Lymphoma in Cats - The Pet Oncologist

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Lymphoma in cats prednisone. Living With Lymphoma



 

Last spring I wrote about canine lymphoma , so in honor of Cancer Awareness Month, I thought I would do the same for feline lymphoma. Lymphoma is cancer of the immune system. The immune system is distributed throughout the body to protect against infections. Lymphoma in cats most commonly affects the gastrointestinal tract, although since the immune system is distributed throughout the body, lymphoma can be seen in any organ in the body including the eyes, in front of the heart, and in the kidneys, liver or spleen.

Unlike canine lymphoma, feline lymphoma rarely occurs in the lymph nodes. In cats and also humans it is not a single disease, but is probably more than 20 different diseases; each of the 20 or so forms of lymphoma behaves somewhat differently and the prognosis varies between types. The most common form of lymphoma we see in cat intestines is called small cell lymphoma.

We also see an intestinal variant called large cell lymphoma. The photomicrograph on the right shows a rare form of feline lymphoma called large granular lymphoma. The name comes from the granules seen in some of the cancerous lymphocytes.

Three major types of treatments underlie all cancer therapy: surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Since lymphoma is widespread throughout the body at the time of diagnosis, surgery is not generally used for treatment as removal of all the lymph tissue in the body is impossible, but sometimes a solitary mass of lymphoma may be removed from the intestine if the mass is causing problems for the cat. Surgery may also be recommended to obtain a biopsy for diagnosis.

Radiation therapy can be used in select cases of feline lymphoma, especially if chemotherapy stops working. However, chemotherapy remains the mainstay of feline lymphoma treatment. In my office file drawers, I have a big fat folder of articles describing various chemotherapy protocols for the treatment of lymphoma.

Many of them are simply a riff on a theme. In my opinion, there are three basic options for chemotherapy of feline lymphoma:. Like with dogs, the answer is: it depends. Cats treated for small cell intestinal lymphoma often live years and some can even discontinue chemotherapy.

More aggressive forms of lymphoma like large cell lymphoma may only survive months despite multi-agent chemotherapy. A board certified veterinary oncologist can give you the most accurate prognosis for your cat.

Ann Hohenhaus is a third-generation veterinarian, double board certified in Oncology and Small Animal Internal Medicine. November 23, Cats Oncology Share.

Tags: amcny, animal medical center, animals, ann hohenhaus, cancer, cats, feline, lymphoma, NYC, Oncology, pets,. About the Author. Related Posts Oncology. Back to blog.

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Lymphoma in cats prednisone.Pet Owners -



 

Lymphoma is one of the most common types of cancers found in cats. It is a cancer of the lymphocytes, which are white blood cells that are part of the immune system.

They are found throughout the body and are responsible for helping the body fight off infections. Lymphoma can occur in many areas of the body including the gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, liver, lymph nodes, skin, chest cavity, and nasal cavity.

The gastrointestinal tract is the most common region affected. Generally, lymphoma is found in older cats, with males being slightly more predisposed than females. Clinical signs typically depend upon the location or organ system involved.

Common signs include vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, decreased appetite, and lethargy. If the cancer presents as a large mass, it is important to find out whether organ function is affected i.

GI tract, kidney, liver. The main method of diagnosing feline lymphoma is with a fine needle aspirate or biopsy of the affected organ or tissue. Once a diagnosis has been made, staging is recommended. Staging consists of several diagnostic tests to help determine the extent of disease.

Bloodwork consists of a CBC to assess the red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets, a chemistry panel to look at organ function, and a urinalysis. An abdominal ultrasound is performed to look for liver, spleen, kidney, stomach, intestinal or lymph node involvement. Lymphoma is categorized as high large cell or low grade small cell , which determines the biological nature of the tumor. Though feline lymphoma is generally an aggressive cancer, there are several treatment options.

