Tip-top Tockly is rare canine cancer survivor

An oncology team is celebrating after a cocker spaniel diagnosed with canine lymphoma joined the rare band of dogs to have recovered from the deadly disease.

Tockly had experienced nothing more serious than a broken dew claw until April 2020 when she was diagnosed with mediastinal T-cell lymphoma, an aggressive form of cancer with an average survival time of just a few weeks without treatment.

Poor prognosis

However, more than two years after undergoing a chemotherapy protocol at The Ralph in Marlow, the 11-year-old is now considered cured of her cancer.

Tockly was given a clean bill of health following her latest check-up at the specialist centre last month (October 2022), an against-the-odds recovery considering just 2% of pets survive the disease.

Aggressive cancer

Tockly’s oncologist Stefano Zago said: “Multicentric lymphoma, the most common presentation of canine lymphoma, is an aggressive cancer with an average survival of around four weeks without treatment and 12 to 14 months with chemotherapy. Mediastinal T-cell lymphoma carries an even worse prognosis, with an average survival of six to seven months following chemotherapy.

“Tockly took all the treatments in her stride, always enthusiastic to come in for her treats and she has now joined an exclusive elite of around 2% of pets who are cured of their lymphoma. We are very pleased for her and her family.”

‘Fighting example’

Inge Breathnach, senior oncology nurse, added: “Tockly has done so well and she is a fighting example of the difference chemotherapy can make to the life of a pet and their family.

“It’s important that pet carers are aware of all the treatment options, even for aggressive forms of cancer, because it can have such a positive impact.”

The oncology service at The Ralph includes surgical oncology and medical therapies, such as conventional chemotherapy, metronomic chemotherapy, targeted molecular therapies, immunotherapy, and electrochemotherapy.