Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cats and chemotherapy: treat as 'small dogs' at your peril.
- Journal:
- Journal of feline medicine and surgery
- Year:
- 2013
- Authors:
- Kent, Michael Sean
- Affiliation:
- Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences · United States
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
When treating cats with cancer, it's crucial to understand that their bodies process chemotherapy drugs differently than dogs do. This means that while some treatment principles are similar, there are specific risks and side effects that veterinarians need to be aware of when using these medications in cats. The article emphasizes the importance of careful consideration and caution, especially since there isn't a lot of research on how certain drugs affect cats. Overall, the message is that treating cats with chemotherapy requires a tailored approach to ensure their safety and effectiveness.
Abstract
PRACTICAL RELEVANCE: To safely and effectively treat cats with cancer it is important to understand the drugs being used and some species-specific concerns in relation to chemotherapy. CLINICAL CHALLENGES: While many of the same principles in treating cats with chemotherapy and targeted agents hold true as for other species, including dogs, cats display altered metabolism of drugs and species-specific toxicities that can present particular challenges for veterinarians. AUDIENCE: This article is aimed at practitioners who treat feline cancer or who help manage cats undergoing cancer therapy. EVIDENCE BASE: The article reviews the known literature regarding species differences between dogs and cats relating to the use of chemotherapy and targeted therapies. For many of the drugs mentioned there are limited studies and caution must be exercised when using drugs that have a low therapeutic index.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23603505/