| A diagnosis of cancer for your companion animal can | | | | many breeds of dogs, there are less of these types |
| leave you with a difficult choice. Care for a pet with | | | | of cells then there are in humans. Certain breeds of |
| cancer can be very intensive. It can require | | | | dogs, like terriers and poodles experience more severe |
| chemotherapy, and other cancer treatments similar to | | | | side effects and are more susceptible to hair loss |
| those offered to humans. These treatments may be | | | | from chemotherapy. Cats and other dogs may also |
| expensive and time consuming, and they may have | | | | lose some hair, or whiskers around their faces, but |
| unpleasant side effects for your pet which will create | | | | these things will grow back after treatment. Some |
| a situation in which your pet needs a great deal of | | | | pets experience a lowered blood cell count level as |
| nursing care. Furthermore, we want to avoid putting | | | | well, but antibiotics can usually be prescribed. |
| our pets into a situation where they are suffering. The | | | | Some chemotherapy medications can be administered |
| quality of life of our pets is essential, and if cancer or | | | | to pets in pill form, which makes it easier for both you |
| cancer treatment is going to compromise that, it | | | | and your pet. You can give your dog the treatment at |
| becomes difficult to decide if the benefits outweigh the | | | | home, without any nerve-inducing vet visits. Other |
| costs. | | | | chemotherapy medications do have to be injected, and |
| Often, we want to put off our pets death for as long | | | | require regular vet visits for the treatment. Your dog or |
| as we can, because we know how difficult it is to | | | | cat may also need blood tests throughout the healing |
| cope with pet loss, and we know that even writing an | | | | process, in order to ensure that his or her body is not |
| online pet memorial will offer little comfort or our loss. | | | | being harmed by the chemotherapy process. |
| However, we need to make the decision that is going | | | | While many patients chose to provide chemotherapy |
| to be best for our pet and provide our companion | | | | to their dogs or cats if there is a possibility of curing |
| animal with the best care. We must put them first. | | | | the cancer, the decision becomes more difficult when it |
| Thus, it is important to understand what the cancer | | | | comes to administering chemotherapy to alleviate |
| treatments for your pet will involve, and what the | | | | symptoms and lengthen life. At that point, the decision |
| chances are for a successful recovery. | | | | is not is clear cut would your pet be better honored by |
| Fortunately, for many pets, the side effects of | | | | expensive medical care that gives them a brief happy |
| chemotherapy drugs are less severe than the side | | | | time on earth, or is it kinder to simply let your pet go |
| effects for humans. Chemotherapy drugs interfere | | | | and honor him with a pet grave marker or pet urn. |
| with cells that rapidly divide and reproduce, and for | | | | |