Doxil is a trade name for doxorubicin, an intravenously injected anti-cancer drug that can be used alone to attack cancer cells or administered in conjunction with other chemotherapy drugs. Doxorubicin impairs the DNA synthesis, which is crucial to cell division, allowing the drug to target cells that are dividing rapidly, according to Dr. Wendy C. Brooks, the educational director for VeterinaryPartner.com.
Doxorubicin is administered slowly by IV drip over a period of about 10 minutes, Brooks says. Your veterinarian may prescribe the drug alone or in combination with chemotherapy to treat your pup’s cancer if she is unable to remove the cancerous cells surgically or with radiation.
Risk of Contact
Veterinary professionals working with doxorubicin, which is highly irritating to the skin, protect themselves by wearing a gown, gloves and protective eyewear. If the drug leaks into surrounding tissue of the animal receiving the treatment – if the animal chews at the catheter during administration, for example, the tissue in contact with the doxorubicin could die or result in a growing wound that fails to heal, says Brooks.
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