Cancer care and pets

When Brent Williams needed chemotherapy after a cancer diagnosis, one of his concerns was for the safety of his two cats. Would he need to handle them differently or — worse — not handle them at all?

If you are being treated for cancer — or if your pet is — you, like Williams, may have concerns about how the treatment could affect others around you, or if your pet's treatment could be hazardous for you. Generally, risks are low, but safe handling procedures can reduce them further, no matter who's being treated.

The good news for Williams and other human cancer patients is that the amount of active drug excreted by the body when a human or pet patient is receiving chemotherapy is "exceedingly low," says Dr. Craig Clifford, a veterinary oncologist at Blue Pearl in Malvern, Pa.

That said, it's always wise to take precautions. The website for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society has the following recommendations:

Have another family member scoop the litter box or pick up poop. If that's not possible, wear gloves (and a mask if you're scooping litter) and wash hands thoroughly afterward.

Take pets that are sneezing, vomiting or have diarrhea to a veterinarian to make sure they don't have an infection they could pass on to you.

Keep pet nails trimmed to avoid scratches. Cancer patients may have weakened immune systems and can easily develop infections from wounds.

Being treated with a topical chemotherapeutic? Prevent pets who love to lick from lapping at treated areas, which could expose them to a high volume of the drug, Clifford says.

What if your pet is the one receiving chemotherapy? Take precautions when handling oral chemotherapeutics. If you will be administering the pills at home, the clinic will likely send you home with special gloves to protect your hands when giving the pill.

"When we talk about the exposure associated with it, it is very low, and we try to make the risk of exposure even lower," Clifford says. "It makes sense to have an extra layer of protection by having them wear gloves."

Afterward, carefully strip off gloves so they're inside out, and dispose of them as directed. Don't reuse them. Then wash your hands thoroughly.

Pets receiving intravenous chemotherapy can excrete drugs in their urine and feces for up to seven days. The North Carolina State Veterinary Hospital recommends having them urinate and defecate in an outdoor area that's not used by other pets. Choose a sunny spot, if possible; ultraviolet light is believed to inactivate many drugs. It's also a good idea to dilute urine by rinsing the area with water afterward. Clean cat litter boxes daily. Double-bag litter, and dispose of it with the trash.

Launder pet bedding, towels and toys separately from other laundry, and use bleach to be on the safe side. Wash pet bowls separately as well, using hot, soapy water.

Store oral or topical medications out of reach of pets and children. It's generally OK to give oral medications inside a treat, but make sure they actually go down the hatch. Gently stroke your pet's throat to encourage swallowing. Don't give medications by opening capsules or splitting or crushing pills, which disrupts the protective film coating.