When your dog receives a cancer diagnosis, the flood of information can feel overwhelming. Between treatment schedules, medication protocols, and monitoring instructions, it's easy to feel lost. But here's something veterinary oncology teams see consistently: caregivers who track specific parameters systematically don't just help their dogs, they transform the entire treatment experience. These organized records enable earlier intervention when problems arise, lead to better treatment outcomes, and make every veterinary visit more productive (Withrow et al., 2019).

So what do veterinary professionals really wish you were writing down? Let's walk through the tracking methods that make the biggest difference.

Measuring What Matters Most

Your veterinarian can examine your dog every few weeks, but you see them every single day. That daily perspective is invaluable, but only if you're tracking it systematically rather than relying on memory or gut feelings.

Dr. Alice Villalobos developed a quality of life scale specifically for this purpose—the HHHHHMM scale. It evaluates seven dimensions: Hurt, Hunger, Hydration, Hygiene, Happiness, Mobility, and More good days than bad (Villalobos, 2011).

Each day, you score each category from 0 to 10. It takes just a few minutes, but those scores reveal patterns you'd never notice otherwise.

Research backs this up. Studies show that caregiver-reported quality of life scores correlate strongly with objective health measures and often catch problems before clinical signs become obvious (Lynch et al., 2011).

Your veterinary team can adjust medications, modify treatment intensity, or shift toward comfort care based on these trends—but only if you're documenting them.

Getting Specific About Food and Water

"He's eating okay" tells your veterinarian very little. "He ate 1.5 cups of his 2 cups offered at breakfast, all of his dinner, and drank about 3 cups of water today" tells them everything.

Appetite changes signal so many important things in cancer patients; treatment side effects, disease progression, pain, nausea, or metabolic problems. But vague descriptions make it impossible for your veterinary team to know whether intervention is needed. Instead, write down what you offered, what actually got eaten, and any changes in how your dog approaches food.

This matters more than you might think. Dogs experiencing cancer cachexia, a metabolic condition where they lose weight despite eating, face significantly worse outcomes across virtually all cancer types (Michel et al., 2004).

The earlier your veterinarian identifies this pattern, the sooner they can intervene with appetite stimulants, anti-nausea medications, different food formulations, or even feeding tube placement if needed.

Water consumption is equally important. Drinking significantly more than normal might indicate hypercalcemia (high blood calcium, common with some cancers), kidney problems, or diabetes.

Drinking less raises dehydration concerns, especially if your dog is experiencing chemotherapy-induced nausea or has mobility issues that make getting to the water bowl difficult (Bergman, 2013).

Your Early Warning System

Weight loss exceeding 10% of your dog's starting weight correlates with decreased survival times across cancer types and tells your veterinary team that nutritional intervention can't wait (Vail & Thamm, 2019). But here's the thing: you need to weigh your dog consistently—same scale, same time of day, ideally before breakfast—to get meaningful data.

Beyond the number on the scale, learning body condition scoring makes a real difference. The 9-point body condition score system lets you assess fat and muscle mass separately (Laflamme, 1997). Cancer cachexia typically burns through muscle while fat stores may remain stable for a while, so your dog's weight might not change dramatically even as their body composition deteriorates. Running your hands along their spine, ribs, and hips weekly helps you catch these changes early.

Because Memory Isn't Reliable

When you're juggling chemotherapy agents, pain medications, anti-nausea drugs, antibiotics, and supplements—often with different schedules and food requirements—things get complicated fast. Missed doses compromise treatment effectiveness.

Accidental double-dosing creates safety risks. And when multiple family members share caregiving, everyone needs to know what's already been given.

A simple medication log solves this. Write down the drug name, dose, exact time given, and whether it went down with food or on an empty stomach. For chemotherapy medications that require glove use during handling, note that you followed safety protocols.

When your veterinarian needs to adjust dosing or when you find yourself in an emergency clinic at 2 AM, this documentation becomes essential (Chun et al., 2007).

Why Poop Talk Matters (And How to Track It)

Yes, we're going there. Diarrhea, constipation, and stool changes frequently accompany cancer treatment or signal disease progression. Your veterinary team needs details, not euphemisms.

The Bristol Stool Chart, adapted for veterinary use, gives you standardized language for describing what you're seeing (Dandrieux, 2016). Record how often your dog poops, the consistency (formed, soft, liquid), color, whether there's blood or mucus, and if they're straining or showing urgency.

Timing matters too. Chemotherapy-induced gastrointestinal problems typically show up 3 to 7 days after treatment, though this varies by protocol. When you can tell your veterinarian "diarrhea started 5 days after his last chemo dose," they can intervene quickly with anti-diarrheal medications, dietary adjustments, or fluid therapy—potentially preventing serious dehydration or infection (Chun et al., 2007).

