If your beloved dog has lymphoma, you may have more questions than answers. A cancer diagnosis can be scary and overwhelming. Integrative veterinarian Dr. Julie Buzby is here to help, sharing the types, signs, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis for lymphoma in dogs.
Joshua, a 10-year-old Basset Hound mix, seemed like the picture of good health. When he visited me for his annual exam, he was acting like his normal silly, slobbery self. His parents had no concerns and expected a routine visit. However, their world soon came crashing down around them.
On his physical exam, I discovered significant enlargement of most of Joshua’s external lymph nodes. Unfortunately, cells from those lymph nodes confirmed my suspicion. Their beloved dog had lymphoma.
What is lymphoma in dogs?
Lymphoma in dogs is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers veterinarians encounter. Although it often affects the external lymph nodes (known as multicentric lymphoma), it can also affect multiple organs and body systems.
Lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphocytes (a type of white blood cells), and can be known as malignant lymphoma, lymphosarcoma, or LSA. It is responsible for up to 24% of canine cancer cases in the U.S. and affects 13 to 24 dogs per 100,000 each year.
To understand lymphoma a little better, it helps to understand lymphocytes themselves. In a normal dog, lymphocytes are an important part of the immune system’s defense against infections. Like other types of white blood cells, they circulate in the blood.
Lymphocytes are also a very important part of the lymphatic system. This system is comprised of tiny vessels that collect fluid that has leaked out of blood vessels (known as lymph). Lymph helps with the body’s fluid balance, and also helps remove foreign substances such as viruses and bacteria from the body.
Along the path of the lymphatic vessels are lymphocyte-rich lymph nodes. Think about lymph nodes as the inspection checkpoints along the lymphatic road. As lymph flows through the lymph node, the immune system cells come in contact with the foreign substances. This allows the body to detect then mount a response against anything it sees as potentially dangerous.
In addition to lymph nodes, the spleen and bone marrow also contain large amounts of lymphatic tissue (i.e. lymphocytes and other immune system cells). However, lymphatic tissue is present to some extent in almost every organ. Thus, lymphoma can develop almost anywhere in the body.
Canine lymphoma is generally grouped into three different categories.
What are the three forms of lymphoma?
Each of the three forms of lymphoma in dogs is defined based on its primary location in the dog’s body:
- Multicentric or nodal lymphoma—Most commonly found in the peripheral lymph nodes, but can also occur in other regions such as bone marrow, liver, or as a cause of splenic masses in dogs
- Gastrointestinal (GI) lymphoma—Affecting the small intestines and/or stomach
- Extranodal lymphoma—Found in a location other than the lymph nodes or GI tract. Extranodal lymphoma is further classified into different subtypes based on location:
- Mediastinal lymphoma—occurs in the chest
- Cutaneous lymphoma—occurs in the skin
- Renal lymphoma—occurs in the kidneys
- Central nervous system lymphoma—occurs in the brain or spinal cord
- Ocular lymphoma—occurs in the eye
Multicentric lymphoma is by far the most common form of lymphoma in dogs, accounting for approximately 80% of cases. GI lymphoma is responsible for about 5 to 7% of lymphoma cases. The remainder fall in the extranodular category.
Because it is the most common, this article will focus primarily on multicentric lymphoma.
What are the signs of lymphoma in dogs?
Clinical signs of lymphoma in dogs may vary based on the form of lymphoma. First, I will touch on the signs of GI lymphoma and extranodal lymphoma before moving on the signs of multicentric lymphoma.
Signs of GI lymphoma in dogs
In dogs with gastrointestinal lymphoma the signs are generally decreased appetite, vomiting, and/or diarrhea.
Signs of extranodal lymphoma in dogs
Dogs with extranodal lymphoma may have signs related to the body system that is affected. For example, sometimes cutaneous lymphoma can cause bumps or masses in the skin. Renal lymphoma may cause increased thirst and urination as the first sign.
In addition, any form of lymphoma may initially present with nonspecific symptoms such as lethargy in dogs,, inappetence, diarrhea, and weight loss.
Next, let’s look at signs of multicentric lymphoma in dogs.
Signs of multicentric lymphoma in dogs
In dogs with multicentric lymphoma, the first sign is usually palpably enlarged lymph nodes. When I say “enlarged,” I don’t mean just slightly bigger than normal. Often these lymph nodes are much larger, potentially the size of a golf ball or bigger, depending on the size of the dog. The lymph nodes are firm and usually not painful when palpated.
Although there are lymph nodes throughout the body, some are more noticeable than others. The most prominent and easy to feel lymph nodes are:
- Submandibular lymph nodes—located under the jaw where it meets the neck
- Prescapular lymph nodes—in front of the shoulder blade
- Axillary lymph nodes—found in the armpit area
- Inguinal lymph nodes—on the lower abdomen where the legs connect to the body (groin region)
- Popliteal lymph nodes—located on the back side the dog’s knee (stifle)
In some dogs, lymph node enlargement is the only symptom initially seen. Other dogs with multicentric lymphoma have other symptoms such as lethargy, inappetence, heavy breathing, and weight loss.
Other causes of lymph node enlargement
It’s important to note that enlarged lymph nodes don’t always equal lymphoma. Due to their role in the immune response, lymph nodes can react and grow in response to an infection (viral, fungal, or bacterial) or even vaccinations. Vets usually refer to these as “reactive” lymph nodes.
The submandibular lymph nodes are the most likely lymph node to be enlarged due to non-lymphoma causes. This is in part because they filter the blood, and therefore the bacteria, from the mouth.
If your dog has dental disease or your older dog is losing teeth, this may be enough to stimulate a response in the lymph nodes and cause enlargement. Thus, finding enlarged lymph notes is suspicious, but not definitive for lymphoma.
How is lymphoma diagnosed?
If your dog has one or more enlarged lymph nodes, your vet may perform a test called a fine needle aspirate. This involves poking a needle into the lymph node multiple times to obtain a sample of cells. Your vet will then examine those cells under a microscope.
A normal lymph node contains primarily small, mature lymphocytes. However, if the vet sees a large number of lymphoblasts (larger, immature lymphocytes), he or she may suspect lymphoma. Many veterinarians will send the slides to a veterinary pathologist to confirm a diagnosis of lymphoma.
Sometimes, even when a veterinary pathologist examines the sample, it can be difficult to definitively determine if a lymph node is cancerous or reactive. In these cases, your veterinarian may want to take a biopsy, or a small piece of tissue from the lymph node, and submit it to a veterinary pathologist.
If your dog has other clinical signs like weight loss, lethargy, and decreased appetite, your vet may want to perform other tests to see what might be going on. Routine diagnostic tests may include blood tests, X-rays, and/or ultrasound, depending on what symptoms your dear dog has.
What is the treatment for lymphoma in dogs?
Treatment for lymphoma in dogs encompasses a few options. If your dog is diagnosed with lymphoma, your veterinarian will advise you about the next steps. Multicentric lymphoma is generally either treated with chemotherapy or with a steroid medication (prednisone).
You may be wondering about surgery as a potential treatment option. Unlike many other types of cancer, surgery cannot cure or treat multicentric lymphoma. The lymphatic system is widespread throughout the body, so by the time of diagnosis, lymphoma has most likely spread to multiple locations. Thus, even if only one or two lymph nodes are enlarged, removal of those lymph nodes is not an effective treatment.
Let’s look at chemotherapy and steroid medication as two medical management options for lymphoma in dogs.
Chemotherapy to treat lymphoma in dogs
Chemotherapy is generally the treatment of choice for canine lymphoma. There are multiple different chemotherapy protocols (i.e. the type of drug or combinations of drugs administered on a set schedule) to treat lymphoma. A veterinary oncologist can discuss different protocols and determine which one is best for your dog.
To learn more, check out Veterinary Partner’s article on common lymphoma chemotherapy medications for cats and dogs.
Laverdia to treat lymphoma in dogs
A new oral chemotherapy medication called Laverdia has been conditionally approved for treatment of lymphoma in dogs. This drug alters the proteins of cancer cells and prevents them from spreading. The most exciting thing about this oral medication is that owners may be able to treat their dogs at home, rather than making frequent trips to the veterinary oncologist for chemotherapy injections.
Laverdia is still new on the veterinary scene, and vets are very excited to see results as more dogs are treated with this innovative medication!
Joshua’s chemotherapy story
Remember Joshua? I referred him to a veterinary oncologist who planned and administered a chemotherapy protocol. Joshua’s lymphoma went into remission, and he had an additional two wonderful years with his family. They were so happy with the time that the chemotherapy gave them with their sweet pup.
