What To Expect When Your Dog Is Going Through Chemo

Before Bill started chemo, we had no idea what to expect. If your pup is about to start the CHOP protocol, here’s what we’ve learned about chemo for dogs!

When Bill was diagnosed with B-cell lymphoma, our world was shattered. We believed it to be an immediate death sentence, which felt so hard to wrap our brains around. He was young! He was acting fine! Once our veterinarian referred us to a veterinary oncologist, we learned more about cancer in dogs, and specifically — chemo for dogs. If you are preparing for chemo with your pup, or just curious about lymphoma treatment for dogs, today’s post is for you.

What To Expect When Your Dog Is Going Through Chemo

The first thing that I learned about chemo for dogs is that dogs do not react to the drugs in the same way that humans do. Specifically, they do not get as sick or run down as humans you may know who have undergone chemo treatments. Our primary concern was having Bill undergo chemo treatments, but his quality of life be garbage, because he was so sick from the chemotherapy drugs all the time. 

One thing to note about chemotherapy for pets is that while it’s the “gold standard”, it doesn’t come cheaply. Our veterinarian gave us a ballpark estimate before we started, as well as a realistic outlook on how well Bill would handle it and how long it would prolong his life.

Bill is undergoing what’s called the CHOP protocol. CHOP is the acronym for a chemotherapy regimen where each letter is representative of one of the drugs used. We are on a 19-week protocol where Bill gets a different drug every week. It breaks down to four, 5-week cycles. The fifth week of each cycle he has “off”, where he gets a CBC (complete blood count) taken at the vet. 

I can obviously only speak for our vet (VCA Southpaws is second to none if you’re in NOVA!), but if your dog is about to start their chemo treatments, the first thing I want to stress to you is not to be anxious. I was a nervous wreck for Bill’s first round of chemo and not only do I think it was all for nothing, I think it made him more anxious about the whole ordeal.

So how does chemo for dogs work?

When Bill gets his chemo, we go into the office and the first thing that happens is he gets his weight checked. Bill has lost a bit of weight here in the first few weeks of his diagnosis, but nothing the vet is concerned about so far. He’s still eating and drinking normally!

After Bill gets his weight checked, we get taken back to what we jokingly call “the oncology wing” which is a strip of rooms where all three of us go in and wait for the doctor. Then, one of the oncology nurses will come and go over any updates on our end. Every week before his appointment we fill out a questionnaire about how Bill has been feeling (diet, exercise, nausea, etc) and the nurse will double check everything is accurate before she takes him to a special room to get his chemo.

CHOP Protocol For Dogs

As you may have guessed, chemo drugs are pretty powerful and we aren’t allowed to be in the room while he gets them. That said, we are so thankful for the incredible doctors and nurses who have gone above and beyond for us, hold his paw while he’s getting treated and of course – send us photos. 

After the doctor has given Bill an exam and has prescribed his chemo for the day, she will come in and talk with us and answer any questions we have while Bill finishes up his treatment. His chemo typically takes about 30 minutes when he’s on weeks 1-3.

Week 4 of each cycle is a drop-off appointment when Bill gets Doxorubicin, which is the “heavy hitter” of chemo and requires a short in-patient stay. 

Bill usually trots out of the vet happily after his treatments, but we are prepared with Cerenia and Zofran for nausea, as well as Metronidazole for diarrhea. Our vet has told us that the onset of symptoms for chemo treatments is not for a couple days post-treatment, and I can confirm this is true based on our experience.

People told us to be wary of Doxorubicin, but we have seen the most impact from Vincristine. It’s important to remember that no two dogs will react to chemo drugs the same way, so my best advice would be to just be prepared with the right medications to combat any ill side effects. One thing our veterinarian told us before we started is that chemo drugs can have some wicked side effects and nearly all of them can be treated with a medication. It’s one thing I try to always remember!

Chemotherapy for your dog can feel super intimidating and super scary. I can tell you that when we were first trying to find our footing with Bill’s diagnosis, I was beyond overwhelmed. If you are feeling like me, I hope this post was helpful and know that I am BY NO MEANS an expert, but I am dedicated to helping as many pet parents as I can through a scary and overwhelming time. Sending lots of love for all the canine cancer warriors out there!