By Kelly Ryan For The Herald Sun
CANCER victims could enjoy a better quality of life during chemotherapy, thanks to a world-first trial on dogs.
Vets at Southpaws Speciality Surgery in Moorabbin, Australia have discovered dogs suffer almost none of the sickening side-effects, and the drugs given to them work more efficiently when administered slowly and continuously over a few days, instead of the bursts received when delivered intravenously over weeks or months.
Forty dogs have been treated, 17 of them subject to a strict clinical trial in which a pump inserted under their skin doles out chemotherapy at even dosage with far fewer side-effects suffered as a result.
Because the drugs are applied at a regular rate, there are no peaks in dosage and lower toxicity in the bloodstream.
Another bonus is the new method of administering the drugs drastically cuts the costs of treatment, travel and time in hospital.
Of the 17 trial dogs, none suffered vomiting, nausea, hair loss, lethargy, loss of appetite or kidney toxicity. Some registered a lower white blood cell count but only one suffered diarrhea.
Veterinary cancer experts presented with a paper outlining the trial at a conference in the US last week were “really excited” by the findings.
