Lymph node cytology is a useful diagnostic procedure but educating veterinarians to improve sampling and smearing may increase diagnostic yield.

The aim of the study was to report the outcome of treatment of 97 dogs with lymphoma that received a multi-agent chemotherapy protocol containing epirubicin as the primary anthracycline. Seventy-five dogs received a 25-week protocol with no maintenance phase whilst 22 dogs received a maintenance phase. Complete response rate was 96% and time to first relapse (TTR) and overall survival (OS) time for all dogs were 216 and 342 days, respectively. Dogs with T-cell lymphoma and those classified as WHO substage b had significantly poorer OS times and TTR. The protocol was well tolerated with toxicity similar to doxorubicin-containing protocols. Epirubicin as part of a multi-agent protocol is safe and effective in the treatment of canine multicentric lymphoma. There is a high initial response rate and an overall median survival time that is similar to other published doxorubicin-containing protocols.

Epirubicin is a stereoisomer of doxorubicin that is widely used in human oncology. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the toxicity associated with epirubicin administration in dogs. Three hundred and fifteen treatments were administered to 139 dogs. Patients received between one and seven doses. One hundred and sixteen treatments were associated with toxicity in 81 patients (50 episodes of lethargy, 49 of diarrhoea, 42 of vomiting, 40 of anorexia, 2 hypersensitivity reactions and 2 suspected extravasations). Thirty-six (11%) adverse events resulted in hospitalization in 33 (24%) patients, of which 15 were neutropenic and 9 pyrexic. Mean duration of hospitalization was 3.4 days and 33 patients recovered uneventfully. Owners of 11 patients declined further treatment after toxicity occurred. After 25 treatments associated with toxicity, dose reductions reduced toxicity. The use of prophylactic anti-emetics, gastroprotectants and antibiotics did not reduce the frequency of gastrointestinal toxicity.