Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Blood side effects of doxorubicin chemo in dogs with cancer
By Ahaus, E A et al.·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association·2000·Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Hematological toxicity of doxorubicin-containing protocols in dogs with spontaneously occurring malignant tumors.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 49 dogs with cancer received chemotherapy that included doxorubicin, and researchers looked at how this treatment affected their blood health. Most dogs experienced mild to moderate side effects, with serious blood toxicity occurring in less than 5% of cases. The combination of doxorubicin with other drugs caused some dogs to have more severe low white blood cell counts, but overall, the treatments were considered safe. Most dogs tolerated the chemotherapy well, and the low rates of serious complications suggest these protocols can be used effectively in practice.
People also search for: dog cancer chemotherapy side effects · doxorubicin toxicity in dogs · treating dog tumors with chemotherapy
Abstract
The medical records of 49 dogs with spontaneously occurring malignant tumors treated with doxorubicin-based chemotherapy protocols were evaluated for hematological toxicity. Protocols included vincristine, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide (VAC); 5-fluorouracil, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide (FAC); doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide (AC); and doxorubicin and dacarbazine (ADIC). Prevalence of Grades 1, 2, or 3 toxicities were less than 30%, and the prevalence of Grade 4 toxicity alone was less than 5%. The frequency of sepsis was less than 2.5% in dogs treated with VAC, FAC, or AC, and it was 15% in dogs treated with ADIC. There were no significant differences in the prevalence or severity of hematological toxicity caused by VAC or AC. Five-fluorouracil, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide caused significantly more severe neutropenia than VAC or AC. The low prevalence of hematological complications makes these protocols acceptable for use in practice.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10997518/