Chemotherapy is very effective at treating lymphoma. The goal of chemotherapy is to get your pet into remission for as long as possible with minimal side effects.

This involves the use of prednisone a steroid that has anti-tumor activity , along with four other chemotherapy drugs. This therapy generally offers the longest disease free interval, but is expensive and requires frequent reassessments over a month period. There are other less intensive chemotherapy protocols, but the remission times are not as long.

For low-grade lymphoma, chemotherapy is recommended, but it is not as intense as previously described, and can consist of oral medication that is given at home. There are some cases where surgery solitary intestinal mass, especially one that is causing an obstruction or radiation therapy nasal lymphoma can be used. If these treatments are used, it is recommended that they be used in conjunction with chemotherapy.

For owners that decide not to pursue chemotherapy for a variety of reasons, we recommend prednisone therapy. Prednisone, as discussed above, has some anti-tumor activity, but is mostly used to make your pet feel better. A median survival time of months is associated with prednisone use alone for high grade lymphoma. Prognosis for feline lymphoma is most commonly predicted by the grade high vs low , the severity of clinical signs upon presentation, location of the disease, his or her viral status, and initial response to therapy.

Small cell lymphoma low grade is associated with an excellent prognosis with most cats living two or more years on oral chemotherapy at home. However, high grade lymphoma large cell is associated with a poorer prognosis with the majority of cats succumbing to the illness within the first year after diagnosis.

Extranodal presentations such as central nervous system, renal, or bone marrow involvement often carry a less favorable prognosis even with aggressive therapy. Conversely, nasal lymphoma carries a more favorable prognosis.

Initial response to chemotherapy, usually noted within the first weeks of treatment, is highly prognostic with cats that have a complete response early on having a significantly improved prognosis over those cats that do not respond. Lymphoma is considered to be the most chemo-responsive cancer in cats and treatment with multi-agent chemotherapy is associated with the longest survival times.

The induction part of the treatment protocol ranges from weeks. The goal of induction chemotherapy is to induce a remission while preserving a good quality of life for cats undergoing treatment. A maintenance chemotherapy protocol is sometimes recommended following induction based on individual cases. Maintenance chemotherapy is less intensive than induction chemotherapy and consists of intravenous treatment, Vincristine, in the veterinary hospital every 21 days along with oral medications, including prednisone, given at home.

The information below outlines the most commonly used chemotherapeutic drugs for cats with lymphoma. The goal of chemotherapy treatment is to control the cancer while helping pets maintain a good quality of life.

Compared to humans, chemotherapy treatment for pets is less intense with fewer side effects and with the use of oral anti-diarrheal and anti-nausea medications at home, typically most cats recover within 24 hours.

If vomiting, diarrhea or poor appetite continues for more than hours, call your oncologist or primary veterinarian for treatment and care recommendations.

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- Lymphoma in cats prednisone



    Prednisone, as discussed above, has some anti-tumor activity, but is mostly used to make your pet feel better. Because lymphocytes can travel through the blood and lymph vessels, lymphoma is considered a systemic disease even if problems are only being observed in one part of the body. There are some cases where surgery solitary intestinal mass, especially one that is causing an obstruction or radiation therapy nasal lymphoma can be used. What now? This should be started as soon as a diagnosis is made and continued as drug therapy is decreased later.

However, occasionally cats can potentially be cured, living up to 2. However, other less costly and less effective options are available, including single-agent chemotherapy and prednisolone alone. If your cat has low-grade or small-cell lymphoma, the gold standard treatment is different. It typically involves the use of oral administration of chlorambucil chemotherapy and prednisolone indefinitely, which owners can administer from home.

That is a common initial response from pet owners when they hear the word 'chemotherapy'. However, chemotherapy in pets is much different to people. It is essential to understand the difference between chemotherapy treatment in human and veterinary medicine.

