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IF YOUR DOG HAS CANCER
Updated 12/28/04
The following appeared in DogWatch The Newsletter for Dog People. Volume 5, No. 4, April 2001. DogWatch is for the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. It is published on a monthly basis and can be subscribed to by writing to Belvoir Publications, inc., 75 Holly Hill Lane, Greenwich, CT 06830.
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Listed below are general guidelines from veterinary oncologists at the University of Pennsylvania to meet the needs of dogs with cancer when they are not eating. Owners of such dogs are cautioned that every patient is different and requires individualized care and attention. Remember, no one strategy will work for every animal>
- Resist the temptation to coax a pet to eat when he or she is feeling or showing overt signs of nausea or discomfort. Pets that gulp or drool at the sight or smell of food, turn their heads away, spit out food when placed in the mouth, or bury the food under their bedding should be left alone.
- Discuss the possibility of anti-emetic drugs with your veterinarian if you think nausea and vomiting are a problem.
- Also discuss the use of tube feeding. Many factors must be considered when deciding whether a pet is a candidate for nutritional support. These techniques are not appropriate or feasible for every pet, but can be used successfully in many cases.
- A few drugs have been used to stimulate the appetite. According to University of Pennsylvania experts, these drugs are best used in helping patients get over learned food aversions AFTER they have begun to feel better.
- If you pet is showing some interest in food, try novel food items. If you pet has begun to associate a previously favorite food with unpleasant sensations, introducing a very different type of food may overcome the aversion to eating. This can backfire if the patient is still unwell, since the aversion may simply transfer to the new food. Remember that table foods will not provide all of the nutrients a pet needs. If a pet eats an exclusively home-cooked diet for any period of time, you should get some advice on how to make that diet more complete and balanced.
- Try offering food in a noval setting or have someone different do the feeding. Sometimes an animal will associate its surroundings with past unpleasant experiences.
- Remember that dogs are social animals and may be more likely to eat with their pack -- which includes you! Coaxing a dog to eat during family mealtimes or with other pets present might be successful.
- Try not to schedule mealtimes at the same time that you do other treatments, such as pilling. Avoid pushing food on your pet. Stroke and talk to your pet with food nearby and watch for any signs of interest.
- Divide the day's food into as many small meals as your schedule will permit. The food ingredients that increase palatability are moisture, fat, and protein. Adding water to a dry pet food or switching to canned food may improve food acceptance. A pet's tolerance of certain nutrients must be considered when trying new foods. Animals with kidney or liver dysfunction may not tolerate high protein intake. Animals with some types of gastrointestinal disease cannot tolerate large amounts of dietary fat.
- The standard advice for getting anorexic pets to eat has been to warm foods to just below body temperature. This is believed to increase the aroma of food, which in turn will enhance palatability. Recently, there is some evidence that this might be counterproductive in animals that are exhibiting food aversion. This makes sense, since these patients may be hungry but have learned to associate certain smells or flavors with feeling sick. In these cases, offering food at room temperature or even chilled may meet with more success.
For more information visit the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine web site (http://www.vet.cornell.edu/cancer) and the University of Pennsylvania web site (http://www.oncolink.upenn.edu/specialty/vet_onc.
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Financial help. Cody's Club. Cody’s Club provides financial support for those who face radiation treatments on a limited income, and also emotional support services in the form of a hotline and in-person group that meets monthly.
Visit the Sparky Fights Back web site. It includes a wealth of information about dogs and cancer, including: Canine Lymphoma, Oncology Resources, Finding Treatment, Financial Aid, and Important Links.
Read about the 10 warning signs of cancer by Dr. Gerald Post as appearing in the book Sparky Fights Back : A Little Dog's Big Battle Against Cancer by Josee Clerens and John Clifton.
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