Lucy
4.5 year
old Lucy has been a regular visitor to the practice since May this year after
she was diagnosed with Lymphoma.
The term
“lymphoma” describes a cancer that is derived from white blood cells called lymphocytes. Lymphocytes normally
function as part of the immune system to protect the body from infection.
Although lymphoma can affect virtually any organ in the body, it most commonly
arises in organs that function as part of the immune system such as the lymph
nodes, spleen, and bone marrow.
On examination,
Lucy's lymph nodes were enlarged. She required a surgical procedure to have a
lymph node removed and it was sent to the laboratory for analysis. The result
showed that Lucy has got a high-grade Lymphoma.
Vet Nigel and Lucy's
owners discussed the treatment that she would need and the life expectancy with
the disease. Lucy's owners made the decision to treat the Lymphoma which is
aimed at slowing down it's progression. The disease is not curable, so the ultimate goal of the treatment is to
improve the quality of and prolong Lucy's life.
Lucy's treatment
regime involves a combination of a chemotherapy tablet, chemotherapy
intravenous injections and a steroid tablet.
Initially Lucy was
a bit anxious of coming into the practice for her injections, but she has
learnt to trust us and enjoys the fuss made of her (as you can see from her
happy face in the picture).
Lucy sadly lost her battle with Lymphoma in March. She continued to enjoy her walks right up until the time came for her owner's to make the brave decision to end her battle with Lymphoma.
A lovely dog
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