In human medicine, the main objective of chemotherapy is to eliminate all cancer cells to try to obtain a cure. Usually, it is administered aggressively and has more chances of developing side effects. Curing cancer in veterinary medicine is desirable and feasible for some cancers. However, due to the less aggressive approach for example, lower dosages , pets usually tolerate chemotherapy far better than humans.

The primary goals of chemotherapy are to minimise discomfort associated with cancer growth or slow the progression of cancer while striving to maintain or improve the pet's quality of life. Pets experience fewer and less severe side effects than humans.

For example, when the neutrophil count drop to a critically low value and cats experience sepsis or infection. Occasionally cats will require dose reductions or treatment breaks in order to tolerate chemotherapy.

If you decide to proceed with chemotherapy in your cat, any side effect he or she experiences is unacceptable. If you have limited funds, it is still important to discuss all the available treatment options and associated costs with your veterinarian or a pet cancer specialist.

At The Pet Oncologist, I work directly with your veterinarian to provide individualised treatment recommendations for each pet. I will review all the medical information submitted via the online submission form, and provide your veterinarian with a comprehensive written report within 1 to 3 business days.

I will provide an interpretation of results, specific details about the cancer's biologic behaviour, prognosis, and multiple treatment options to cater to the individual needs of each pet and pet owner. I will also comment on whether further testing is required and address any specific questions or concerns. I can also provide chemotherapy protocols and client handouts to pet owners about the specific cancer and chemotherapy medications, to help pet owners make an informed decision.

Unfortunately, due to legal reasons, I cannot provide online pet cancer advice directly to pet owners. However, your veterinarian will be able to discuss all these options with you before you consider treatment and can contact The Pet Oncologist with any questions or concerns. Prednisolone is a steroid anti-inflammatory that can make a sick cat with lymphoma feel much better within one to two days of administration.

Occasionally cats will go into complete remission with prednisolone alone. However, remission duration is often short-lived and lasts on average of around one to two months. Therefore, prednisolone can be used by itself or in combination with other treatment options such as chemotherapy to treat lymphoma in cats. Back About Publications. Vomiting, one of the most frequent clinical signs of IBD in cats, is most often recognized as an intermittent occurrence for weeks, months, or years Affected cats are frequently misdiagnosed as having hairballs as the primary problem.

As the disorder progresses, an increased frequency of vomiting often leads the owner to seek veterinary attention. In addition to vomiting, diarrhea is a common sign observed in feline IBD and most likely is due to derangement of normal mechanisms of absorption and motility caused by mucosal inflammation. In most cases, diarrhea is intermittent early in the course of the disorder, and there may be a transient response weeks to several months to dietary manipulation or any of a variety of medications.

Later, the diarrhea becomes persistent and usually responds only to specific treatment, which is determined after a definitive diagnosis is made. Signs of small bowel diarrhea predominate, but signs of large bowel diarrhea may be evident as well if there is generalized intestinal tract involvement. Appetite changes in cats with idiopathic IBD vary from decreased appetite to complete anorexia to ravenousness. Inappetence seems to occur more commonly in cats that have vomiting as the primary clinical sign and usually occurs during exacerbation of clinical signs, and vomiting or diarrhea is not observed until later or not at all.

The three leading differential diagnoses for a cat with a ravenous appetite, diarrhea, and weight loss are IBD, hyperthyroidism, and exocrine pancreatic insufficiency uncommon. A definitive diagnosis of IBD can be made based only on intestinal biopsy. Further tests are run to evaluate the overall health status of the patient and to rule out other disorders.

Recommended baseline tests include a complete blood count, biochemical profile, urinalysis, fecal exams for parasites, serum thyroxine test, and a feline leukemia virus test. Testing for feline immunodeficiency virus should be considered in cats with chronic wasting disease.

It is important that the clinician formulate a treatment protocol based on a correlation of clinical course, laboratory and gross findings, and histologic findings rather than relying on histologic changes alone. Corticosteroids are the cornerstone of treatment for idiopathic inflammatory bowel disorders.