Prednisone to treat lymphoma in dogs
If you do not pursue chemotherapy for your dog, prednisone is another treatment/management option. Most dogs will go into partial or complete remission for a time when treated appropriately with the corticosteroid prednisone for dogs (or prednisolone).
Prednisone is a tablet that is readily available at most veterinary hospitals and can be given at home. Note that prednisone does sometimes cause increased thirst and urination, excessive panting, or increased appetite.
Unfortunately, prednisone typically only causes short-lived remission. Typically, the lymphoma develops resistance to prednisone after a couple of months. Another concern with starting prednisone right away is that it makes lymphoma less responsive to chemotherapy in the future.
Before I start any of my patients on prednisone for lymphoma, I always counsel the family on the pros and cons. I also ensure they have no plans of pursuing chemotherapy down the road.
Charlie’s prednisone treatment story
Charlie is a 10-year-old Golden Retriever who came to see me because he was not eating well and seemed lethargic. I discovered his lymph nodes were enlarged. Lymph node aspirates confirmed the diagnosis of lymphoma, unfortunately. He also had high calcium (more on that in a bit).
Referral to an oncologist and chemotherapy was not an option for this family, so we started treatment with prednisolone. I informed his family that the prednisone may make him feel better for one to two months, but then he was likely to relapse. Amazingly, it has been almost five months since Charlie’s diagnosis and he is still happy and active.
I rechecked him last week. His lymph nodes are still very large; he is not in full remission but he is feeling better and is living his best life right now. His family is extremely happy about the extra time with him.
While this 10-year-old Golden Retriever’s story is not typical for dogs with lymphoma who are treated with prednisolone, I wanted to share it to demonstrate that some dogs defy the odds.
What is the life expectancy for multicentric lymphoma in dogs?
If your dog has been diagnosed with lymphoma, a first thought might be wondering how fast lymphoma spreads in dogs. Without any treatment, lymphoma often progresses quickly. Most untreated dogs will succumb to the disease within one to two months of diagnosis.
Treatment with prednisone alone can cause temporary remission and may extend survival time by a few more months.
Treatment with chemotherapy can give your dog a good quality of life for months to years. People understandably tend to worry about the side effects of chemotherapy. If you’ve seen a relative or loved one through chemo, you have probably witnessed serious unpleasant side effects. Fortunately, these side effects are much less common in dogs than they are in people.
When considering the life expectancy of dogs treated with chemotherapy, there are certain factors that affect lymphoma in dogs’ progression, prognosis, and overall outcome. Multicentric lymphoma must be further classified in order to predict prognosis.
Staging
Lymphoma is classified into stages. The lower the stage, the better the prognosis.
- Stage I—only a single lymph node is affected
- Stage II—multiple lymph nodes in the same region of the body are affected
- Stage III—lymph nodes throughout the body are affected
- Stage IV—the liver or spleen is involved
- Stage V—lymphoma is found in the blood or bone marrow
Sub-stage
Dogs with lymphoma are further classified into “Substage A” (patients who appear healthy and have a normal appetite at the time of diagnosis) and “Substage B” (patients who are sick at the time of diagnosis). Dogs who are in Substage A generally have a better prognosis.
Histological grade
The veterinary pathologist will also determine the grade of the lymphoma, based on the mitotic rate (how fast the cancerous cells are dividing). High-grade lymphoma generally behaves more aggressively and progresses more quickly than low-grade lymphoma. Interestingly, high-grade lymphoma is actually more likely to go into remission than low-grade lymphoma.
Phenotype
There are two types of lymphocytes—B-cells and T-cells. B-cells come from the bone marrow and create antibodies (immune system proteins that target specific foreign invaders). T-cells mature in the thymus (immune system tissue in the chest) and help direct the immune reaction or kill infected or abnormal cells.
Dogs with B-cell lymphoma tend to fare better than dogs with T-cell lymphoma. A veterinary pathologist can perform special testing to determine the phenotype (i.e. T-cell or B-cell) of the lymphoma.
Other factors affecting prognosis
The classification of lymphoma is not the only determinant of prognosis. Other factors can help us predict how well a dog may respond to treatment.
Hypercalcemia
Some cancerous cells, including some cancerous lymphocytes, produce a protein that mimics parathyroid hormone (PTH). Normally, PTH helps control calcium levels in the body. When cancer cells make parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) the body can abnormally retain calcium.
Elevated calcium causes kidney damage, weakness, and a loss of appetite. Dogs with hypercalcemia due to lymphoma often feel sick and have a worse prognosis than dogs with normal calcium levels.
Presence of a mediastinal mass
The thymus is a lymphatic organ located in the center of the chest (mediastinum). If a dog with lymphoma has a mass in its mediastinum (generally seen on X-rays), this indicates that the thymus is probably involved. Thus, T-cell lymphoma is more likely. As mentioned above, T-cell lymphoma does not respond as well to chemotherapy.
Gender
Female dogs tend to respond to treatment better than male dogs.
Dog size
Smaller dogs often have better prognoses than larger dogs.
Previous treatment with prednisone or prednisolone
Lymphoma that has previously been treated with prednisone alone is less likely to respond to chemotherapy.
When trying to decide the best course of action for your dog with lymphoma, I always recommend a consultation with a veterinary oncologist before making treatment decisions. He or she will evaluate your dog and look at the prognostic indicators. This will help determine your dog’s chance of achieving remission and allow the veterinary oncologist to formulate the best treatment plan for your family and your dog.
Frequently asked questions about lymphoma in dogs
Many of my clients who are managing a canine lymphoma diagnosis, have questions. You may have some of the same questions too. Next, let’s look at some commonly asked questions about lymphoma in dogs.
Which dogs are at the highest risk for multicentric lymphoma?
Although mostly diagnosed in middle-aged or older dogs, lymphoma can affect dogs of any age. Unfortunately, I have seen it in dogs as young as nine months old. Lymphoma is equally common in male and female dogs. While it can affect all breeds of dogs (and mixed breeds), some breeds have an increased risk of lymphoma, including:
- Golden Retrievers
- Scottish Terriers
- Bassett Hounds
- Cocker Spaniels
- Poodles
Is lymphoma painful?
Fortunately, multicentric lymphoma is not in itself a painful condition. In advanced cases, lymphoma can make dogs feel generally unwell—this is when we see signs like appetite loss and lethargy. In those cases, veterinarians can take steps to increase a dog’s quality of life.
How to make a dog with lymphoma more comfortable
If your dog has lymphoma and is showing clinical signs, talk with your vet about what you may be able to do. In cases where chemotherapy is not pursued, treatment with prednisone can do wonders to make patients more comfortable.
Many lymphoma patients that are treated with prednisone eat better and regain their “pep.” I’ve had many pet parents report that they wouldn’t even know their dog was sick.
What can I do if my dog with lymphoma isn’t eating?
If your dog has been diagnosed with lymphoma and you notice his or her appetite is off, discuss options with your vet. In addition to prednisone, other medications can help encourage a dog to eat.
Although it’s primarily used to prevent vomiting, Cerenia for dogs can improve appetite in some dogs, particularly if their decreased appetite is caused by mild nausea. Several other appetite stimulation medications are also available to try.
Some dogs also respond well to more palatable foods, such as wet food instead of dry. Be cautious with food changes, however, because some dogs can experience GI upset from sudden diet changes. Your vet will be your best resource for what may help improve your dog’s appetite.
What can I do if my dog with lymphoma has heavy breathing?
In some cases, lymphoma can cause fluid to build up in the chest and put pressure on a dog’s lungs. Additionally, significant swelling of the submandibular lymph nodes can impinge on the trachea. In either of these cases, clinical signs can include difficulty breathing.
If your dog has lymphoma and is breathing heavily, please seek emergency veterinary care. Your vet will assess your dear dog to determine what, if anything, should be done to help him or her.
It is important to note that one of the common side effects of prednisone is panting. If your dog is being treated for lymphoma with prednisone, he or she may pant more frequently than normal. However, panting should be distinguished from respiratory distress or increased respiratory effort. When it comes to heavy breathing, it’s always better to be safe than sorry and have your canine companion checked out by the vet ASAP.
Hope in the midst of the hard times
Even though lymphoma is often a fatal disease, it is not hopeless. Many dogs with lymphoma don’t feel sick during the earlier stages of the disease. Like Joshua, they have no idea anything is wrong with them and may wonder why their parents are so sad and worried.
