Canines are just as susceptible to forms of cancer as humans. Side effects during the treatment process present in much the same way as in humans, with dogs experiencing hair loss around the face, paws, and regions nearest to the malignant growth. Anemia is a side effect of chemotherapy treatment in canines as well, presenting dangerous complications for owners that are trying to keep the dog's weight steady during a time when its system will be at its weakest.
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Chemotherapy Defined
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Chemotherapy is the name for a cancer treatment that uses cyto-toxic chemicals. The treatment attacks cells within the body with the goal of destroying cancerous growth. Problems arise with this treatment because it acts without regard for healthy cells, meaning malignant growths are destroyed along with healthy tissue. For this reason chemotherapy is used in much smaller doses in canines than in humans, which also contributes to dogs experiencing fewer symptoms while undergoing treatment. According to Caninecancerawareness.org, approximately 80 percent of dogs treated with chemotherapy will have cancerous growths go into remission.
Side Effects of Treatment
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Chemotherapy treatments will typically run in cycles of weekly doses for four to six months. Side effects of treatment depend largely on the specific type of chemical used during the course of chemotherapy; owners can expect the dog to lose hair due to fast-growing hair follicles being particularly vulnerable to cytotoxic chemicals and the dog may have fluctuating weight. The dog may actually crave food more frequently as a reaction to the damage done to healthy cells by treatment and instinctively seek to replace lost nutrients. Weight loss in canine chemo patients is more than likely caused by anemia.
Anemia
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Anemia is caused by a lack of hemoglobin, an iron-containing protein in the blood. Chemotherapy withers healthy red blood cells causing a deficiency of this protein in canines. A dog with anemia will display a dramatic drop in energy level and rapidly lose weight and muscle mass. This condition, coupled with chemo-induced bone marrow loss, greatly reduces a canine's ability to fight off infection and makes them susceptible to opportunistic bacterial infections.
Treatment for Anemia
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A blood transfusion is the best means to combat anemia in a dog fighting cancer. The infusion of fresh blood cells will allow the canine to regain some of its appetite, which will boost its own production of healthy cells and infuse more iron into its system. Owners should augment the dog's diet during this time to incorporate more iron-rich foods such as beef liver, kelp and other green vegetables.
Warning
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According to dogcancer.net, anemia is rarely caused by the chemotherapy drugs used on canines during cancer treatment. While the condition is common in humans, the appearance of such a condition in a dog may signal a need for an adjustment in the strength of cytotoxic chemicals being used as part of the dog's treatment plan. Owners should always tell the vet about any new symptoms so that treatment of the dog's cancer can be modified to achieve optimal effectiveness and with minimal risk to the dog's continued health once the cancer is in remission.
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