General Information
- Antineoplastic chemotherapeutic agents are toxic drugs developed to arrest the growth of your pet's cancer.
- Exposure to chemotherapy drugs for a long period of time may represent a hazard for those who administer or handle the drugs.
- Little is known about the potential harm, if any, to those who care for a pet that is receiving chemotherapy.
Carefully following safety precautions will minimize risks associated with chemotherapy.
Handling Chemotherapy Drugs
- Designate a treatment area/room in your home. This will help to decrease exposure to contaminated waste.
- Wear latex gloves when you have contact with your pet's chemotherapy drugs.
- Dispose of gloves after use in a closed plastic container or sealed bag.
- Wash hands after you remove and dispose of gloves.
- Ensure that your pet swallows the medication and does not spit it out.
Always wear gloves when handling any waste material. Pregnant or nursing women should NOT handle the excretions from chemotherapy patients.
Handling Waste
DOGS
- Confine dogs to a specific area in the yard. This will help decrease exposure of your yard to contaminated waste.
- Keep children, family, visitors, and other pets away from this designated area.
- Flush feces: solid/semi-solid waste down the toilet.
- Clean litter box regularly.
- Dispose of litter in closed plastic container or sealed bag.
- Disinfect pan 72 hours after chemotherapy treatment.
- Consider using a disposable pan or liner.
- Feces: solid/semi-solid waste may be flushed down the toilet.
- Urine/vomit: absorb with disposable material (paper towel), then double bag and throw away.
- Household bleach (1 part Lysol to 10 parts water) or other disinfectants (Lysol) should be used to clean/disinfect the affected area.
- Wash soiled bedding separately from other laundry using detergent and bleach. Repeat process before using the machine for your usual laundry items.
These precautionary measures should be followed during chemotherapy and three days after the animal has received the last dose.