Additionally, many dogs with lymphoma will respond well to chemotherapy or prednisone. They can have an excellent quality of life during their final weeks, months, or years. Treasure the time. Make a bucket list for your dog and see how many things you can check off of it. Spoil him or her like never before. Keep living and loving until it is time to say goodbye.
Saying goodbye to your dog with lymphoma
This next section might be hard to read, but I think it is worth sharing. Knowing that your dog has a disease that will most likely eventually claim his or her life gives you the chance to prepare for your dog’s euthanasia. Perhaps you want to plan in-home dog euthanasia in your dog’s favorite location, surrounded by the things and people he or she loves. That’s how my family said goodbye to our dog, Luke, who had mediastinal lymphoma.
Or maybe you will say goodbye at the vet’s office, while your dog lies on a favorite bed after just having a meal of all his or her favorite foods (even the usually forbidden ones). The plan may look a bit different for everyone, and that’s ok.
No one wants to have to face losing their beloved dog, but sometimes being able to think about how you want those last days and moments to go—whenever they come—can bring a small measure of comfort.
Has your dog been diagnosed with lymphoma?
Feel free to share his or her story below.
Our Basset Hound Wally was diagnosed with lymphoma on July 12. We took him to the vet to get a pedi and expression of anal glands. They noticed he had enlarged lymph nodes and suggested we get him tested for lymphoma. We did the following week and the test came back positive. He was prescribed 20 mg of prednisone once a day and we were told he could live up to 6 mos. I have never been a fan of pred but we put him on it anyway which I now regret as it never shrunk the nodes and the side effects were awful. He slowed down quite a bit, always panted heavily, would no longer sleep on his bed, the couch or any other bed. He was very restless and seemed “frozen” at times too. He would still go on his walks especially to the park but wouldn’t walk long before taking breaks. He still seemed pretty alert and eating was still his favorite thing to do. Saturday evening (8/24/24) he took a turn for the worst. When he woke up I noticed all of this green puss in his eye. As the morning wore on, his eyes turned blood shot read and the film under the eyeball started to literally cover his pupils and so he was walking around with closed eyes. I think they hurt him too much to open them. Then the kicker was that he wouldn’t eat breakfast that morning. He never missed a meal till that day. We just knew in our heart that these were the signs that he was not going to make it much longer. Since it was Sunday, our vet was closed and two at-home euthenasia services we called were unavailable. We had no choice but to take him to a 24-hr vet E.R. I guess my question is why did his eyes get gooky and was it the lymphoma that could have caused the infection? We were sad we had to take him to the 24-hr vet E.R. because it was so cold and hospital like. I thought we would go into a room that had a calming effect with low lighting and maybe candles and just an end-of-life ambiance but not so. It was a cold hospital room with cold floors and nothing inviting about it. It was horrible. The dr. that did the euthanasia was great but like I said, it was a cold and uninviting place that I would never want to go to again. Thank you for your time. Wally lived 6 weeks after his diagnosis. We believe he had the cancer prior and we just didn’t know it.
Dear Sherri,
I am so sorry for your loss of Wally. It is normal to ponder the “what ifs” and have the need to understand how things progressed. Unfortunately, I am not sure what caused the discharge to form in his eyes. I would not think it was related to the lymphoma, but I guess anything is possible. I am sorry the hospital environment was not what you had hoped it would be for your final goodbyes. I am glad the vet did a good job, and you were pleased with them. May Wally’s memory continue to be a blessing in your life, and I wish you brighter days ahead.
I lost my beloved and only friend Raf, a 3yo Rottweiler on the 7th of December 2023. I still cry every day &night, I’m still unable to understand any of it and haven’t had any vet or expert give me the empathy of explaining how it was definitively stage V lymphoma without a biopsy done,
He was the most active rottie I’d ever had, he had vomited once and been a little of food, had biannual vet checks all bloods good, all my concerns flicked away as being hypochondria. As I was on the Sunday I felt he needed to go to emergency vet as his breath rate was high. First ER ignored for hours, rang second they said would take serious, took him there… they said he just breathing heaving as excited to be at vet, only two vets open in my state on a Sunday n I’d just regrettably walked out of one after Raf reacting at the vet checking his gums and them making me put a tight muzzle on him when he was already struggling to breath,
Second emergency we then had to wait 8 hrs in waiting room, was 40C day outside. Blood tests were done at first ER at around 10am, all day we asked desk at second one if results were sent there yet and we were told they couldnt give them to us (even though we paid $700 for them at first emergency, it wasn’t until 730pm that we were finally called in, told Raf had anaemia, needed to be kept overnight for possible blood transfusion and emergency ultrasound ..cost of $8000… I had mentioned being concerned lymphoma as I was part of rottweiler page for my state and had noticed an alarming number of 3-4yo rotties succumbing to lymphoma.. they said they would send me photo updates through night (as Raf had bit of separation anxiety) I never received one photo ..next morning at 10am the vet called me and said Raf was fine, no blood transfusion yet as not showing triggers, said he was eating, also said she had seen in notes (this was 2nd vet I spoke to ) that I was worried about lymphoma, (he had always had loose skin beneath neck that multiple vets had said was nothing) she also reassured me that he didn’t have symptoms for a dog w lymphoma and not to worry about this, we agreed I could go down to see him that afternoon to visit….
Cut fwd to 6pm that afternoon … (in between unbeknownst to me, the vet had called again at around lunchtime according to my mum, I was not told of this conversation at the time but reportedly mum was informed that he had cancer and she told them she would prefer them to tell me)
I walked into consult room where a third vet appeared eventually, with Raf, who had gone from still being bright and “happy” the day before —— to he stumbled out looking emancipating and staggering, eyes rolling back into head and dropped onto my feet, I was a gasp. I asked what’s happened to him, the vet then bluntly proceeding to tell me without a shred of empathy. That “obviously he has a mass “here here here” pointing at notes I couldn’t see” stage V nothing we can do, can offer euthanasia,…….,there was then the miscommunication of “huh you never spoke to me, last I heard I wasn’t to worry about cancer, are you sure? What’s happened to him? Has he been given a sedative ?” I was told bluntly again “no, he’s just this sick” …. That escalated in 7 hrs! I wasn’t aware at time that plan had changed and he had been knocked out for a CT scan…
2 days later he died suddenly,
I’m never going to heal as I just don’t believe it fully without seeing irrefutable evidence of it, I worry it could have been a brown snake as neighbours dog had died two weeks before, or Lyme that Aus refuses to admit is here.. after he passed he had really foul smelling bloody foam come from his nose that I had been told before working w horses, means likely poison, I just need definite answers for closure, I wasted money being scammed by a lawyer who said they’d help me get answers, and I’ve just been told again what I feared – that “likely lymphoma” but without biopsy not definitive.
I just can’t survive without him and can’t grieve him properly
I’m broken, I just wanted it to be us for a few more years, he’s all I had
Dear Jasmin,
My heart aches for you as you continue to grieve the loss of your beloved Raf. Rest assured your comments were not deleted. All comments remain “pending” until I have a chance to read them and respond. We receive hundreds of comments each month so it can take some time for me to give each one the individual attention they deserve. Thank you for being willing to share your story and feelings with us. I understand how hard it must be to still have more questions than answers about how things progressed with your boy. I wish I could help give you some closure, but without having played a personal role in Raf’s medical care, I can’t make specific conclusions. I pray with time your heart can begin to heal and the grief will fade. May his memory stay with you forever and continue to be a blessing in your life. Wishing you comfort and peace. ♥
my bella turning 4 in Dec. diagnosis w lymphoma on 21Mar. we started her on Prednisone since then. she started diarrhea since yesterday. Not as active. is this due to medicine or lymphoma? any supplement or things I can do to help in her diarrhea?
Hi Claudia,
I am sorry your young dog has received this difficult diagnosis. Without examining her myself it is hard to make specific conclusions about what is causing the diarrhea. A probiotic may help but your girl may also need some additional medications to get things under control. Please reach out to your vet and update them on this new issue. They can offer guidance and find the appropriate treatment for your pup. Wishing you all the best. Bless you and Bella. ♥
My Rottweiler! Was just Diagnosed with TCell Lymphoma 07/15/2024 he had been in and out of vets offices since January to find out what was wrong with him no one would do lab tests to check for anything going on inside only the outside , he’s been on so many antibiotics treatments and steroids until June he got a mass on his prepuce and the tested the skin and it came back with those results he’s only 4 years old
Dear Glenda,
I am so sorry your Rottweiler has received this difficult diagnosis. I can only imagine how worried you must be but am glad you were able to finally get some answers. Hoping he will respond favorably to treatment and his body can stabilize. Wishing you all the best of luck as you navigate this unknown path. Bless you and your sweet boy.
