Caring for a Pet With Cancer

"Your pet has cancer." This is obviously a phrase no loving pet owner ever wants to hear. If your pet has received such a diagnosis, you may be feeling a flood of emotions, ranging from sorrow and despair to confusion and panic. Fortunately, many cancers can respond well to the right combination of veterinary treatment and home care. Let's examine the unpleasant but important topic of caring for a pet with cancer.

The Nature of the Enemy: Cancer in Pets

You might think of cancer as a "human disease," but in reality, it strikes pets with shocking frequency. In fact, veterinarians diagnose some 12 million new cancer cases each year among dogs and cats alone -- and many other species of animals get cancer as well. Cancers common in the animal community include bladder cancer, liver cancer, bladder cancer, brain cancer, cancers of the gastrointestinal tract, reproductive cancers, melanoma, oral cancer, lymphoma, and leukemia, to name just a few. If you have a pet suffering from cancer, you're certainly not the only pet owner facing this crisis.

Pet Cancer Treatment Options and Decisions

Treatment for pet cancer strongly resembles cancer treatment for humans, relying on the same basic set of options to cure the cancer completely or slow its progress. Many cancers can be successfully removed through conventional surgery, laser surgery, or a freezing technique called cryosurgery. If this primary approach doesn't completely get rid of the cancer, your vet may recommend radiation therapy to kill off any remaining cancer cells. If the cancer has spread beyond its original site, your pet may need chemotherapy, or the use of drugs to poison the cancer cells.

Despite all these treatment options, the decision of whether to go ahead with cancer treatment isn't always a simple one. In the case of a frail and elderly pet, or a pet suffering from other serious chronic ailments, cancer treatment may simply not be possible or advisable. A particularly aggressive or advanced cancer may require treatment methods that would sabotage your pet's quality of life with little hope of a happy outcome. Whatever the prognosis, your veterinarian can help you make the most sensible, compassionate decision for your pet's welfare.

Home Pet Cancer Care Tips

While skilled veterinary treatment can offer a lot for a pet with cancer, so can a loving owner. Here are some ways you can support your pet throughout its journey with this disease.

• Make your pet as comfortable as possible. A pet struggling with cancer needs a quiet, restful environment with easy access to all the necessary amenities. Set up a comfy bed in a quiet room that can be closed off to household noise and chaos. Keep it well stocked with food, water, toys, and blankets. Remember to administer pain medication as recommended by your vet.
• Be there for your pet emotionally. A pet with cancer will need extra love, affection, and attention. Schedule plenty of reassuring cuddle time and relaxed, low-key playtime with your special friend. Just being there for your pet can make a huge difference in its emotional well being.
• Monitor your pet's health. Because your pet's condition may change between vet visits, you can do your vet a big favor by tracking any changes in appetite, symptoms, appearance, or behavior from day to day. Keep a log of these changes and bring them with you to each vet appointment.
• Follow a routine, but adjust it as needed. Pets thrive on a predictable daily routine, and a pet with cancer is no exception. Try to maintain as much of your pet's everyday feedings, walks, and other routine activities as reasonably possible to offset those unfamiliar treatments and symptoms. However, if your pet's appetite or energy level changes, either due to the cancer itself or the treatments' side effects, reduce activity time and alter your pet's diet per your vet's instructions.
• Avoid taking a DIY approach. The Internet is filled with "experts" offering advice on nutritional supplements and other products that supposedly support pet cancer treatment and recovery. Resist the temptation to take matters into your own hands by experimenting with these products on your pet. Always ask your veterinarian before adding a supplement, special diet, or other at-home measure to your pet's course of care.

Lean on Others for Support and Expertise

A diagnosis of cancer in your pet is hard to face, but you don't have to go it alone. You'll find a variety of online support groups available on social media platforms. The CancerCare Pet Assistance & Wellness (PAW) Program is another invaluable online resource. This program offers not just support groups, but also financial assistance options and an extensive searchable database of affordable pet services.

No matter how much help and consolation you receive from the pet cancer community, your main lifeline of knowledge and expertise should come from your family veterinarian and/or veterinary cancer specialist. Ask lots of questions, including details about the type of cancer your pet has, the severity of the condition, your pet's long-term prognosis, and the pros and cons of different treatments. The more you know about how to help your pet, the higher a quality of life you can provide for it at a difficult time. Stay strong!