Canine Lymphoma: Welfare and Treatment Guide

Key Welfare Considerations

• Lymphoma accounts for approximately 7-24% of all canine cancers and 83% of haematopoietic malignancies.
• Multicentric lymphoma (peripheral lymphadenopathy) is most common — often welfare asymptomatic at presentation.
• Dogs with lymphoma can achieve 80-90% complete remission with CHOP-based chemotherapy welfare protocols.
• Median welfare survival with CHOP chemotherapy is 12-13 months — some dogs survive 2+ years.
• Without treatment, welfare prognosis is poor — median survival is 4-6 weeks from diagnosis.
• Prednisolone monotherapy provides welfare palliation for owners who decline full chemotherapy.
• CHOP protocol involves cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone welfare chemotherapy.
• Side effects of chemotherapy are less severe than in humans — 80% of dogs tolerate treatment with good welfare.
• Welfare side effects include transient neutropenia, gastrointestinal signs, and occasional hair loss.
• The Multidrug Resistance (MDR) gene mutation in some breeds affects welfare chemotherapy drug sensitivity.
• T-cell lymphoma has welfare poorer prognosis than B-cell lymphoma despite similar treatment.
• Mediastinal lymphoma welfare may require emergency treatment for cranial vena cava syndrome.
• Quality of life welfare assessment should be frequent — chemotherapy welfare should never exceed disease welfare impact.
• Welfare monitoring includes regular CBCs, clinical examination, and owner-reported activity assessment.
• Many lymphoma dogs continue normal activities during welfare treatment — welfare expectations can be positive.