Thank you so much for this. It helped me understand that my beloved Bebe has multicentric lymphoma .
She is 14 years old absolutely beautiful good and white mix and on November 12, 2024 we will celebrate 14 years together. I adopted her when she was 6 months old and we’ve been inseparable since then.
For the past almost two years she’s been panting and I took her to her regular vet as well as other vets for different opinions. While I felt something was wrong they all told me she’s was getting old and this was normal.
Her blood work always came back okay and she had done a cytology in July of 2023 but no cancer was diagnosed.
In December of 2023 I took her again to another vet who took some X-rays and found she had come liquid in her lungs as well as an enlarged heart. Sue was put on vetmedin and lazix.
In March of 2024 I took her again to the vet as I noticed some growth on her neck, both sides, shoulders and back or her legs. She was then diagnosed with lymphoma on March 28th. Took her to an oncologist the next week and we decided to go with steroids. Sadly I had not found this article before. The oncologist didn’t really address the details as well as you did in this articles and I believe I missed the opportunity to try the new chemotherapy treatment.
She has been better some days and panting a lot at night.
It’s difficult to identify what she needs. Sometimes she pants because she’s hungry or wants to go outside. But we never know immediately and she pants for a long time. She is my first dog and I’ve been learning so much with her. All I want is for her to be comfortable and happy and hopefully she will go peacefully without the need of euthanasia. Thank you again for the article. It’s so helpful to at least understand what things are and what to expect. Thank you.
Dear Cris,
I am so sorry Bebe has received this tragic diagnosis. It sounds like you are doing a great job of advocating for her well-being and taking good care of her. Try to make the most of the time you are gifted and find joy in each day. Hoping Bebe can maintain her quality of life for a while longer and wishing her many happy days ahead. Bless you and your sweet girl.
Our sweet 11 years old golden boy Charlie stopped eating and was totally lethargic all of a sudden. we went to the vet the following day and all his palpable lymph nodes were swollen. He got antibiotics and prednisone. The vet was adamant about biopsy and chemotherapy pushing it really hard on us.
The lymph nodes got bigger and bigger… if this were just an infection should they have not shrinked after 10 days of antibiotics?
We won’t do chemotherapy instead we give him all our love, attention and homemade food – I cooked for him before but now it’s just meat and veggies, no kibbles.
He still has moments of enjoying the backyard and chasing squirrels but he is tired most of the time. We are 20 days into prednisone treatment and I hope he will be with us for a few more weeks. Charlie is the best boy ever and our hearts are broken.
Dear Laura,
I am so sorry Charlie received this devastating diagnosis. You are correct in thinking that if this was just due to infection the lymph nodes would have decreased in size after taking antibiotics for 10 days. I hope you can make the most of the time you are gifted. Try to find joy in each day and spoil your boy rotten. Praying for strength and comfort for everyone involved. Bless you and sweet Charlie.
Hi We just lost our dog to lymphoma I dont know what kind nor do I think they were sure, Never had a reason to think anything was wrong with our boy he ws 7 very healthy looked great was due for his annual vet visit in 2 weeks before we got the news, And how we came to bringing him to the vet was became he just started peeing in the house he had no control had his urine checked and they said it was very diluted, rechecked the next day and it was the same, then he started drinking a lot I mean a lot and would have to go pee very couple hours it seemed, then he started acting sick, not well , so they did blood work which was good, but enlarged lymph nodes under neck did the fine needle biopsy that came back negative, still not feeling well they did a x-ray and thought they saw tumors, so we took him to have a ultra sound and they found it was not tumors it was all enlarged lymph nodes, did another biopsy and got the new it was lymphoma, he also had high levels of sodium cause of the way he was peeing, so we admitted him, to get that regulated and start treatment, he never got better and passed away after 3 weeks of trying to help him with prednisone, and even a dose of chop, and elspar but we couldnt get him any better then like I said in a matter of 3 weeks he passes, but nothing ever showed in his bloodwork so they thought it was treatable with chemo, I don’t understand what happened and why we couldnt help him reach remission heart broken He was a Australian Shepard, and he was my sweet dog again he never even had a cold Im so cofused and angry and so very sad.
Dear Lori,
My heart aches for you with the recent loss of your beloved pup. I am sorry things progressed so quickly and he didn’t respond to treatment. I understand your anger and sadness and it is normal to ponder all the “what ifs” while grieving. I hope with time your heart will begin to heal and you can take comfort in knowing you did everything you could. May your boy’s memory stay with you always and continue to be a blessing in your life.
There is lots of information about the staging of multicentric lymphoma, but nothing on the staging of cutaneous lymphoma.. I know this is a comparatively rare form.of canine lymphoma, but my nearly 17yr old Yorkshire Terrier was diagnosed with it 7 weeks ago, and I’m struggling to know how I monitor disease progression.. I have decided against chemotherapy, and he is not currently on any steroid medication.. Most Internet sites seem to suggest a life expectancy of 1 – 2 months without any treatment, but to date I see no material difference in him aside from some red, flaky skin, which doesn’t seem. to particularly trouble him (ie he’s not itching).
Dear Kay,
I am sorry your boy has received this worrisome diagnosis. I did some research to see if I could find staging information. It seems as though with the cutaneous form they don’t do staging but rather determine survival times based on location of the masses/affected tissues. The median survival time for epitheliotropic lymphoma is 5-7 months whereas if the lesions are on the mucous membranes this time increases to a year or more. I would assume as the disease progresses you will be watching for common signs of declining health such as: lethargy, loss of appetite, discomfort, vomiting or diarrhea, etc. I wish you did not have to face the difficult days ahead and can only imagine how stressful this must be. Try to make the most of the time you are gifted. Praying for comfort and peace for you and your sweet boy.
My Beautiful, 6-year-old, female Pitbull Grandfur baby was diagnosed with Lymphoma in early October 2023. Her name is Nellie. My daughter was devastated. She chose not to go the chemotherapy route and instead chose Prednisone. The oncologist recommended putting her to “sleep sooner rather than later”. Nellie’s only symptom was swollen lymph nodes under her jaw. Today is March 12, 2024, and Nellie passed her vet check with flying colors. Her lymph node swelling fluctuates but other than that she is doing great. She has an extremely healthy appetite. She takes her daily walks. Her breathing is normal, and so on. We know we are on borrowed time, with that said, we take it one day at a time, grateful for each moment with her.
Hi Kelly,
I am sorry your grandpup has received this devastating diagnosis but what a blessing you have been gifted with so much extra quality time together! Thank you for sharing your story and offering hope to others facing a similar situation. Wishing many happy days ahead for Nellie and all those who love her. ♥
My 11 yo female lab, she had a huge tumor on her spleen just a few months ago. Not cancerous and it was taken out successfully. She was doing fine until a few days ago. She sleeps with me and the other dog. That night, I woke up in the middle of the night by a sound of her scratching the door, I realized she wants to go to the bathroom so I let her out. This never happened before. She never woke me up. After the bathroom I thought she would come to the upstairs with me but she stayed at downstairs. This never happened. She always followed me. But not that night. In the morning I fed them as usual. She took a few bites and didn’t want to eat anymore. This never happened. She’s always being a food motivated dog. The sound of opening a can, or bags, she runs to the kitchen. And she was standing there and not moving at all. She looked like she’s frozen. So I took her to the vet. This is the second day after I noticed the changes in her behavior. The vet showed me how swollen her lymph nodes were. I touched them and they were like the size of bar soap. We did a poke test and sent to the lab. The vet said both sides of the lymph nodes on her neck and thighs are big and visible/touchable. I didn’t see or feel anything there just a couple days ago as I’m always hugging and touching her. I was devastated. Anyhow, we gave her a prednisone shot.
I’ve read many articles about this since. These articles say she should feel better after the shot but she doesn’t seem to feel any better. At least to me she isn’t. She freezes the same as yesterday, she only gets up when she goes to the bathroom. But once she’s done she just freezes for a few minutes and then go lay down in her doggie bed. I’m feeding her rice, raw food(mixed with canned food and frozen one) and cooked pumpkins so that it’s gentle to her stomach. My biggest concern is that she looks weak even after the prednisone shot, not like everyone is saying their dogs went back to their old self after the med administered but mine is not. The effectiveness of the prednisone or any med is vary, I get it but I was hoping she shows some signs of improvement with prednisone so I just wanted to see if there were some similar cases… am I worrying too much? She acts the same as before taken to the hospital. No improvement at all. She’s weak, her head down, doesn’t move, no energy whatsoever. Her neck is still swollen a bit but not as big as it was 2days ago. She’s drinking a lot of water and pee a lot as expected. Much less hungry but eating.
