Caninecancer.org.au

I am sorry to read on your website you lost Frodo to vinca poisoning. Did you know they make chemotherapy from this plant?

Specifically, they make Vinca alkaloid chemotherapy from the Vinca plant. Just because something is natural does not mean it is without risk of causing harm.
The dose for vincristine for a 30kg dog with lymphoma (a vincristine-responsive disease) for example is a little over a half of one thousandth of a gram. At this dose, the likelihood of benefit (destroying more than half the cancer) is around 75% and the risk of any side effects around 10%. Any more is likely to cause illness, any less is unlikely to work. When the extract is prepared in a controlled laboratory environment it is straightforward to dose with this much accuracy.
Frodo's poisoning was tragic and although he never received a Vinca alkaloid in his treatment it re-enforces how the difference between helpful and harmful is often a matter of dose.

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Dr Ken Wyatt BSc BVMS FANZCVS
Specialist Veterinary Oncologist
Perth Veterinary Oncology

Thankyou for your thoughts on Frodo. It was and still is a shock to me that he could survive cancer for all those years and be taken out by a plant. I should have known about the toxicity of this plant and I didn't. I hope that by others learning about the vinca it might save other dogs from the same fate. Frodo was "special" in many ways for all he had been through in his life and for what he had overcome against the odds. He will never be forgotten and will always hold a special place in my heart.

I was aware of the chemotherapy and the vinca. To me it is important that dog owners understand the importance of using an oncologist when chemotherapy is given. If used correctly it is quite safe but look what can happen if an overdose occurs. It has to be precise and the right chemo for the right cancer type. Knowing what I know about cancer and treatments now, I would NEVER use a primary vet EVER for anything potentially cancerous. An immediate referral to the experts who only deal in cancer and the right treatments that go along with it. You might be suprised to know it costs no more to do that.

For whatever reason Frodo self administered this plant and ate a lot of it. Its ironic that what saved Frodo all those years ago due to correct and safe doses by an oncologist has taken him out in the end. Dog owners should not be put off by chemotherapy because of this, but they should be aware of the importance of doing it right.

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1. Sending tumours to the lab saves lives
2. Pet insurance allows you to give your dog the best treatments available
3. Using an oncologist gives your dog the best chance of survival.