Age: 9 years
Diagnosis: Lymphoma
Breed: Domestic Short Hair

Diagnosis: Lymphoma

When Bubba, a beautiful black cat, started to have some difficulty breathing in August of 2009, his owner, Pat Wood, thought his asthma must be acting up again. A radiograph, however, revealed a large mass in his chest. A sample of the mass confirmed a diagnosis of a type of cancer called lymphoma.

Lymphoma can be very responsive to chemotherapy, but Pat was understandably hesitant as it would require weekly trips to the hospital and she didn't know how Bubba would tolerate the medications. Dogs and cats, however, do not experience the same side effects of chemotherapy as people. They tend not to have nausea, weight loss, and diarrhea. They don't lose hair, other than occasionally some whiskers, and most times, they feel completely normal through their entire chemo protocol.

Pat decided to try chemo for one to two weeks to see how Bubba did, and much to her happy surprise, he quickly went into remission and thrived. Bubba received both chemotherapy and acupuncture and continued to do well. Pat reports that he was running around the house and playing more than he had in years. In March 2010 he finished his chemotherapy. He continues his regular acupuncture appointments and remains in remission. Pat admits she had her doubts when she made the decision to start chemotherapy, but now she feels she couldn't have made a better choice.