Mild to moderate cases often respond to prednisone or prednisolone at a starting dose of 0. Cats with inflammatory changes graded as mild usually respond quite well to the lower dose and alternate day or every third day treatment can often be achieved by two to three months.

Occasionally treatment can be discontinued altogether by three to six months. I do prefer to use prednisolone over prednisone in cats with inflammatory disorders of a moderate to severe nature, as there may be improved bioavailability in some cats with prednisolone. This dose of corticosteroid is usually well tolerated in cats.

In these cases a dose of 0. Use of combination drug therapy may also be required at the outset to control clinical signs and prevent progression of the disease. Cats with hypoproteinemia and histologic changes graded as severe often respond quite well when an aggressive therapeutic course is undertaken. When combination therapy is indicated metronidazole Flagyl is usually the first choice to be used in conjunction with prednisone.

Metronidazole's mechanism of action includes an antiprotozoal effect, inhibition of cell-mediated immune responses, and anaerobic antibacterial activity.

Ideally, at least several months of metronidazole therapy is given once it is started. In some cats with severe disease long term consecutive use or one to two month cycles of treatment may be required. Side effects to metronidazole at this low dose are uncommon in cats. Occasionally nausea or vomiting may be seen.

Consistent control of clinical signs in cats with moderate to severe IBD is more difficult to maintain when methylprednisolone acetate is used alone, however.

It is recommended that sole use of methylprednisolone acetate be reserved for situations in which the owner is unable to consistently administer tablet or liquid Prednidrops prednisone preparations. Initially 20 mg is given subcutaneously or intramuscularly and is repeated at 2-week intervals for 2 to 3 doses. Injections are then given every 2 to 4 weeks or as needed for control. If remission cannot be maintained with use of corticosteroids and metronidazole then azathioprine Imuran should be used.

Azathioprine is an immunosuppressive drug with a nonspecific effect. Replication of rapidly dividing cells, including immunoblasts, is inhibited. Azathioprine is usually used in cats only when the previously discussed therapeutic measures fail to control the disease.

The most important side effect of azathioprine in cats is bone marrow suppression. I use a maximum starting dose in cats of 0. At this low dose side effects are extremely uncommon. Alternatively if clinical signs of IBD do not resolve on the initial azathioprine dose the dose can be increased slightly if there is no evidence of bone marrow suppression. Because of a lag effect, beneficial therapeutic results from azathioprine often are not apparent until 2 to 3 weeks after treatment is started.

Azathioprine is generally used for 3 to 9 months in cats. A majority of cats with IBD do not require azathioprine treatment.

A complete blood count should be run to monitor for anemia and leukopenia at 3 to 4 week intervals for the first 2 months and then once monthly. Significant side effects are most often identified during the first 3 to 6 weeks of treatment with azathioprine.

There is usually no physical evidence of early azathioprine toxicity in cats. Mild leukopenia e. Azathioprine is currently only available as 50 mg tablets. The low dosage used in cats requires that the tablet be broken into small fragments i. Since this is a very inaccurate and potentially dangerous way of administering azathioprine to cats, this drug must be administered in suspension form. I have used a preparation which allows for accurate dosing of azathioprine and less chance of accidental toxicity.

A 50 mg tablet is pulverized and mixed in 15 ml of V. Syrup Ft. Dodge Laboratories. This is a flavored vitamin preparation which is quite palatable to most cats. Powdered medication mixes well with the syrup and does not seem to precipitate out appreciably. The dosage in ml is then calculated based on the cat's body weight e. The client is instructed to shake the medication well before administering it. Alternatively, a suspension preparation can be made by a compounding pharmacy service.

A major advantage of administering azathioprine in this manner is that any required increase in dosage can be done very accurately. If azathioprine is well tolerated and there has been inadequate clinical improvement the dosage can be increased form 0. Poor responses to treatment of cats with IBD usually result from 1 inadequate initial corticosteroid dosage, 2 poor client compliance, or more commonly 3 treatment for only small intestinal inflammatory disease when colitis is present as well.

