“Your pet has been diagnosed with cancer.” Just listening to such a statement from your Vet, will obviously make you scared, clueless, and concerned about your pet. While “Cancer” always sounds scary to humans, you need to understand that it may not be terminal for your pet. Your vet will offer you treatment options that will cure your pet of cancer. Cancer treatment for cats and dogs will most likely include chemotherapy, and you will have to make a decision if your pet will undergo the chemotherapy treatment or not.

What is chemotherapy?

Lymphoma is one of the most common types of cancer that your pet may be diagnosed with. If the cancer is not widespread then the tumor will be removed through surgery. If cancer has already spread in the pet’s body, or if the pet is not an ideal candidate for surgery, then the vet will advise chemotherapy to treat cancer.

Chemotherapy is the cancer treatment for cats and dogs that kills the cancer cells in the body. Depending on the type of cancer that your dog has, a combination of drugs will be used for chemotherapy. Your vet will closely monitor the overall health of your pet to make sure your pet has minimal side effects from the chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy treatment is different for dogs and cats when compared to the same treatment given to humans. The treatment is not as aggressive as it for humans. The cancer treatment for cats and dogs aim at giving them a better quality of life for as long as they live.

How is chemotherapy given?

Depending on the type of cancer, and the drugs used, chemotherapy is usually administered to pets using an injection. In some rare cases, the drugs are given through intravenous infusions. And sometimes, the drugs can also be given orally. Your vet will decide what mode of treatment best suits your pet’s condition.

How much does chemotherapy for pet cost?

Like any other medical treatment, the cost of chemotherapy varies depending on the duration and the frequency of the drug that needs to be administered.

Does chemotherapy help in treating cancer in pets?

Many pet owners become skeptical to go for chemotherapy treatment for their pets as they do not want to compromise the quality of their life due to side effects. If the pets feel any side effects, the vet may change the treatment plan. However, most of the pets respond well to the chemotherapy. They experience very mild or no side effects at all. After taking the complete treatment protocols, pets enjoy a good quality of life. If the cancer becomes resistant to the drug, your vet will change the drug until all the cancer cells are killed.

The owners must understand that if their cat or dog has cancer that is curable, chemotherapy will help their pet lead an excellent life. Cancer treatment for cats and dogs is readily available and most pet owners opt for chemotherapy as it brings them the added joy of a couple of months or years of quality life with their beloved pet.

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