The same goes for vomiting. Track how often it happens, when it occurs relative to meals and medications, what it looks like, and whether your dog seems nauseated between episodes. Persistent vomiting might mean chemotherapy toxicity, intestinal obstruction, metabolic problems, or even neurological involvement—all requiring different interventions.

Reading the Pain Signals

Dogs hide pain remarkably well—it's hardwired into their survival instincts. They won't tell you when something hurts, so you need to become a detective looking for subtle behavioral changes.

Pain assessment scales like the Colorado State University Canine Acute Pain Scale give you a framework for systematic evaluation. But day-to-day, you're looking for departures from normal: sleeping more or less than usual, less interest in activities they typically love, hesitation before stairs or jumps, changes in how they interact with family members, decreased grooming, or unusual vocalizations (Epstein et al., 2015).

For dogs with bone tumors or other musculoskeletal cancers, watch how they bear weight and note any lameness patterns. Is it worse first thing in the morning? Does it improve with activity or get worse?

When you track pain medication timing alongside these observations, your veterinarian can fine-tune the analgesic protocol. They need to know when you gave the medication, how long relief seemed to last, and when breakthrough pain occurred. This information guides decisions about dose adjustments, trying different medications, or adding additional pain management strategies.

Counting Breaths (When Your Dog Is Relaxed)

Establishing a baseline respiratory rate is surprisingly valuable. When your dog is resting quietly, count their breaths for one minute. Most healthy dogs breathe 10 to 30 times per minute (Rozanski & Chan, 2005). Know what's normal for your dog.

This becomes critical for dogs with lung tumors, metastatic disease in the lungs, or those receiving chemotherapy drugs with potential lung toxicity. Increased breathing rate, labored breathing, open-mouth breathing while resting, coughing, reduced exercise tolerance, or blue-tinged gums all warrant immediate veterinary attention.

The Canine Fitness Tracker

Whether you use a pet activity monitor, count daily steps, or just keep simple notes about walk duration and playfulness, tracking activity levels gives you objective data about how your dog is feeling overall.

Declining activity might indicate pain, fatigue, weakness, or disease progression (Withrow et al., 2019). Document how long walks last, whether your dog initiates play, if they're still navigating stairs easily, and any exercise-induced problems like coughing, weakness, or collapse. These details help your veterinary team assess whether treatment is maintaining acceptable quality of life or whether adjustments are needed.

Checking Lumps and Lymph Nodes

For dogs with lymphoma, mast cell tumors, or other cancers that produce palpable masses, home monitoring catches progression or recurrence early. Your veterinarian can teach you to systematically feel the peripheral lymph nodes—under the jaw, in front of the shoulders, in the armpits, in the groin, and behind the knees.

For accessible masses, simple measurement techniques work well. Compare the tumor to common objects (pea-sized, grape-sized, walnut-sized, golf ball-sized) or use digital calipers to record precise dimensions. Taking photos with a ruler in the frame creates visual documentation of changes over time.

Rapid enlargement, texture changes, ulceration, or masses that seem stuck to underlying tissues need immediate veterinary evaluation (Vail & Thamm, 2019).

Temperature Checks

If your dog is receiving chemotherapy, fever can signal neutropenic sepsis—a life-threatening emergency where the immune system can't fight infection. Learning to take an accurate rectal temperature is essential. Normal canine temperature runs 101 to 102.5°F (38.3 to 39.2°C).

During the high-risk period after chemotherapy (typically 5 to 10 days post-treatment), check temperature twice daily. Anything above 103.5°F (39.7°C) or below 99°F (37.2°C) requires immediate veterinary contact. Don't wait—neutropenic dogs can develop overwhelming sepsis without mounting a significant fever, so even subtle temperature changes matter (Chun et al., 2007).

Documenting Every Side Effect

Comprehensive tracking of treatment-related side effects allows your veterinary oncologist to modify future treatment cycles, adjust supportive care, or implement preventive strategies. The Veterinary Cooperative Oncology Group has standardized grading systems for chemotherapy toxicity that your veterinarian uses to make these decisions (Veterinary Cooperative Oncology Group, 2016).

Record when side effects start, how long they last, and how severe they seem. Include everything: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, appetite loss, lethargy, hair loss, skin changes, behavioral shifts. When you can pinpoint timing, your veterinary team can distinguish treatment toxicity from disease progression or unrelated illness.

Special Cases: Seizure Activity

Some brain tumors, metabolic complications, or paraneoplastic syndromes cause seizures. If your dog has a seizure, document the frequency, duration, type (affecting one body part or the whole body), any triggers you noticed, and how they acted afterward (Rossmeisl, 2014).

Video recording seizure episodes, when it's safe to do so, provides invaluable information for veterinary neurologists trying to distinguish true seizures from other conditions. Multiple seizures within 24 hours or seizures lasting more than a few minutes are medical emergencies requiring immediate intervention.

Keeping the Big Picture

Maintain a master timeline tracking chemotherapy cycles completed, radiation sessions, surgery dates, and diagnostic imaging appointments. Keep copies of all lab results, imaging reports, pathology findings, and treatment summaries.