Some cats with concurrent IBD and colitis may show minimal or no clinical signs of colitis. Because dietary allergens may play a role in the cause if IBD, specific dietary therapy may be beneficial.

Lymphoma is cancer of the lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell that produces antibodies and protects your cat from infections. When lymphocytes become cancerous and start dividing out of control, they can go rogue and start to destroy normal tissues too. Fortunately, lymphoma usually responds well to chemotherapy, which can get your cat back to feeling like her normal self. While many people fear chemotherapy, worrying about side effects, cats seem to tolerate chemotherapy much better than humans do.

They rarely experience the nausea, poor appetite, and malaise that some people associate with chemotherapy. In addition to the lymph nodes and thymus gland, lymph tissue is found in the spleen, liver, heart, kidneys, and bone marrow.

The lymph system delivers nutrients to the body, transports wastes and cellular debris, absorbs fat from the intestinal tract, and processes and removes infectious agents. Lymphocytes often hang out in lymph nodes and the thymus, but also circulate throughout the body via the lymphatic vessels and the bloodstream. Lymphoma can show up anywhere. Because lymphocytes can travel through the blood and lymph vessels, lymphoma is considered a systemic disease even if problems are only being observed in one part of the body.

Common symptoms include weight loss, poor appetite, and lethargy, but exact symptoms and potential outcome vary based on the primary location of the cancer. It often appears in older cats, and exposure to tobacco smoke is a risk factor. Affected cats usually show GI signs such as weight loss, diarrhea, and vomiting. Some cats have a decreased appetite, while others show an increased appetite or no change. This variation typically shows up in cats under 5 years old, and affected cats may have trouble breathing due to fluid buildup in the chest or may vomit frequently.

Renal lymphoma: Affected cats show signs of kidney failure such as weight loss, decreased appetite, increased thirst, and vomiting. The kidneys will often become enlarged. Renal lymphoma often spreads to the central nervous system and brain, which can result in neurological signs like stumbling, walking in circles, or seizures. Nasal lymphoma: Cats with lymphoma in their nose often have swelling in their muzzle and face, discharge from the nose, and frequent sneezing.

Nasal lymphoma is unique in that it sometimes is completely localized to the one area. Multicentric lymphoma: In this cancer, lymph nodes throughout the body are affected. Common lymph nodes that owners notice are on the neck under the chin, in front of the shoulder blade, in the armpits, in the groin, and behind the stifles knees. Once your veterinarian has identified either a tumor or suspicious lymph nodes, she will likely recommend a biopsy or fine needle aspirate FNA to get a definitive diagnosis.

An FNA is the cheapest and least invasive method, however. To do an FNA, the veterinarian will insert a needle into either a tumor or a suspicious lymph node and extract cells for evaluation under a microscope. In addition, not all areas of the body are accessible to FNA. That said, FNA can be a good place to start, especially when a full biopsy is not an option.

If a decision is made to seek a biopsy to rule out intestinal lymphoma, an endoscopic biopsy may be an option. Endoscopy requires anesthesia so your cat will sit still while a tiny flexible fiberoptic camera is passed into her gastrointestinal tract to inspect it and to obtain tissue samples, but it is less invasive than obtaining biopsies via laparotomy surgical incision into the abdominal wall.

Biopsies obtained via endoscopy and laparotomy appear to be equally effective at providing useful diagnostic information. When a sample is sent to a lab for histopathology analysis under a microscope and determined to be lymphoma, the pathologist will give it a grade based upon a number of factors, including cell size, appearance, and architecture. The grade indicates how aggressive the cancer appears to be and is useful for determining the best treatment option for your cat and her prognosis.