Anything I should or can do for her? Why the shot isn’t working like everyone? had she gone that bad already and she has no fight left? Or I’m just tripping?
Dear MJ,
I am so sorry your senior girl is not doing well, and the prednisone did not improve her condition as hoped. Not all dogs respond to steroids, and I can assure you your pup is not the only one with a less than favorable response. I am not sure if your girl is still with you, but pray you were able to make the most of the time you shared together. Wishing you comfort and peace.
My dog is a daschund 114 yrs old going blind and deaf he has 2 masts in his stomach and one on outside he got sick last February 2023 and I had an ultrasound done and they were spotted I don’t want them to cut him open so I have an ultrasound done every 6 months and one is the size of a golf ball and the other is small so far they haven’t grown just a tiny bit and not touching any of his organs or lymph nodes it’s the end of January 2024 now and he’s still here amen he’s eating poop and pea is good but their swollen in his neck next to his jaws this is my first dog ever haad him since he was 5 I’m 74 should I go see the vet for this he rubs his head a lot and I can’t hardly touch his mouth ty
Dear Phyllis,
I am so sorry your Dachshund is experiencing these severe symptoms. I do think it would be wise to have him examined by your vet. He may have an abscessed tooth or other issue that is treatable. Hoping you can get some answers quickly and find the best way to offer your boy some relief. Best wishes and take care!
My handsome, talented Boxer boy turned 7 on 6/30 One week later he was hospitalized and nearly died from T cell multicentric lymphoma with CNS involvement He has significant Hypercalcemia,, wouldn’t eat , kidneys were shutting down,and he appeared to not even acknowledge me He was going to die without aggressive treatment The Good news is with Chemo he is still alive 3 months later and is his happy normal self His protocol has switched from weekly Chemo to once every three weeks for 3 more months His oncologist and team are amazed by how well he is doing His prognosis was 2-3 months with Chemo I know his cancer will return but I have had more time to love him and enjoy his enthusiasm
Hi Martha,
What a blessing your boy has responded so well to treatment and is feeling good! Thank you for sharing his story with us. Praying he continues to maintain a good quality of life for as long as possible. Bless you both. ♥
My 7 year old Boxer boy, Carson, was just diagnosed. We are opting to do nothing and everyday I question that decision. Carson’s breathing has definitely changed but he’s still happy and playful. We have decided to wait until he’s not eating, in pain or can’t breathe to euthanize him. But we make the most out of every day we have with him. Spoiling him more now than ever. I do believe in Rainbow bridge and sometimes it’s the only thing that makes this diagnosis bearable. . I just wish I know what lies ahead…how quickly it advances from stage 3 to death. I know the expected life span for him is 1-3 months but how quickly does it get into other organs or bone marrow…..should I put him in a collar to walk him or does that cause pressure on his swollen lymph noid? can a lymph noid burst? … is walking dangerous for him? .all questions I struggle with every day.
Dear Jodi,
My heart goes out to you as you face these final days with your sweet boy. I think your decision to forgo treatment and opt for palliative care is wise and I would have done the same for one of my own. Using a collar should be fine, especially if it is worn further down the neck and not right under the jawline. Lymph nodes do not burst so don’t be in fear of that should you attempt to continue daily walks. Walking is perfectly fine as long as Carson is feeling up to it. Just be prepared he may tire quickly and then need to be carried if too far from the house. Some of my clients use wagons to allow their sick pups to “walk” even when they don’t have the energy to do it themselves. Spoil your boy rotten and make the most of each day you are gifted. Wishing you both peace and comfort. Bless you and your sweet boy. ♥
We love your writings. They are so helpful and clearly written.
We live in a rural area and do not have access to a good, let alone integrative, vet. Is there a way you could have a button to make your articles into pdf? Then I could download them for future reference and home care.
Hi Tamara,
I am glad you brought this to my attention. Currently our site is not set up to have a PDF version of the articles available. You can however copy and paste the material into a document on your computer and save it or print it from there. I passed this request along to our tech team. We may start to investigate how much of an undertaking it would be to add a PDF option to the website. Thank you for the kind words and positive feedback!
My Daisy Mae was diagnosed today with Lymphoma. Im still grasping at straws ? reaching out hoping praying it is a misdiagnosing. Daisy has a bad tooth infection and thats why we took her to vet. last week. we noticed she was having mouth pain and her glands where swollen. last week we wad given antibiotics and told to come back in a week.
She did throw up most of the antibiotics or wouldn’t allow me to give them to her. So we go back today ?glands still swollen some possibly bigger.
so we got told she most likely has Lymphoma and maybe months left. but most likely weeks.
we are very low income and limited funds. so we cant afford the chemo. And was told it probably wouldn’t be that affective for her. so she was sent home with prednisone and new antibiotics. they gave her a shot for nausea and some liquid cause of dehydration.
Im heartbroken. Im feeling like i failed her.
I would die for her if it would make her better
Dear Melissa,
My heart aches for you as you face this tragic diagnosis Daisy Mae has received. I know you would do anything to give her more time. It is clear she is dearly loved, and I am certain she knows. Don’t let these last weeks go by without making the most of them. Each day is a gift and try to enjoy every moment you are blessed with. Spoil your girl rotten and make sure she is happy and comfortable. Praying for your strength and peace for your heart. ♥
Hi, my Daisy was diagnosed w b-cell lymphoma. Before even starting treatment I put her on the 5 defenders mushrooms from REALMUSHROOM..COM
900mg per day ( like 1/4 tsp
For a 65 lb dog) and olive leaf extract 1000mg per day. Her lymph nodes reduced DRASTICALLY almost non existent in 3 weeks time. Try it
My mix Bella turned 13 in August. About 2 weeks ago I noticed that she wasn’t eating and she was breathing hard even in the house and she was moving slowly. I noticed a lump under her chin and on her groin. I took her to the vet and he said it was lymphoma. He gave me prednisone and appetite stimulants.
She improved and was eating for about 3 days. Then she got worse. She was not eating normally. I gave her cream cheese and chicken and sausages. Then over the weekend she became weak. She couldn’t stand on her own, her back legs wouldn’t get her up. I had to help her up. On Monday of this week, other than her being weak, she was normal. Then at night she was laying on the floor on her blankets in the bedroom. During the night she got up and wandered to a far room where I found her and brought her to her blankets and pillows in the livingroom. At that point it was like she was paralyzed. She could only breathe. Her heart and lungs were the only things working. She wouldn’t eat or drink. Her head wouldn’t even hold up. Twelve hours later, she she ran out of energy and breathed her last breath.
As they say, this thing happens fast and is unexpected.
Dear Steve,
My heart aches for you with your recent loss of Bella. I know it must have been terrible to watch her health decline so rapidly but what a blessing you were able to be with her in her final moments. It is clear Bella was dearly loved and I am certain your presence was a comfort to her. Thank you for being willing to share your experience with us. May Bella’s memory stay with you always and be a source of comfort and joy in your life.
My 10 yo mini poodle was diagnosed with Stage 3 multi centric lymphoma in December 2022. The vet put him on 10 msg of prednisone twice a day.. The prescription was fora six month period and after six month she extended the prescription without a vet visit. My boy is still here, but has developed Cushing, is losing his hair and has all kinds of bumps that erupt and ooze and bleed. I never was told or considered lowering his dose until now. He’s currently getting 10mg in the am and 10 in the pm every fourth day. I’m doing this on my own as my vet won’t see until November.. .What would a maintenance dose be? I’m lowering things every two weeks.
Hi Wendy,
I am sorry your senior pup is dealing with these severe side effects from the prednisone. Unfortunately, without playing a personal role in your dog’s medical care, I can’t offer advice on adjusting his medications. There is no way to know what the threshold is for this medication and when it will stop being effective at keeping the cancer at bay. It seems as though you are caught between two rocks in trying to maximize the benefits and also minimize the negative effects at the same time. Is your vet aware of the severity of your boy’s issues at this point? Even if the regularly scheduled recheck isn’t until November, there could be a chance they would fit him in earlier if his health is declining. I hope you can find the best way to maintain your dog’s quality of life for as long as possible. Wishing you all the best and praying for a positive outcome.
