Vets in general practice often contact me looking for practical advice managing canine and feline lymphoma patients in house. It’s a disease that is seen often and, while there are guiding principles, every patient presents slightly differently and responds to treatment individually. In this lecture we’ll aim to cover the common diagnostic and treatment challenges and provide a good base for improving your confidence in approaching these patients. We’ll discuss standard diagnostic techniques and options for when the diagnosis is difficult to achieve. As we move to discussing clinical staging and treatment we’ll cover the options for several different anatomical locations and histopathological subtypes. We’ll review practical tips for chemotherapy administration including a review of the common chemotherapy agents used in treating canine and feline lymphoma and what to do when things don’t go according to plan. We’ll cover what’s new and what’s evolving in the management of canine lymphoma with a focus on what’s practical and relevant for you.

Staging is one of the most important components of oncology case management. It involves determining the extent of local disease along with the presence or absence of regional or distant metastasis. The results of staging are used to give more accurate and informed treatment options along with prognostic information for each oncology patient. Some of the biggest challenges in staging is to consider how much staging is required for each case, which are the most appropriate tests, and if the results of these tests will impact treatment options and prognosis. I will discuss this information in a case-based and evidence-based approach, focusing on some of the more common cancers including canine mast cell tumours, lymphoma, oral tumours and apocrine gland anal sac adenocarcinomas.

Canine and feline lymphoma is a relatively common disease but there are some areas where potential complications arise. This webinar will concentrate on the diagnostic tests that can be utilised for this disease and the common treatments, with an emphasis on how the diagnostic tests can influence the treatment and prognosis. In dogs, diagnosis is usually relatively straightforward, but it can be more of a challenge in cats due to the differences in clinical presentation. The standard initial treatment options are well described, but how they need to be modified dependent on concurrent illnesses, diagnostic test findings and owner constraints can be more complicated. My approach to these issues will be described including how they might impact the patient outcome, as well as alternatives. The monitoring of the patients and an overview of the management of complications of the disease and treatment is to be covered. The webinar will conclude with rescue options. Lymphoma can be a rewarding disease to treat, but can be very challenging at times.