Low-grade or small-cell lymphomas have cancer cells that divide more slowly. This grade is less malignant and usually more responsive to chemotherapy. High-grade or large-cell lymphomas have rapidly dividing cancer cells and are more aggressive. These cases are more difficult to treat. The downside is that it can be expensive. The cancer cells are still around, however, and may take off again in the future. Many cats with lymphoma achieve full or partial remission with treatment.

The most successful protocols use multiple drugs. This allows the veterinarian to use lower doses of each drug, minimizing side effects, while also attacking the lymphoma from multiple angles. If a cat shows side effects to a medication, your veterinarian will adjust the treatment protocol to ensure her comfort. Approximately 70 percent of cats achieve complete remission for varying periods of time, with a median remission time of days.

Cats that maintain full remission for one to two years about one third of feline lymphoma patients that are treated may survive for significantly longer periods of time i. During complete remission, cats can live high-quality, fairly normal lives.

Some chemotherapy drugs can be administered by mouth in either pill or liquid form, while others are given by injection usually into a vein. These medications can even be given at home. Injectable chemo drugs include doxorubicin, vincristine, and cyclophosphamide, and many others that may be used depending upon response, availability, and the potential side effects of each.

Treatment frequency and duration vary widely based on the protocol being used and how the cat responds to treatment. Injectable drugs require a veterinary visit and are usually given less frequently weekly or every few weeks.

Treatment duration can range from six months to two years. Some cats may need a few rounds of treatment before symptoms improve, but others can get relief as quickly as 24 hours after their first chemo treatment. If your cat comes out of remission, or her lymphoma comes back, changing to a different chemo protocol will often be successful in getting her back in remission.

If a patient comes out of remission repeatedly, however, her lymphoma may become resistant to all treatment options. Surgery will not cure lymphoma. Radiation therapy can be beneficial in conjunction with chemo in some cases, especially for nasal lymphoma. Response to treatment can be unpredictable in feline lymphoma. Some cats will, unfortunately, do poorly while others thrive for several years after treatment.

Life after a diagnosis of feline lymphoma can be comfortable and stress-free for your cat, giving you more quality time together, in some cases for considerable periods of time.

Bring your cat in for regular veterinary checkups, including bloodwork: once a year for young cats, every six months for cats over 10 years old. Sign in. Forgot your password? Get help. Privacy Policy. Create an account. Password recovery. Catwatch Newsletter.

Health Cancer. Palliative Care: If chemotherapy is not an option, you can still provide your cat with relief. Prednisone alone will not usually induce remission in feline lymphoma, but it decreases inflammation and reduces symptoms. Some cats can stay comfortable and achieve a good quality of life for several months on this drug. Kseniia Soloveva iStock Photo. Warning Signs Of Cancer. Bone Cancer Metastases.

Prednisolone is a steroid anti-inflammatory that can make a sick cat with lymphoma feel much better within one to two days of administration. Prednisolone pre-treatment decreases the susceptibility of feline lymphoma cells towards doxorubicin or vincristine treatment in vitro. One study has reported excellent results in cats with chronic lymphocytic lymphoma using a protocol of prednisone (10 mg PO per cat per day) and chlorambucil . Prednisone: Prednisone is a corticosteroid that can be administered in a tablet, liquid, or injectable formulation. This medication is helpful. Prednisone alone will not usually induce remission in feline lymphoma, but it decreases inflammation and reduces symptoms. It is essential to understand the difference between chemotherapy treatment in human and veterinary medicine. Back About Publications. What if I have financial limitations? We also see an intestinal variant called large cell lymphoma.

Lymphoma is the abnormal proliferation of lymphocytes which are one of the main types of white blood cells involved in immunity.

Lymphoma is one of the most common cancer in cats. It may arise in lymphoid tissues such as lymph nodes, spleen, and bone marrow. However, lymphoma more commonly arises from other tissues in the body.

Often owners will notice non-specific signs of illness, such as reduced appetite, lower energy levels, weight loss, vomiting or diarrhoea.