My 10.5 year old pitbull was diagnosed with lymphoma today. His chest X-ray showed a lymphoma in his chest, his submandibular lymph nodes are swollen as well as his hind leg. We are waiting for pathology, but initial glance from vet FNA showed cancer cells. I keep reading dogs with no treatment last 1-2 months. Oncology appointments are not easy to get by me and I want to do chemo. If we wait two weeks for an appointment will it progress beyond treatment? I do t want to start prednisone as I don’t want to interfere with chemo. I’m concerned for the timeline because I don’t know how fast it’s going to happen. He’s currently acting his normal self. First signs of this was 4 days ago when his neck swelled.
Hi Marissa,
I understand why you are concerned and the urgency to get treatment started is valid. Waiting two weeks is not ideal but I am not sure you really have an option if you want to pursue chemo. I strongly advise you or your vet to go ahead and reach out to the oncologist and see if they have any recommendations of medications or supplements that could be initiated during this waiting period that could help keep things under control. I know there is talk of things like Turkey Tail Mushroom supplements and such that help boost the immune system and increases survival time for certain cancer types. You would have to ensure that any supplement given would not interfere with the chemo just the same as we are cautious with starting prednisone. I hope your sweet boy can fight this and gain more quality time. Praying for a positive outcome and wishing you both the best. ♥
my 12 year old girl yellow lab Ginger was just diagnosed with Lymphoma. she went to the vet for booster shots. 3 days prior I noticed her sneezing and blood tinged mucus dripping from her nose. her appetite has decreased also but we thought she was just being picky again and wanted a food change. she has done this often for years. however my vet gave her a good check since she weigh in at 86lbs.. a 10 pound loss from last check up but she was classified as overweight. the Dr found a thickness knot on her left under her rib he got an xray and confirmed a very large spleen. Bloodwork was done. today we got the call. WBC highest he ever seen..said 300,000. a little kidney failure and lymphocytes elevated high. he diagnosed her with Lymphoma. He said he could recommend a vet oncologist. and that’s where we stand. I am a Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma survivor and 17 years remission! is remission possible for my 12 year old labrador? Should I seek out treatment for her & if so where do I start? I am so lost at this point! I needed a bone marrow biopsy to confirm my Lymphoma, shouldn’t Ginger have one as well? I’m so confused.. not ignorant to the disease in humans but so much indeed in dogs! I don’t want her in pain..
please advise..
thank you
Hi Janey,
I am sorry you are facing this worrisome situation with Ginger. The best place to start is to get the referral to the veterinary oncology specialist. They can tell you what testing is needed and go over all your treatment options. They can also give you an idea about the prognosis for each treatment option and help guide you in the decision-making process. I am hopeful you will find the best way to proceed and ensure your sweet girl maintains her quality of life. Wishing you both the best for many happy days ahead.
Thank you so much for all of the information you have provided. My 14-year-old mixed breed Fred was diagnosed in February of this year. I took him in because his appetite had decreased and he had started snoring loudly which was unusual. I should have taken him in sooner because the appetite changes happened several months before the snoring appeared, but hindsight is 20/20. I decided to do chemotherapy because I was not ready to let him go. He was started on the CHOP protocol along with prednisone (for the first month). He went into full remission quickly and stayed there for about 5 months. Unfortunately he came out of remission before the entire CHOP cycle was completed but the oncologist changed to a different chemotherapy drug along with prednisone. He went back into remission for another 6 weeks. Last week he started snoring again and I discovered the nodes under his jaw were once again inflamed. I contacted the oncologist and they increased his prednisone until I take him for his treatment next week. I am curious if they will want to continue the chemo, since he has come out of remission, or do another treatment and keep him on prednisone to see what happens. Thats my current anxiety. I do know this is the last chemotherapy drug we plan to do. I hope if the chemo is stopped that prednisone alone will give him (and me) a little more time. As everybody knows, it is very hard to accept, even considering he is a senior dog. Even though he did have significant side effects with the chemo at first, until they adjusted the dose, I do not regret taking that route because he has had many more good days than bad. I’m also grateful I have been able to afford it. To me it has been worth every penny. I am now starting to make plans for how I want his earthly exit to happen, as it is very important to me to do what’s right for him because he’s been so good to me. Thank you for allowing me to comment and to see what other people have shared as it helps me not feel so alone in this journey.
Hi Kathy,
What a journey you have been on with Fred’s lymphoma. I’m glad that he went into remission for 5 months but sorry to hear that he is no longer in remission. Hopefully your appointment with the oncologist was able to address your questions and you were able to come up with a plan to buy Fred some more good quality time. Thank you for sharing his story with us! It is such a help to other dog parents to read about Fred’s journey and to know that you have no regrets about choosing to pursue chemo despite the fact that it was rough at first.
Sending love as you treasure the days you have left with Fred and start thinking about how you want the end of his life to go. You are not alone, and you can get through whatever the next days or months hold. ❤️
Lisa Woodley
February 26, 2024
My sweet Pippa was a 9 yr. Old mix breed, 49 lbs. best dog ever. She had multicentric lymphoma. I Noticed the groin area enlarged and then under her jaw line. Quickly looked up the symptoms and was so shocked reading it could be lymphoma. Got her into the vet and he did an aspiration and of course it was aggressive lymphoma. That was January 27th. I opted not to do any chemotherapy, and at the time did not want to do prednisone as my other dog going through allergies was on it for four months. It was awful for him. Going through it with side effects. I just thought she didn’t need to deal with that too. For about two weeks after diagnosis, she was still very happy Go lucky and going for her much loved walks. Soon there after her appetite dropped, and she had stopped eating. I had to feed her by hand for her to get to eat anything. She did become very lethargic during the day, but if you gave her those eyes for that walk, she would’ve gone miles. February 20 I decided to put her on prednisone and she truly was like a new dog. I was so thrilled to see the old Pippa. Unfortunately that didn’t last long and she had some bad days in between. On the 23rd. She really wasn’t feeling well. We put her in her crate for bed that night and in the morning she had thrown up in her crate, and could barely walk when she got out of it.. she went out to pee, barely walking and threw up again I had my husband rush to pick her up and bring her in and when I felt her lymph nodes, they had tripled in size. She was not breathing well, and I just knew this was it for her. Thank God we were able to get a vet to the house.. February 24th, She didn’t even live one month after her diagnosis. I never knew my heart could be so broken. She really was the best dog ever.! Pippa Sue you are so missed .
Dear Lisa,
My heart aches for you with your recent loss of Pippa. I am sorry things progressed so quickly, but what a blessing the prednisone was able to offer her a few more happy days with her family. I am certain that Pippa knew how much she was loved and that your presence was a comfort in her final moments. I hope with time your heart will begin to heal. May her memory stay with you always and continue to be a blessing in your life. ♥
My baby angel got her diagnosis last year at 3 years old she’s a jack Russel she has had the first round of chop and is in remission she has stage 3 type a so I’m hopefull she will be ok for a while she has been in remission since the first treatment and a month since the last
Hi Steph,
What a blessing the treatment is working well, and you have gained so much extra quality time with your pup. Thank you for sharing your experience with us. This will certainly offer hope to others in a similar situation. Wishing you and your sweet girl the best. Bless you!
Hello, Dr. Buzby –
Can you provide an update on 10 year old Charlie? My Rottie-boy Lincon is 6 and we just started prednisone – other than the forward lymph nodes swelling (which have completely gone back to normal size after just 2 days of pred), you wouldn’t know cancer was present. I know the drill, and that the likelihood is we’ve bought him a couple of months but I do hold onto Charlie-type hope that he can defy the odds. He is still active, eating, drinking, eliminating etc like nothing is up and I’ve changed his diet to high fiber, high protein, low fat to try and extend his time and keep his strength up.
How long did Charlie’s humans have him with them, please?
Thanks,
Julia from Ontario, Canada 🇨🇦
Hi Julia,
Charlie lived about seven months. He was very happy and healthy up until the last week. It was good, quality time with his family. I hope Lincon is still feeling good and finding joy in his days. Bless you both. ♥
This seem to be a treacharous disease. I so wish like you described that we also had the time to prepare, however that was never really the case. our 14 year old amstaff dog where seemingly doing fine and were considered healthy for her age (we visited the vet each couple months to monitor her health because she had mastcell tumors one year befort sucessfully removed), she was running around playing and still almost as active as a young dog, when suddenly one sad day she collapsed and became weak with fever vomited and lost her appetite from then on. it all happened during just a weeks time, no real warning, then we were forced to let her go. she never started eating again and she got more weak , she was diagnosed three days after first obvious sign with lymphoma large lymphoblasts in the spleen and also cancerous cells in her blood (no typical finding in lymphnodes). they said it was at stage 5… she also had an enlarged pancreas and spleen according to ultrasound. on her last day in life she hardly could walk straight and were showing signs of anemia so our vet believed starting with treatment (chemo) would be pointless. can’t really comprehend how it could become or develop so super fast. we feel we never got rhat precious time to neither help her nor say goodbye… the what ifs are also so very strong in our case, did we accept the right way forward or should we have tried treating her. either way totally devastating and excruciating after so many years together!! life can really be so cruel and unfair. atleast she lived a relatively long life even rhough one always hope for more…
Dear Daniel,
I am sorry for your loss of your senior girl. Cancer can be so very cruel, especially when it develops at a rapid rate with little to no warning. With what you describe, I am confident you made the best decision for your dog. Saying goodbye is the hardest thing, but it was the most loving choice and the only way to give your pup peace and relief from her suffering. I hope with time your heart will heal from her absence. May the memories of the good days be a blessing and a comfort.
