Most owners compare the diagnosis and treatment of cancer in companion animals with personal experience or experience through a family member who has undergone therapy which is a mistake as cancer treatment effects pets differently.

The goal of cancer treatment in veterinary medicine is to prolong good quality of life for as long as possible. Quantity of life is meaningless without quality.

If we believe a cancer is incurable or impossible to control, our goals become those of palliation, which is an attempt to maintain or improve quality of life without attempting to prolong it.

Remember that just because a treatment is possible does not mean that it is the best thing for your pet.

Human vs. Pet Cancer Treatment

• Most owners compare the diagnosis and treatment of cancer in companion animals with personal experience or experience through a family member who has undergone therapy.
  
• This comparison is highly discouraged. Dose amounts and schedules of treatment in people are much more aggressive than in companion animals.
  
• Unfortunately, that is why the cure rate in veterinary medicine is lower, however, it is also why companion animals do not have nearly the side effects that people can have.
  

Quality of Life

• The goal of cancer treatment in veterinary medicine is to prolong good quality of life for as long as possible. Quantity of life is meaningless without quality.
  
• Michigan Veterinary Specialists' oncologists will help guide you in assessing your pet’s quality of life, however, you know your pet better than anyone else and are best equipped to assess quality of life. It is important to thoroughly discuss these concerns with your oncologist so we can work together toward a common goal.
• Obviously we cannot ask your pet how they feel so we have to rely on their behavior to infer quality of life. Factors to consider in assessing quality of life include alertness/mental status, appetite, weight/body condition, activity/exercise tolerance and elimination behaviors. In general, pets that are active, eating well, not vomiting or having diarrhea tolerate treatments well and can have a better prognosis.
  

Side Effects

• Cancer treatment usually involves some degree of side effects which can affect your pet’s quality of life. The degree of side effects that are tolerable is very subjective and depends on the expected outcome of treatment. If long-term control (which in veterinary medicine is one year or longer) is possible, we may be willing to initially tolerate more severe and prolonged side effects. Several days of decreased quality seems reasonable in exchange for many months of good quality of life.
  
• If we believe a cancer is incurable or impossible to control, our goals become those of palliation, which is an attempt to maintain or improve quality of life without attempting to prolong it. Any amount of side effects becomes unacceptable because the treatment should never be worse than the disease. Palliative care focuses on supportive measures such as controlling pain and infection and providing adequate nutrition.
  

End of Life

• There often comes a point in the treatment of companion animal oncology patients when we have exhausted all reasonable treatment options and there is a low probability of future quality of life.
• Remember that just because a treatment is possible does not mean that it is the best thing for your pet.
  This is the point where humane euthanasia must be considered in order to not prolong needless suffering.
  
• The ability to perform humane euthanasia in veterinary medicine is a blessing and the last act of kindness that you can offer.