November 2001 Pet of the Month
Keesha Yohr 
Cancer is a word that brings the worst of thoughts to most of our minds. Almost all of us have known someone who has had to deal with cancer or have experienced it ourselves. The
news that your pet has cancer is also a very difficult thing to hear. This month we are highlighting a very special dog-named Keesha Yohr, a 12-year-old Keeshond with a form of cancer known as Lymphoma.
Keesha came in for her yearly examination in April of this year. At that time the only problem Keesha was having were sores on her face. During the physical exam we found several of her
lymph nodes were enlarged so we performed a procedure called fine needle aspiration. This procedure allowed us to obtain a sample from several of her enlarged lymph nodes. The samples
confirmed that Keesha did have Lymphoma. After discussing the treatment options with her owner we decided to pursue chemotherapy. In order to determine if
Keesha was a good candidate to undergo the treatment and to determine the extent to which her cancer had spread a number of tests needed to be performed,
including chest and abdominal x-rays, an abdominal ultrasound and a bone marrow aspiration. We referred Keesha to the University of Wisconsin Veterinary Medical
Teaching hospital for some of the diagnostics and to begin her chemotherapy treatments. The treatment protocol that Keesha was started on consisted of
weekly injections of chemotherapy medications over a 4-month period. One time a month she was reexamined by the Oncology service at the University of
Wisconsin. Prior to each treatment we performed a blood test to ensure that her immune systems was sufficient to tolerate the chemotherapy. After each test we
would place an IV catheter to ensure that we would safely administer the medication. Two months have passed since Keesha received her last dose of
chemotherapy and she continues to live a very happy life and is doing very well.
 Lymphoma is a type of cancer, which affects a particular type of white blood cell known as a lymphocyte. Unlike many forms of cancer, lymphoma does not take
the form of a mass. There are different forms of lymphoma and each form is classified based on where cancer cells are found. The cancer cells may be found in the lymph nodes, liver, spleen,
kidneys, the intestinal tract, eyes, and even the skin. The disease is most common in middle to older age dogs with no breed or sex predilection. The clinical signs can be very vague and non-specific
and include such things as loss of appetite, lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, increased thirst and increased urination. Many times the disease is fairly
advanced before an owner notices any changes in the pet.
Chemotherapy is currently the treatment of choice for canine lymphoma. Complete
remission is expected in 85-90% of dogs that are given chemotherapy. The median survival time is 12 months, although 25% of dogs will live longer than 2 years. If
chemotherapy is not an option treatment can be initiated with corticosteroids. The steroids will initially provide a dramatic improvement in the dogs' condition,
although the improvement is generally short term. The median survival time for dogs treated with coricosteroids is 1-2 months. With no treatment, survival time is
usually a month or less from the time of diagnosis.
The decisions that need to be made when your pet is diagnosed with any form of
cancer are not easy ones. Lymphoma however is generally thought to be one of the more rewarding forms of cancer to treat. Keesha is a wonderful dog that is
fortunate enough to have owners that have sacrificed a great deal for a special member of their family. We have all grown very close to Keesha and always look forward to seeing her.
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