There are many clinics and hospitals that specialize in providing chemotherapy treatment for cats. Lymphoma is the most common type of cancers found in cats. In this type of cancer the malignant lymphocytes (type of blood cell) multiply abnormally in the organs like bone marrow, lymph, spleen and liver. This cancer can also occur in the skin, eyes, or even gastrointestinal tract. The most common cause of the lymphosarcoma is the feline leukemia virus (FeLV). Although this cancer can affect cats of any age group, and of any breed, cats that have feline immunodeficiency virus are at higher risk of developing this cancer.

The various symptoms of cancer in cats include: swollen lymph nodes, chronic weight loss, an enlarged lump, chronic diarrhea or vomiting, cough, oral odor, lameness, difficulty in urinating or breathing, unexplained bleeding, unexplained weight loss, discharge or bleeding from any opening of the body, and loss of stamina.

Treatment of Cat Cancer

Many people are not aware that there are several treatment options for pets including canine cancer chemotherapy, chemotherapy for cats; there are even doctors and clinics that specialize in this kind of treatment. There most common forms of treatment available for the cats that have this cancer is surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Surgery can be considered when the tumor has not spread to other parts of the body. Doctors first conduct a biopsy of the tumor in order to find whether the cancer is malignant. This can be done with or without the help of surgery. Doctors then the stage the cancer and decide the treatment.

Cats Chemotherapy

After resection, chemotherapy is the main treatment given for lymphosarcoma in cats. These pets respond well to chemotherapy treatment.

Drugs Used for Chemotherapy for Cat

There can be many drugs that are used to treat lymphoma in cats. These drugs can be used for the treatment of cancer and other non-cancerous diseases. The drugs and the cycle depend on the type and stage of cancer. Usually, cats are given chemotherapy treatment every week for the first 4-6 months. If the drugs help the cat to attain remission for 4 to 6 months, then the rest period is increased from one week to two weeks. After a year, the rest period is increased to three weeks. If tests indicate that a cat is in remission even after one and a half years, then chemotherapy treatment is stopped. Usually, a small percentage of the cats attain complete remission.

If the cancer relapses, then there are very less chances of attaining remission for the second time, and the side effects can be quite risky.

The drugs can be given along or in combination with other drugs. Some drugs are given intravenously, by way of infusion and some can be given orally. Your pet will be constantly be monitored during the course of the treatment. This will enable the doctors to find out if your cat has any side effects and whether the drugs given are helping in attaining remission. The various drugs used in the chemotherapy treatment of cats.

• Azathioprine
• Chlorambucil
• Cyclophosphamide
• L-Asparaginase (Elspar)
• Doxorubicin (Adriamycin, Rubex)
• Lomustine

Side Effects of Cat Chemotherapy

There are many lymphoma chemotherapy side effects and side effects of chemotherapy given for other types of cancers in cats. Most of the cats can tolerate chemotherapy better than humans and do not have many side effects. If you notice any serious side effects contact your doctor immediately. Your doctor might decrease the dosage or frequency of the drugs. The various side effects include vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, loss of appetite, fatigue. Because of the lowered blood count, your pet might become prone to infection. They do not shed their fur, but in most cases, their whiskers tend to fall off during the treatment. The fur might change in texture and color.

The doctors might need to shave the fur in order to locate the nerves. The clipped hair grows back after the chemotherapy treatment is over or the cycles become less frequent, but the growth is very slow. Hair loss can be seen only in some breeds of dogs.

The chemotherapy drugs attack the cancerous cells. But they cannot distinguish between the healthy cells and the cancerous cells. This causes the above mentioned side effects. However, the treatment is usually stopped because of these side effects.

The most common side effect that is evident in feline and canine pets is increase in the toxicity levels of the gastrointestinal tract and the bone marrow, the cells tend to multiply in these areas. Most of these animals experience this side effect at least once during the course of their chemotherapy treatment. However, unlike humans the symptoms are quite mild and can be taken care of at home.

As the bone marrow gets affected, it hampers the production of white blood cells in the body of the patient. This can make the patient very prone to infection, and the bacteria that that cannot harm to a normal body, can cause a life-threatening disease for a patient. In such cases, the patients are admitted to the hospital and treated with antibiotics intravenously.

In rare cases, if the cytotoxic drugs leak outside the vein from which they are being administered, they can irritate the subcutaneous tissue (layer of tissues just beneath the skin). Because of this, a patient might experience, ulceration, severe swelling, and even inflammation. The examples of these drugs are Adriamycin, vinblastine, mustargen and vincristine.

Thus the effectiveness of chemotherapy for cats depends on the stage of the cancer, the age of your pet and its overall health. Although the various treatments available have made it possible to cure cancer in animals and humans, before you start with the chemotherapy treatment, you can take the advice of your doctor if you should let your pet undergo the treatment or not.