Features

October 2011 Issue

By Barbara Dobbins

The author’s dog Daisy is shown being prepped for the administration of her chemotherapy. An intravenous catheter is being inserted into her vein through which the agents will be injected. Alternating sites are used on each visit.

Dogs Who Undergo Chemotherapy Treatment – A Comprehensive Report

Chemotherapy isn’t as onerous to dogs as it is to humans, but its many benefits are balanced by some risks.

Cancer. My heart dropped to my stomach. In February 2010 my Border Collie Daisy became one of an estimated six million dogs diagnosed with cancer each year. Chemotherapy. My stomach tumbled to my feet. The diagnosis was scary enough; how could I possibly consider chemotherapy? I had visions of a treatment worse than the disease itself. As it turns out, my preconceptions of chemotherapy were far worse than its reality. Chemo hasn’t cured my dog – more on that later – but it’s given us more than 18 months (and counting) of joyful, quality time together.

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