Palladia - A New Cancer Treatment for Dogs
Toceranib Phosphate - New Drug for Treating Canine Mast Cell Tumors
Jun 3, 2009
Palladia has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is now available through boarded specialists as a potential treatment option for mast cell tumors in dogs. Eventually, Palladia is scheduled to become more widely available through non-boarded veterinarians, likely in the early part of 2010, according to the manufacturer of the drug, Pfizer Animal Health.
Palladia as a Treatment Option for Canine Cancer
Palladia contains a drug known as toceranib phosphate. The medication was developed by Pfizer Animal Health to treat cutaneous (skin) mast cell tumors in dogs which have been recurrent in nature and are either grade II or grade III tumors. Mast cell tumors graded II or III are typically the more invasive and difficult to treat mast cell tumors which also have a higher likelihood of spread to other body areas.
How Palladia Works to Treat Mast Cell Tumors in Dogs
Palladia works in two different fashions to combat mast cell tumors in dogs.
- Palladia kills tumor cells.
- Palladia cuts off the blood supply to the mast cell tumor.
Palladia may be used with other treatment modalities, such as surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy in treating canine mast cell tumors.
How Palladia is Expected to Affect Dogs with Mast Cell Tumors
Palladia acts on both tumor cells and on blood vessels supplying the mast cell tumors to help shrink the tumor or tumors present on the dog's skin. However, as with any other cancer drug, results are not guaranteed and there is no way to predict whether a dog will respond to Palladia or how long the positive response will last if Palladia is effective.
While receiving Palladia, regular visits to the veterinarian will be required. Frequent examinations are necessary to track the effectiveness of Palladia in the individual dog and also to check for potential adverse effects from the medication.
Side Effects in Dogs Receiving Palladia for Mast Cell Tumors
Side effects may be seen with Palladia and dogs receiving the medication should be closely observed for indications of adverse reactions. Side effects can occur even at recommended dosages of the medication. The most common side effects seen with Palladia are:
- lack of appetite
- vomiting
- diarrhea
- black tar-colored feces
- blood present in vomit or feces
- bruising and/or bleeding
Dog owners noticing these types of symptoms after administering Palladia to their dogs should stop administering the medication and contact their veterinarian for further advice.
Precautions Necessary When Handling Palladia
Palladia is an anti-cancer medication and, as such, it needs to be handled very carefully. Palladia may be dangerous to unborn fetuses when handled by pregnant women. Women who are pregnant, nursing or planning to become pregnant need to be especially careful in handling the medication.
Children should not be allowed to handle Palladia and Palladia should be stored in a secure location, as should all prescription medications.
When handling Palladia, dog owners:
- should wash their hands thoroughly after handling the tablets.
- should not try to split or break tablets.
- should wear gloves when it is necessary to handle broken tablets.
- should administer Palladia tablets to their dog immediately after removing from the bottle.
- should not handle tablets spit out by the dog without gloves.
- should check to make certain the dog has ingested the Palladia tablet completely if hiding the tablet in food.
Cleaning Up After Dogs Receiving Palladia for Mast Cell Tumors
Dog owners should wear gloves when cleaning up urine, stool or vomit from Palladia-treated dogs. Urine, stool or vomit produced by the dog should be tightly sealed in plastic trash bags, along with any paper towels used to clean up messes. The plastic trash bag may be disposed of with regular household trash once tightly closed.
Any towels, blankets or other items soiled with urine, stool or vomit from the Palladia-treated dog should not be washed with regular laundry.
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