What is the prognosis for an elderly dog with lymphoma?

My 11 year old yellow lab's bloodwork came back indicating a growth in the liver, she has several skin lesions that are, so far, unexplained. they dont seem to be any kind of dermatological disorder and the vet feels that her bloodwork and skin lesions might be an indication of lymphoma. this dog has been my bestfriend for 11 years, and she's going in for an ultrasound on saturday. if she does have a malignant tumor in her liver, or even worse, lymphoma... how long might she have left? and what are the treatment options?

What is the prognosis for an elderly dog with lymphoma?
Generally if a dog has lymphoma they will have one or many enlarged lymph nodes. These are found under her ears and jawline, in the neck, under the arms, and the backs of her thighs. Usually a fine needle aspirate is done to find out if there is any indication of lymphoma or if it is simply infection. A biopsy- which is a slightly larger sample is sometimes needed as well. If your dogs bloodwork came back with elevated liver enzymes it can be an indication of several things- cancer being one of them. It can also be an infection of the liver or an indication that the liver is begining to fail. Liver infection can often be treated with antibiotics and sometimes I.V. fluids. Liver failure can be treated with a special diet and medications to help it work more efficiently. I have seen dogs go several years with a good quality of life in both of these cases. If it is a tumor an the liver- unfortunately there is not a whole lot that can be done. Some medications can help to improve her quality of life and make her confortable until the end. Some times antibiotics help to head off infection caused by the tumor. In the case of lymphoma- The dog is usually put on steroid therapy with prednisone- this can make them drink more water and act more hungry, and sometimes pant and pace some, but overall it greatly improves her longevity- it will also help greatly with any arthritis or allergies that she may have. Chemotherapy is also used at the same time- usually consisting of weekly or every other week injections and bloodwork- some oral chemo drugs are also used. This is a good way to prolong her life with out major side affects. Most dogs do not get sick from chemotherapy like people do and it doesn't really affect their day to day life much. Occasionally they will feel a little droopy if their blood cell counts get to low from the chemo and you will have to skip a week of treatment. I have seen dogs live up to 2 1/2 more years with a good quality of life on this treatment and others only 6 months. I am very sorry that you have to go through this with your friend, I recently lost my 10 year old golden retriever to a brain tumor and a close friends golden to lymphoma ( he went 2 years with chemo treatment befor he felt bad.) Good luck and I wish the best for both of you. Send me an update after your ultrasound results or if you have any more questions. I hope it turns out to be nothing serious.
Reply:He will die withhin a few months.





Coach
Reply:Lymphosarcoma is a common cancer of lymphocytes in dogs and can occur in the lymph nodes, spleen, liver, and other organs. The cancer can be aggressive and if left untreated, can lead to a high mortality. Treatment with chemotherapy has been very successful adding months and occasionally years to the dog's life.


Lymphomas primarily affect middle age to older dogs. There does not appear to be a breed or sex predilection. Only 10% to 20% of dogs are clinically ill at presentation, the majority are brought in because of recently identified swellings or lumps.


While we understand how lymphomas form, we still do not understand why.


The symptoms of lymphoma are related to the location of the tumor(s). Tumors that develop in the lymph nodes often present as swellings with no other symptoms. The gastrointestinal form often is accompanied with vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, and lack of appetite. The mediastinal (chest) form often presents with shortness of breath and muffled heart sounds. The cutaneous (skin) form can present in several different ways including single or multiple lumps in the skin, or mouth. These bumps can itch or be red and ulcerated.


The treatment for lymphoma in the dog consists of chemotherapy. Lymphoma is considered a systemic disease, which makes surgery and radiation impractical and ineffective. There is a wide variety of chemotherapy protocols and drugs that are currently being used to treat lymphoma. The treatment usually consists of a combination of oral and injectable drugs given on a weekly basis. Some commonly used drugs include cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin, and prednisone. The exact treatment protocol will vary depending on the practitioner. The University of Wisconsin protocol is one of the more popular ones used by veterinary oncologists. While most veterinarians can administer the treatment protocols. Some owners choose not to treat dogs that develop lymphoma. The life expectancy of these untreated dogs averages 4 to 6 weeks. Oral prednisone therapy may reduce the swellings and discomfort, but probably will not appreciably extend their life span. It must also be noted that oral prednisone treatment prior to chemotherapy is not recommended and may actually reduce the effectiveness of the chemotherapy.


In dogs that do undergo one of the recommended chemotherapy protocols, life expectancy can extend out to a year and occasionally longer. However, even dogs that receive appropriate chemotherapy usually do not live longer than a year. If a dog tolerates chemotherapy (most dogs do) their quality of life can be quite good during the treatment period. Treatment for lymphoma in the dog is considered one of the more successful cancer treatments and can often be performed by a local veterinarian without the need to travel long distances to veterinary schools or specialty clinics. I often remind clients that one year can be almost 10% of a dog's expected life span, so the remission rate and increased life expectancy with lymphoma treatment is often well worth it.





qualified veterinary nurse UK


hope this helps.
Reply:Here's a website on your topic.





www.vetmed.edu/clientED/lsa.asp
Reply:You should definitely join a Yahoo group for canine cancer (I am on the group for feline cancer). You will have contact there with many people going through what you are facing with your dog, support for the pain you are experiencing, what treatment options people have taken and how successful they have been, what the prognosis might be for her condition, etc.





Your vet of course will make you aware of all these issues and there is nothing like having the emotional support you need now from people who have "been there, done that".





I hope she can be helped and that you will have more quality time with her.
Reply:My heart goes out to you....I had a doberman that was diagnosed with lymphoma when she was only 2 years old, and she was just like a child to me......She too had skin lesions, hers were on her paws.The vet told me we could try chemo/radiation therapy but I couldn't imagine putting her through all the discomfort that comes along with such treatment AND he couldn't guarantee me that she would live longer than a year, at best. I chose to cherish what time we had left together. She had her ups and downs for about 6 months and then I decided that she wasn't happy anymore. She lost that happy, alert spark in her eyes, she began to swell up with water retention, and she wasn't as active, so I took my baby girl in and stayed with her while she went to sleep peacefully. That was almost 20 years ago and I'm still missing her, but I feel I did what was best for both of us. As for your girls' treatment options, or how long she has to live, I couldn't tell you as I am not a vet, but just be sure to ask questions, and listen to your vet's opinion, and then make your decisions from there. I wish you luck.