Cisplatin (Platinol)

CISPLATIN (Platinol) – Please discuss this with your veterinarian.

Adminstration of cisplatin requires a generous administration of intravenous fluids. Most dogs will receive intravenous fluids for approximately 6 hours after the administration of the drug itself. In addition, your pet will receive medications to combat nausea, and should go home with medications for nausea as well.

In some cases, your pet will be hospitalized overnight. This facilitates the administration of intravenous fluids and allows for your dog to urinate in a controlled environment. Otherwise, your dog should be at the vet’s office for at least 6 hours. It is extremely important that large quantities of fluid be given to avoid kidney damage by the drug. Treatments are usually given three weeks apart.

Prior to the first administration of cisplatin, a baseline urine test for specific gravity should be done. If the specific gravity is too low the cisplatin should not be administered. A complete blood count for red cells, white cells and platelets and a kidney panel should also be done. On the morning of the next chemotherapy, do not feed your pet and bring a morning urine sample for testing of specific gravity.

POTENTIAL SIDE EFFECTS OF CISPLATIN:

  1. Kidney damage. The exact cause of this problem is not completely known. We do know however, that we can usually minimize kidney damage in dogs by “flushing” the animal’s kidneys with intravenous fluids before and after administering cisplatin. This is the reason for hospitalizing the patients and administering fluids as discussed above. Monitoring kidney function is accomplished by performing blood and urine tests. These tests should be performed prior to each cisplatin therapy.
  2. Nausea, vomiting and/or loss of appetite. Cisplatin may cause these adverse effects by direct irritation to the stomach and also be stimulating the areas of the brain that control vomiting. If it occurs, vomiting usually lasts for only a few hours. Occasionally, this stomach upset will last longer. There are prescription medications to control vomiting which are usually administered during the chemotherapy. Your pet should be sent home with a prescription if nausea or vomiting is a problem.
  3. Low blood cell counts. Fortunately, this is less of a problem with cisplatin compared to many other anticancer drugs. A complete blood cell count (CBC) should be run prior to each drug administration. The dose of cisplatin may be lowered or administration delayed if the CBC is abnormal.
  4. Increased amount and frequency of urination. This generally lasts for 24 hours but can occasionally last for several days following therapy. This is due to the large quantity of fluid given before, during and after cisplatin administration.
  5. Deafness. This is a problem that has been seen in human patients but is difficult to evaluate in dogs.
  6. Hair Loss. This is NOT a common problem following cisplatin administration although hair that has been clipped will be slower to regrow than normal.

If side effects develop please contact your veterinarian immediately. The following suggestions are guidelines and are not meant to substitute for your veterinarian’s professional advice.

Nausea

  1. Hold animal temporarily off food. Offer ice cubes every few hours
  2. Feed small, frequent meals versus one large meal.

Not drinking fluids

  1. Chicken or beef broth can be offered
  2. Call clinic if condition persists longer than 12 hours.

Vomiting

  1. Hold animal off food for 12 hours
  2. Offer small amounts of water, then small bland meals such as chicken or veal baby food. Gradually introduce normal diet.
  3. Call clinic if condition persists longer than 24 hours.

Diarrhea

  1. Feed bland food such as chicken or veal baby food, boiled chicken or lamb mixed with cooked rice.
  2. Call clinic if condition persists.

Increased Thirst or Urination

  1. Call clinic if this persists more than 48 hours.