Some cats may present with a mass and no apparent signs of illness. The signs of illness that will vary depending on the extent and location of lymphoma. Diagnosis is usually confirmed with sampling the affected organ and lymph nodes by either cytology fine needle aspirate samples or biopsy tissue sample.

Staging refers to how far cancer has grown and spread in the body. Staging is important to provide prognostic information on which to base decisions and identify unrelated problems that could affect treatment choices. Cats are usually staged with blood and urine tests, chest x-rays and abdominal ultrasound. The results of these tests will allow veterinarians to develop individualised treatment recommendations for your cat.

There are many levels of treatment options available for cats with lymphoma. If your cat has high-grade or large-cell lymphoma, the prognosis for untreated cats is guarded, with an average survival time of approximately two months or less.

Combination chemotherapy with a three to five drug combination, alongside with prednisolone is the standard of care treatment modality. It is usually administered over four months. However, occasionally cats can potentially be cured, living up to 2. However, other less costly and less effective options are available, including single-agent chemotherapy and prednisolone alone.

If your cat has low-grade or small-cell lymphoma, the gold standard treatment is different. It typically involves the use of oral administration of chlorambucil chemotherapy and prednisolone indefinitely, which owners can administer from home.

That is a common initial response from pet owners when they hear the word 'chemotherapy'. However, chemotherapy in pets is much different to people. It is essential to understand the difference between chemotherapy treatment in human and veterinary medicine. In human medicine, the main objective of chemotherapy is to eliminate all cancer cells to try to obtain a cure.

Usually, it is administered aggressively and has more chances of developing side effects. Curing cancer in veterinary medicine is desirable and feasible for some cancers. However, due to the less aggressive approach for example, lower dosages , pets usually tolerate chemotherapy far better than humans.

The primary goals of chemotherapy are to minimise discomfort associated with cancer growth or slow the progression of cancer while striving to maintain or improve the pet's quality of life. Pets experience fewer and less severe side effects than humans. For example, when the neutrophil count drop to a critically low value and cats experience sepsis or infection. Occasionally cats will require dose reductions or treatment breaks in order to tolerate chemotherapy.

If you decide to proceed with chemotherapy in your cat, any side effect he or she experiences is unacceptable. If you have limited funds, it is still important to discuss all the available treatment options and associated costs with your veterinarian or a pet cancer specialist. At The Pet Oncologist, I work directly with your veterinarian to provide individualised treatment recommendations for each pet.

I will review all the medical information submitted via the online submission form, and provide your veterinarian with a comprehensive written report within 1 to 3 business days. I will provide an interpretation of results, specific details about the cancer's biologic behaviour, prognosis, and multiple treatment options to cater to the individual needs of each pet and pet owner.

I will also comment on whether further testing is required and address any specific questions or concerns. I can also provide chemotherapy protocols and client handouts to pet owners about the specific cancer and chemotherapy medications, to help pet owners make an informed decision. Unfortunately, due to legal reasons, I cannot provide online pet cancer advice directly to pet owners.

However, your veterinarian will be able to discuss all these options with you before you consider treatment and can contact The Pet Oncologist with any questions or concerns. Prednisolone is a steroid anti-inflammatory that can make a sick cat with lymphoma feel much better within one to two days of administration. Occasionally cats will go into complete remission with prednisolone alone.

However, remission duration is often short-lived and lasts on average of around one to two months. Therefore, prednisolone can be used by itself or in combination with other treatment options such as chemotherapy to treat lymphoma in cats. Back About Publications. Back Vet Education Handouts. Back Gallery For Vets. Back Contact Subscribe. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorised distribution is prohibited. What is lymphoma? Will my cat be sick? How do I check if my cat has lymphoma?

What are the treatment options available for cats with lymphoma? What now? What if I have financial limitations? Learn more about 'Lymphoma in Cats'. Subscribe to Newsletter. Like and Follow on Facebook or Instagram!



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