Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
Tripawds is your home to learn how to care for a three legged dog or cat, with answers about dog leg amputation, and cat amputation recovery from many years of member experiences.
Join The Tripawds Community
Learn how to help three legged dogs and cats in the forums below. Browse and search as a guest or register for free and get full member benefits:
Instant post approval.
Private messages to members.
Subscribe to favorite topics.
Live Chat and much more!
Register
Log In
Members
Add Topic
Offline
We just took Gaby for her 3rd round of chemo (Carboplatin) and unfortunately she was not able to get it due to a low white blood count. This is the 2nd time her blood count has been too low to give chemo. After the first round we had to wait an extra week for her levels to get back up. Oh, and right before we were getting ready to leave, she vomitted which she has not done in years.
The vet now wants to switch Gaby's chemo from Carboplatin to Doxorubicin. I have not heard of this chemo before. From all of the reading I have done on this site, I don't recall seeing it anywhere...unless I missed it. Just from doing some quick research, it seems like this drug can effect her heart
.
So, just wondering if anyone has any experience with this form of chemo?
Thanks,
Joanie
If you have not already done so, please check these search results for existing forum topics discussion Doxorubicin:
Tag: Doxorubicin (7 Matches Found)
Topic Titles: Doxorubicin (5 Matches Found)
Doxorubicin (97 Matches Found)
You might also find this video interview we did with Dr. Johnny Chretin helpful:
Cisplatin and Doxorubicin Side Effects in Dogs
You can use the search button at top to search the forums , and you may want to search all Tripawds blogs here.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Tai was put on Doxy for her chemo treatments. Yes there are some heart concerns but we used a supplement of CoQ10 and that supposedly helps - although some research suggests that the CoQ10 shouldn't be given while undergoing the Doxorubicin as it can reportedly decrease the effectiveness. That article recommended starting on CoQ10 AFTER the chemo to help repair the heart tissue. Tai didn't suffer many side effects at first although we did notice that the side effects became stronger with more doses. At most though she suffered from some very light nausea immediately after the treatment and lethargy for about 2-3 days after getting the Doxy. Here is an article I read on http://www.figh.....cancer.com (with credit to the author)...
Adriamycin (doxorubicin) Side Effects:
This drug has a cumulative effect on the heart. If your dog receives too much of this drug over the course of treatment, they could develop heart problem. As a result, only so much of this drug can be given to your dog in their lifetime. The vet should monitor your dog’s heart throughout treatment to ensure that it is not causing any problems, and if your dog has any existing heart conditions, you may want to consider an alternate drug, such as Mitoxantrone. In some cases, you may want to consider having an x-ray or ultrasound done prior to each Adriamycin treatment to confirm that there is no heart damage present. Using a CoQ10 supplement may help reduce the cardiotoxicity of this drug.
Nausea or Vomiting
Diarrhea (usually occurs 2-5 days after administration)
Loss of appetite
Tai – 9 yr old lab. Diagnosed Osteosarcoma Dec 18/09. Front right leg amputated Dec 21/09. Started chemo Jan 7/10. Lung mets discovered Sept 16/10. Valiant to the end on Oct 26/10 when cancer reappeared in a leg and we made the decision to set her free. Forever in my heart where not even cancer can take her from me.
Is your vet switching to doxorubricin just because of the low white counts? The chemo only has to be delayed if the neutrophil count is below 2000 and if that has been the case the dose can be reduced by 25 %. In my experience dogs have more issues with low white counts and nausea with the doxorubricin and the only reason for a switch is if the current drug is not working (e.g. lung mets). Are you seeing an oncologist?
Pam
My dog has had both doxyrubicin and carboplatin. He had much worse side effects with doxorubicin -- diarrhea, several days when he would not eat, and several days of being very tired. He has had much less side effects with carboplatin -- no diarrhea or appetite problems, but he did have a low white blood count (so far only one delayed treatment), and has had to be on antibiotics prophylactically for that.
1 Guest(s)
