Can these drugs harm me or my family?
- The risks to people caring for pets receiving chemotherapy are small, but unnecessary exposure to these drugs should be avoided.
- Pregnant women (or those planning to start a family), and young children should not handle chemotherapy medication – this is simply a sensible precaution.
- Chemotherapy drugs are given to destroy cancer cells. Whilst these drugs work on cancer cells, they may also affect normal cells, causing some of the side effects we often see in aggressive treatment of cancer in people.
- Using proper technique when handling, administering or disposing of chemotherapy drugs will maximise the benefits to your pet and minimise the risk to people.
How can I protect myself?
- Always wear gloves when handling your pet’s medication and don’t crush or split medication unless asked to do so.
- Try to make sure your dog or cat swallows the medication and does not spit it out. Keep pet’s medication stored away from food areas and in its original container which will be child-proof and clearly labelled.
- After use, dispose of gloves in 2 plastic bags (‘double bagging’ technique) and tie firmly at the top.
- Wash hands after removing gloves.
- Keep all medication, containers and waste away from children.
How do I dispose of my pet’s waste?
- Much of this information merely reinforces common sense and good hygiene precautions, which should always be followed when caring for your pet.
- Always wear gloves when coming into contact with pet waste products such as faeces, urine or vomit.
- Dispose of faeces and solid waste by flushing down the toilet.
- Try to absorb any fluid waste with paper towel and dispose of this by double bagging. The aim is to ‘contain and absorb’ any contamination rather than ‘dilute and distribute’.
- The final cleaning process for household areas soiled with vomit, faeces or urine should include household products containing bleach.
- If clothes, bedding, towels etc are soiled, then these should be machine washed separately to normal household laundry.
- For cats, clean the litter tray as soon as possible after it has been used. Remove faeces and flush down the toilet. Dispose of litter by the double bagging technique and clean the tray regularly. Keep children away from litter trays.
Can my dog use the garden?
Yes, but try to restrict your dog to one area of the garden to minimise exposure. Clean up faeces/stools as soon as possible and keep family and visitors away from this designated area.
How long should I continue these measures for?
The precautionary measures stated above should be continued during treatment and for 7 days after your pet has received the last dose. This 7 day time period represents the longest time it should take for most drugs to be fully eliminated from the body. This time is taken from studies in people and it is safest to assume the same is generally true with dogs and cats.
Who do I speak to if I have any questions?
If you have any questions at all, please contact us.
Arranging a referral for your pet
If you would like to refer your pet to see one of our Specialists please visit our Arranging a Referral page.