This comprehensive medical record proves essential when consulting specialists, seeking second opinions, or if emergency situations require unfamiliar veterinarians to make rapid decisions about your dog's care.

The Financial Reality

While not a clinical parameter, tracking treatment costs enables realistic decision-making about treatment sustainability. Document all expenses: consultations, diagnostics, treatments, medications, supportive care.

This financial record helps you assess treatment affordability honestly, qualify for veterinary financial assistance programs, and make informed decisions about treatment intensity if necessary. Veterinary social workers consistently note that financial transparency actually reduces caregiver anxiety by eliminating uncertainty about costs (Morris, 2012).

Finding Your Tracking System

The best tracking system is the one you'll actually use consistently. Options include dedicated notebooks, spreadsheet apps, mobile apps designed for pet cancer tracking, or printable log sheets. Choose whatever fits your lifestyle and technological comfort level.

Even basic daily notes about appetite, energy, and bowel function provide valuable clinical information when reviewed over weeks and months. Don't let perfect become the enemy of good—start simple and expand your tracking as you get comfortable with the routine.

Why This Matters

Systematic tracking transforms vague impressions into concrete data that guides treatment decisions, catches complications early, and makes veterinary appointments more productive.

Yes, it requires time and commitment. But caregivers consistently report that organized tracking actually reduces anxiety, increases their sense of control, and provides reassurance that they're doing everything possible.

Your veterinary oncology team genuinely values your observations as essential clinical data. You're not just a worried pet parent; you're a trained observer providing information that directly impacts your dog's treatment outcomes and quality of life.

By maintaining detailed, systematic records, you become a true partner in your dog's cancer care throughout their journey.

To make it easier for you, we created The Dog Cancer Journal. Check out the shop to learn more. 

References

Bergman, P. J. (2013). Paraneoplastic syndromes. In S. J. Withrow, D. M. Vail, & R. L. Page (Eds.), Withrow and MacEwen's small animal clinical oncology (5th ed., pp. 83-97). Elsevier Saunders.

Chun, R., Garrett, L. D., & Vail, D. M. (2007). Cancer chemotherapy. In S. J. Withrow & D. M. Vail (Eds.), Withrow and MacEwen's small animal clinical oncology (4th ed., pp. 163-192). Saunders Elsevier.

Dandrieux, J. R. (2016). Inflammatory bowel disease versus chronic enteropathy in dogs: Are they one and the same? Journal of Small Animal Practice, 57(11), 589-599. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsap.12588

Epstein, M., Rodan, I., Griffenhagen, G., Kadrlik, J., Petty, M., Robertson, S., & Simpson, W. (2015). 2015 AAHA/AAFP pain management guidelines for dogs and cats. Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association, 51(4), 208-225. https://doi.org/10.5326/JAAHA-MS-7331

Laflamme, D. P. (1997). Development and validation of a body condition score system for dogs. Canine Practice, 22(4), 10-15.

Lynch, S., Savary-Bataille, K., Leeuw, B., & Argyle, D. J. (2011). Development of a questionnaire assessing health-related quality-of-life in dogs and cats with cancer. Veterinary and Comparative Oncology, 9(3), 172-182. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1476-5829.2010.00244.x

Michel, K. E., Sorenmo, K., & Shofer, F. S. (2004). Evaluation of body condition and weight loss in dogs presented to a veterinary oncology service. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 18(5), 692-695. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1939-1676.2004.tb02607.x

Morris, P. (2012). Managing pet owners' guilt and grief in veterinary euthanasia encounters. Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, 41(3), 337-365. https://doi.org/10.1177/0891241611435099

Rossmeisl, J. H. (2014). New treatment modalities for brain tumors in dogs and cats. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice, 44(6), 1013-1038. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cvsm.2014.07.003

Rozanski, E., & Chan, D. L. (2005). Approach to the patient with respiratory distress. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice, 35(2), 307-317. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cvsm.2004.10.002

Vail, D. M., & Thamm, D. H. (2019). Hematopoietic tumors. In S. J. Withrow, D. M. Vail, & R. L. Page (Eds.), Withrow and MacEwen's small animal clinical oncology (6th ed., pp. 688-772). Elsevier.

Veterinary Cooperative Oncology Group. (2016). Veterinary cooperative oncology group—Common terminology criteria for adverse events (VCOG-CTCAE) following chemotherapy or biological antineoplastic therapy in dogs and cats v1.1. Veterinary and Comparative Oncology, 14(4), 417-446. https://doi.org/10.1111/vco.283

Villalobos, A. E. (2011). Quality-of-life assessment techniques for veterinarians. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice, 41(3), 519-529. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cvsm.2011.03.013

Withrow, S. J., Vail, D. M., & Page, R. L. (Eds.). (2019). Withrow and MacEwen's small animal clinical oncology (6th ed.). Elsevier.