less a month to do this. Did your vet not offer you this option? The prednisone will not cure the lymphoma but it will certainly slow the course of disease. It will reduce the swelling of the lymph nodes for sure. This may only help for a few months but it is better than no treatment. If you are not going to do any treatment at all the best option is humane euthanasia so that Cain does not suffer. Really, I think you and Cain will be very happy with steroid therapy. Please call your vet back and ask about this option. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

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!

First off, I'm sorry that Roxy has lymphoma (cancer of the lymph nodes)! Yes, your vet is correct that this treatment protocol can give her more time with you. Each dog responds differently to the treatment, but with chemotherapy, the median survival time is 6-12 months. Given I can't see her in person, I can't say for certain how long she is survive, but I do recommend following your vet's recommendations to increase your time with her. Again, I'm sorry about her diagnosis :-(

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I am sorry to hear Diesel isn’t feeling well. The prednisone is supposed to help slow the growth of the cancer but eventually it won’t be effective. Prednisone alone isn’t enough to cure him. If he is getting worse and the lymph nodes are growing it is likely the prednisone is no longer helping. I would discuss your options with the vet that diagnosed him but there isn’t much more they can do for him. I am so sorry and I hope the rest of his life is pain free. Good luck and kisses to Diesel!

No, doxycycline can commonly cause vomiting and diarrhea with no appetite, but unless there was an acute allergic reaction it does not cause death. If the MRSA spread to the blood stream and she became septic, then this can be fatal as the infection took over her body. I am sorry for your loss.

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