Chronic Leukemia in Dogs

Chronic leukemia is a cancer of the blood and occurs when an abundance of white blood cells are produced rapidly. It typically affects middle-aged to older dogs and develops slowly, with no visible symptoms specific to the condition. When chronic leukemia is diagnosed, you can maintain your dog’s condition through a combination of consistent monitoring and chemotherapy, which can prolong your dog’s life and improve his or her quality of life.

Because chronic leukemia progresses slowly, symptoms may not develop until after the diagnosis has already been made. Many patients are asymptomatic, but if your dog does exhibit signs, they may include:

• Lethargy
• Loss of appetite
• Mild anemia
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Enlarged spleen
• Easy bruising or bleeding

Types

There are two types of chronic leukemia: chronic lymphocytic leukemia and chronic myeloid leukemia, otherwise known as chronic myelogenous leukemia. Lymphocytic leukemia originates in lymphocytes, while myeloid leukemia starts in myeloid cells, or non-lymphocytic white blood cells. Lymphocytic leukemia occurs more frequently than myeloid leukemia.

Chronic leukemia occurs when an abundance of white blood cells gather in the body, typically due to a mutation in the bone marrow. Much as with other cancers, there is no known cause for chronic leukemia of either type. The condition mostly occurs in older dogs, with no strong connection to gender or breed.

Due to the condition’s slow progress and the initial lack of symptoms, most cases of leukemia are discovered when blood work is conducted for other reasons. If your dog’s blood test shows elevated levels of white blood cells, the veterinarian will perform an initial examination in order to establish your dog’s medical profile. The results from previous blood work will be useful if available, as this ascertains your dog’s normal blood cell counts and provides a basis for comparison.

The veterinarian will perform further tests in order to diagnose leukemia, as there are several other conditions which may result in an increased number of lymphocytes in your dog’s blood. Possible tests include:

• Chemistry panel
• Urinalysis
• Chest radiograph
• Abdominal ultrasound
• Bone marrow aspirate

Leukemia is typically confirmed with an examination of the bone marrow. In cases where insufficient bone marrow is obtained by aspiration, a biopsy may be required.

Chronic leukemia is typically maintained through careful monitoring. Because the condition progresses slowly, no treatment may be necessary in the beginning stages. You will need to observe your dog and keep note of any new symptoms, as well as bring your dog in to the veterinarian’s office for regular physical examinations and blood work to monitor blood cell counts.

As the leukemia develops, your veterinarian will treat your dog with oral chemotherapy to help control the condition. Chemotherapy cannot cure chronic leukemia, but it can provide supportive care that relieves discomfort and maintains a higher quality of life for your dog. Depending on the extent of the leukemia at the time of diagnosis, maintenance medication may slow its progress by several months.

Alternative treatments, such as nutritional supplements or a change in diet, will not address the leukemia itself but may improve your dog’s overall function. These methods can strengthen your dog’s immune system against any complications arising from leukemia or chemotherapy. If the condition spreads to other areas of the body, including the spleen or lymph nodes, your dog may require stronger treatment, such intravenous chemotherapy. The goal of chemotherapy in all cases is to achieve remission and allow your dog to remain comfortable for as long as possible.

Chronic leukemia cannot be cured, though chemotherapy may help push it into remission and reduce exhibited symptoms. Depending on your dog’s symptoms and response to treatment, you may need to change your daily routine to accommodate loss of appetite or reduced energy levels. You will need to bring your dog in to your veterinarian’s office for regular examinations and blood work, both to monitor the progress of the condition and to gauge your dog’s response to chemotherapy. If the condition responds well to the medication, or if your dog achieves remission, your dog can still maintain a high quality of life for several years following the initial diagnosis.

If the veterinarian has caught leukemia early enough, then they may not need to start any major treatment right away. The veterinarian will usually recommend coming in for a physical exam ($40-$56) and blood work ($20-$34) a few times a month to properly track the cancer’s progression. The veterinarian may suggest giving your dog vitamins ($10-$32) and a healthier diet ($15-$42) to improve your dog’s overall health. Once the cancer starts progressing, the veterinarian will begin oral chemotherapy, such as Lomustine or Leukeran. Lomustine can cost around $116 per treatment, whereas Leukeran can cost around $340 per treatment. Unfortunately, there is no cure for cancer yet. Having stated the obvious, the chronic leukemia can spread, and if it does, the chemotherapy treatments will need to be more aggressive. This chemotherapy is given intravenously and can cost $1,000 per treatment. The combined cost of everything mentioned can range from $1,185 to $1,440 and, many of these costs are continuous. Having chronic leukemia cannot be cured, but these treatments have the ability to prolong your dog’s quality of life for as long as possible.