Oct 3rd. my boy Max, had an appointment to get heart worm vaccine. I had noticed swelling under his chin.. My vet gave me predisone and antibiotic. follow up in 2 weeks. He had developed head tremors and leg twitching I had called the office he thought was predisone. We drew blood. He changed antibiotics and increased predisone. they called me back the same day. they needed me to come back. the blood draw was no good. Max at this time was still twitching, his eye were blood shot and was not eating like normal I called the vet requesting he check his lymph nodes. we are at 3 weeks since I noticed his swelling. He referred me to another vet in a larger town. Thurs of that same week we had an appointment. more blood work. The first set of test were elivated white cells and calcium. The next test his calcium levels were high than 16. That’s as high as the machine would go. He also informed me Max’s kidneys were failing. They have had him 4 days doing IV for his kidneys. They called me Friday (after the 1st lymph node draw was bad) The test came back with lymphoma from 3 different sites. Tomorrow will be week 4. Max will be 2 next month. I’m totally devastated. All I can do is cry. they spoke about biopsy which would take a week to get back. They are unsure if the kidneys are caused
from the lymphoma or a separate issue. All I hear is the clock getting louder with delays we can afford to have. I’m unsure what I should do. This shouldn’t be happening he is only 2!!! So far I haven’t been able to get a stage from them for the lymphoma or renal failure. I don’t know if this IV stuff is supposed to work fast or slow. They can’t tell me what cell, I am assuming it’s T cell because of his calcium levels. I don’t know what to do. Ever day they have him is a day I lose being with him. Tomorrow I think I will ask them to start treating him for T cell while they wait for a biopsy. They have him on doxy and 40 mg of Prednisone a day. He still isn’t eating. I went to visit him Saturday. I did get a butt wiggle.
Each day they call me and tell me he’s resting comfortably. They redo blood work every 48 hours..
My boy needs to be home with his momma I am sure this separation is not good for him and he needs chemo started before it’s too late. Too many delays
will the kidneys start working like the should if it was caused by the lymphoma can they handle the chemo treatments? I’m just lost. If we went with keeping him comfortable I’m guessing his kidneys would shut down. X-ray and sonogram didn’t show any tumors. His left kidney looked suspicious but said it could be calcium build up. I am so lost.
Dear Kim,
My heart is breaking for you and this tragic situation you are in with Max. I know you have seen a few different vets at this point. Have any of them been an oncologist? If not, I highly recommend you try and schedule a consult. With as many times as you mentioned wanting Max to be home with you and by your side, it makes me wonder if you would be happier with hospice/palliative care verses the chemo and in hospital treatment. I know the treatment might extend his life, but for how long? If you are leaning toward quality of time verses quantity, don’t hesitate to discuss this with your vet. There really is no right or wrong answer for your situation. Do what brings you and Max the most joy. Praying for your strength during these trying times. Bless you both.
On July 7th my 11 year old greyhound Ima suddenly stopped eating, was glassy eyed and clearly not feeling well. I took her to the Vet and a senior blood panel/urinalysis was done and she was started on Cerenia and Flagyl and my girl improved a little. The Vet is greyhound savvy and expressed concern that Ima might have Cancer. A follow up PCR urinalysis was done as preliminary analysis showed a lot of protein in the urine. The PCR confirmed the initial finding. The Vet advised that two possible causes for protein loss were Cancer or Hypertension. We started Ima on a blood pressure medication and she improved quite a bit so we held off on pursuing an ultrasound. We planned on doing another urinalysis in two weeks but I then discovered three enlarged marble sized lymph nodes in her neck at which time the Vet did a fine needle aspirate on two nodes and the pathology findings came back as High Grade, Large Cell Lymphoma.
Due to her age, we are opting for palliative care. The nodes in her neck are sometimes larger than a golf ball and accompanied by edema. Other times the edema subsides and the nodes seem smaller. I get my hopes up when the swelling goes down and Ima’s appetite improves, and she is enjoying mellow walks in the park…. but then she has another bad day or two.
Will there come a day soon when she experiences a rapid decline? What can I expect? I have already arranged for a Vet to come to our home when the time comes for us to say goodbye.
Hi Denine,
I am sorry your sweet girl has received such a poor diagnosis. I am glad to hear that she is still having some good days and able to find joy in life. When it comes to predicting how this cancer will progress, unfortunately we just never know. Each dog is different, and lymphoma can do some strange things. I think it is great that you have already arranged for a veterinarian to come to your house when the time comes to say goodbye. I hope Ima’s decline will be slow and gradual with the least amount of suffering possible. My thoughts are with you during this difficult journey. Bless you both.
Hi 15 year old schnauzer Max was doing great when I discovered the mass in the groin area, we took him to get checked out and vet did aspiration on it but 4 days later he started to decline. Monday he was diagnosed lymphoma, we started prednisone the same day and by Tuesday was better, and wed. him old self again but today he is not feeling well again. I don’t k ow if the prednisone stopped working on him. But his lymph nodes under his chin is causing some pain. We are waiting for the Laverdia to get here tomorrow so we can give him a fighting chance but I’m not sure if it’s too late for him. I am dying inside and I feel I can’t breath just thinking he is slipping from me and I feel like I did nothing for him. 😭 I feel so guilty.
Dear Adriana,
My heart aches for you during this difficult and emotional situation you are in with Max. Please know that you are doing everything you can, and you have not failed him. Lymphoma can seemingly pop up from nowhere and show up so quickly that you sometimes don’t have time to intervene. There is nothing you “missed” or should have done differently. Unfortunately, this is just how this disease happens in many dogs. I hope the medications will be able to extend Max’s life and give him some relief from the discomfort and pain. It might be a good idea to reach out to a veterinarian that practices hospice and palliative care, so you are ready with options for when that time comes. Praying for a miracle. Bless you both. ♥
Thank you for this helpful information. My Harvey was diagnosed with cutaneous lymphoma in Jan. 2023 when I found an enlarged lymph node. I did chemo and prednisone and recently an infusion. He had the best year I could give him and got sick suddenly (weak diarrhea and vomiting) a week ago and passed at home in my arms wrapped in a blanket. Even so, we all second guess whether we should have done this or that.😪
Dear Susan,
I am so sorry for your loss of Harvey. I know the goodbye was heartbreaking and can only imagine how much you miss him. It is normal to ponder the “what ifs” while grieving. But please don’t allow yourself to carry around the burden of guilt over how things happened. What a blessing your sweet boy found his peace while in such a tremendous place of comfort and love. May we all be so lucky. ♥ Praying his memory will live on and be a source of joy in your lives.
Tragically we lost our beloved Pitbull girl of 14 years to awful cancer (lymphoma/leukemia stage 5). We torment and blaim ourself each day for first of all obviously going to the vet too late, and secondly because we and the oncologist most probably acted to slowly with this type of disease. Im fully aware that theres no cure, but she could’ve and should’ve be treated with chemo (it was decided and booked).
It all happened very Quickly actually, in just a week our girl was gone. We were on a regular routine senior healthcheck (before this it was 4 months since last normal CBC was Done, because of a UTI) where they did a CBC, this came back two days later as abnormal (high WBC, 50 000, about 60% cancerous). Prior to this she were very active and playful, no other symptoms other than a little red hairless patch near her mouth (looking back i suspect it could have been a demodex outbreak because of the lymphoma). That miss is my first regret, why i didnt go sooner to check it out.
Because of the CBC we were recommended to meet an oncologist next, that was 4 days after, On that next appointment they did a new CBC and ultrasound. The new CBC was the same, other than sligthly anemic now (RBC and hematocrit little under reference values) but the ultrasound revealed an enlarged spleen which they aspirated aswell, and some swollen nearby lymphnodes. All came back diagnosed as large cell Lymphoma, suspected T cell type. So because of findings in blood and spleen they staged it as 5.
