ALL SPECIES · Condition guide
Lymphoma in dogs and cats: real veterinary cases
Lymphoma is a cancer of lymphocytes. In dogs, the most common form is multicentric — enlarged painless lymph nodes felt under the jaw, in front of the shoulder, and behind the knees. In cats, alimentary lymphoma (gut) is the most common form and looks like chronic vomiting, weight loss, or diarrhea — easily mistaken for IBD.
Lymphoma is one of the few cancers in pets that responds well to chemotherapy. Multi-drug CHOP protocols achieve remission in around 80% of B-cell canine lymphoma cases, with median survival around 12 months. T-cell forms and feline gastrointestinal lymphoma have different prognostic profiles, so subtyping is essential.
What vets typically check for
- Fine-needle aspirate of an enlarged lymph node — often diagnostic on cytology.
- Flow cytometry or PARR (PCR for antigen receptor rearrangement) to subtype B vs. T cell.
- Staging: CBC, chemistry, abdominal ultrasound, +/- thoracic radiographs.
- Treatment: CHOP protocol (Cyclophosphamide, Doxorubicin, Vincristine, Prednisone) over ~6 months.
- Cats with gastrointestinal lymphoma: confirm via endoscopic or full-thickness biopsy first.
Not a replacement for veterinary care. Use this to walk into the conversation prepared, not to self-diagnose.
Real cases from the veterinary literature
Peer-reviewed reports our semantic search surfaces for Lymphoma. Click into any case for the full abstract — or run a personalised search with your pet's exact details.
- Alimentary lymphosarcoma in a 4-year-old Labrador retriever.
The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne · 2004 · Canada
A 4-year-old black Labrador retriever was brought to the vet because he had been vomiting for two days, drinking and peeing a lot, very tired, and had stopped eating. During the examination, the vet found that his heart and breathing rates were normal, and his temperature was also normal. However, the dog showed some discomfort when the vet touched his abdomen, which made him u
- CHOP chemotherapy for the treatment of canine multicentric T-cell lymphoma.
Veterinary and comparative oncology · 2011 · United States
In this study, researchers looked at how effective CHOP chemotherapy, which includes medications like cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone, is for treating dogs with multicentric T-cell lymphoma, a type of cancer. Out of 24 dogs treated, 23 showed a positive response and continued on the treatment for an average of about 146 days. The overall survival time
- Progression of primary mediastinal T-cell lymphoma to a multicentric form in a young dog.
The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne · 2026 · South Korea
A 2-year-old male Shetland sheepdog was diagnosed with a rare type of lymphoma called primary mediastinal T-cell lymphoma, which was found when a mass in his chest was seen on X-rays. He had some health issues, including a slow heart rate and high calcium levels, but his lymph nodes felt normal. The dog was treated with a chemotherapy plan that initially worked well, leading to
- Retrospective analysis for treatment of naïve canine multicentric lymphoma with a 15-week, maintenance-free CHOP protocol.
Veterinary and comparative oncology · 2016 · United States
In this study, researchers looked at a shorter treatment option for dogs with multicentric lymphoma, a type of cancer that affects multiple lymph nodes. They treated 134 dogs using a 15-week chemotherapy plan that combined four drugs: cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone. An impressive 98% of the dogs responded to the treatment, with 104 of them showing no
- Successful management with CHOP for pulmonary lymphomatoid granulomatosis in a dog.
The Journal of veterinary medical science · 2011 · Japan
A 3-year-old spayed female miniature dachshund was brought to the vet because she was vomiting and had stopped eating. X-rays and a CT scan showed unusual spots in her lungs. A biopsy confirmed she had pulmonary lymphomatoid granulomatosis, a type of lung disease involving abnormal immune cells. She was treated with a specific chemotherapy regimen called CHOP, and impressively,
Frequently asked questions
- Is chemotherapy hard on dogs and cats?
- Veterinary chemotherapy is dosed for quality of life, not maximum tumour kill — most dogs and cats tolerate it remarkably well. The vast majority continue normal activities throughout treatment, with only occasional brief GI upset or mild fatigue.
- What's the prognosis without treatment?
- Untreated, most dogs with multicentric lymphoma survive 1-2 months. With prednisone alone, ~2-3 months. With CHOP chemotherapy, median survival is around 12 months and ~25% reach 2 years. Treatment changes the trajectory substantially.
- Is lymphoma curable?
- Curative outcomes are uncommon — most lymphomas eventually relapse and become drug-resistant. The realistic goal is high-quality remission, often for a year or more. Some indolent forms (e.g. T-zone lymphoma) behave much more like chronic disease.