That same day we got a new appointment three days later, to start chemo treatment, even if they gave us a bad prognosis (max 6 months). During this three days she obviously continued to deteriorate, and On the actual day of the appointment when the vet saw her she said she is in too bad shape now (heartfrequence 120 and pale gums) ,and even if we start the treatment they expect she wouldnt even last through the coming day or two. Of course we were completely crushed hearing this, and also so frightened by the vet to risc that she maybe dies in distress if we decide to go on. This all lead us to follow the recommendation and instead euthanize our best girl! This is off course our second and biggest regret of all , why did we not question the vet and push harder to give her a real honest chance instead? Was she really so past saving…? Would really appreciate your take On this story!
Next question i would ask you, is why she had the symptoms that she had during that week after diagnosis. If you could explain it?
Her first symptom was starting to pant from nowhere on her walk, and minutes after collapse on the side. I lifted her up immediately but she was weak and could not stand, so i carried her. however a little while later she could once again walk. The next day she got a fever, which stopped after three days. During these days she stopped eating, just sniffing and spitting the food, taking a bite here and there at best. Finally last two days she would loose balance while taking short walks in the yard to relief herself, panting on and off and during the night breath shallow and fast, also she seem to have developed an anemia. It was all in all very hard seeing all this how she deteriorated during just one week! How and why does these sort of symptoms and conditions developr?
Thank you, and once again i love your blog.
Dear Marko,
My heart aches for you as you grieve the loss of your sweet girl. I can tell this has been a very difficult process for you as I have read all the comments you have posted over the past couple of weeks. I wish I could ease your pain or take away the burden of contemplating the “what ifs”. Since I did not personally examine your pup, it is difficult to make specific conclusions. You mentioned the spleen was enlarged and there was an anemia. These issues alone can cause an elevated heart rate, difficulty breathing, weakness, and collapse. Also, cancer can do strange and unpredictable things. I agree with the assessment from the specialist that your girl’s condition was grave, and euthanasia was probably the most loving option at that point. I am sorry you had to suffer through such a devastating experience. I pray with time your heart will heal and allow the memories of the good days to be a comfort to your soul. ♥
My dog was diagnosed with TZL lymphoma last week. She was doing UW_25 protocolo but once the type of cancer was defined, the doctors decided to stop the protocolo as it doens’t improve life expentency. She has several Nodes. The biggest ones on her neck. Sometimes I notice She has difficulties to bread. Not sure if it’s a good decision to stop the protocol.
Hi Necas,
I am sorry your dog has received such a difficult diagnosis and poor prognosis. Since I have not been personally involved with your pup’s case, it is hard to make specific recommendations. If you need more information or reassurance about how to proceed with treatment, I highly recommend you talk to a veterinary oncologist in your area. It never hurts to get a second opinion, especially when dealing with cancer and quality of life issues. I hope you find the answers you need to make the best decision for you and your sweet girl. Wishing you the best as you navigate this difficult path.
My dog Daisy was 7 years old when the vet noticed enlarged submandibular lymph nodes and aspiration diagnosed lymphoma. We started the CHOP protocol of chemotherapy, which is very similar to what humans receive. She did so well with chemo, with no side effects. Chemotherapy provided an additional three years of quality life with my sweet girl, and although expensive, I’d do it all again because of the good results. Many times you can get a finance plan, and pet insurance can help if you have a policy before diagnosis.
Hi Karen,
Thank you for sharing your experience with chemotherapy for your girl Daisy. I love that you pointed out how well she tolerated chemotherapy with no side effects. I am so glad you were able to add three extra years to Daisy’s life! That is precious time I’m sure you both enjoyed. Best wishes!
Our 10.5 year old shih tzu was diagnosed 2weeks ago with lymphoma.Four lymp sites are already swollen. Not knowing what stage or B or T cell,how long approximately do you think how much time is left?Scruff has a lot of other physical problems also..Long story short we rescused him at 5 months old and pretty sure he is a result of puppy mill/back yard multi breeder.With lots of vet conversations and long hard thinking,we have decided not to pursue prednisone/or chemo. treatment.Without a whole of testing on scruff,vet wouldn’t give his thoughts on this.Does either B or T cell grow and spread faster than the other?Our plan is to keep in touch with vet as changes occur,and more hugs,carrides,kisses,pictures.and love
Hi Denise,
I am sorry you are heading down this path with your sweet boy. Lymphoma typically progresses quickly with both phenotypes B and T. Most dogs only live for a few months after diagnosis without chemotherapy. My best advice is to look for a vet that specializes in hospice care in your area. Hospice vets will come to your house so you don’t have to stress your dog by taking him into the clinic. They can examine Scruff and make suggestions on how to maintain his quality of life as you go through this process. They also have medications they can prescribe to make sure he is comfortable and pain free. My thoughts are with you and Scruff. I hope you are able to enjoy the time you have left and make memories you will cherish forever.
My Puddin (pit bull ) was diagnosed yesterday with Lymphoma, it is very hard to digest that myself . We adopted her , knowing she had an auto immune disease. She has needed treatment and vet visits so often , we are not doing the chemotherapy with her . Can you tell me because she has an auto immune disease, will she do well on prednisone? Or will lymphoma. Cause her to suffer more . She is very very lethargic. . I am beyond having dry eyes !
Hi Betty,
I’m so sorry to hear that Puddin just got diagnosed with lymphoma. It is always devastating to hear that sort of news. Unfortunately without being able to examine her and know more about which autoimmune disease she has, how it is being controlled, etc, I can’t give you a great idea of how she would tolerate the prednisone. I would suggest scheduling a follow up appointment with your vet to go over your concerns since he or she has a good working knowledge of Puddin’s history and medical concerns. You could also potentially consider doing a consultation with an oncologist. I know that you said that you wouldn’t want to do chemotherapy (which I respect and understand). The vet oncologists I have met are also very focused on helping their patients maintain a good quality of life, so they may be able to offer some good suggestions that help keep her comfortable and/or help answer your questions from the perspective of a specialist who has seen and treated many such case. I hope you are able to find some answers that help guide you during this difficult time. ❤
Our sweet Rookie, a Maltese/Shih Tuz mix who turned 15 on April 1, was just diagnosed with lymphoma today. His teeth were all pulled in March, and his lymph nodes have been very swollen since. We initially treated with antibiotics, etc. but our vet decided to do a biopsy on Friday after Rookie had 2 short seizures within an hour of waking. and the fact that his lymph nodes have gotten progressively bigger.
We have decided to not do chemo due to his age, and started on prednisone. I can’t stop crying. I think that the worst part is not knowing how much time that we have left with him. He still seems fine with a great appetite and zest for life, but I am dreading the day that this changes. He has been the best boy for his entire life, and I can’t imagine this world without him. For now, he is getting everything that his heart desires, like triple the amount of his favorite treats and an entire hotdog to hide his prednisone pill with ice cream for dessert. We do not want him to suffer and will cherish our remaining time with him.
Hi Christa,
So sorry to hear about your dog’s lymphoma diagnosis. I know how devastating that can be. It is great that Rookie is still feeling good right now and I bet he is loving every minute of getting spoiled with everything that his heart desires. (As a less fun side note, some dogs may get pancreatitis or GI upset from hotdogs or ice cream, but fingers crossed he isn’t one of them because I’m sure he loved them! I only mention it because while I definitely want you to be able to spoil him with lots of goodies, I don’t want them to inadvertently make him feel crummy and add to his woes.) It is hard not knowing what the future will hold for him, but I think you have the right idea to keep loving on him and treasuring every good day. Sending love as you navigate this difficult journey. ❤
My dog was diagnosed with stage V T-cell lymphoma almost two years ago. We started on a low dose chemotherapy pill which worked great for over a year. 5 months ago, it progressed and we tried IV chemotherapy but the side effects were more than we were willing to put her through. After stopping chemo, she did wonderful for 4 months. You would never have known she was sick. A few weeks ago, her sub-mandibular lymph nodes dramatically increased in size and she developed lesions in several places. We started prednisone and she had a good few weeks but the last couple of days she is just not herself. She is restless and can’t seem to get comfortable. She doesn’t have that gleam in her eyes anymore and doesn’t wag her tail when I come home. This may be our last weekend with her as we prepare to say “until we meet again”.
Hi Kristin,
Thanks so much for sharing your pup’s story! I am so glad you guys have had almost 2 wonderful years together after her lymphoma diagnosis, but I am also so sorry to hear that she is starting to decline. I hope you are able to have a sweet and meaningful weekend with her before you have to face that difficult goodbye.❤