A study was undertaken to determine the pressor and toxic effects of etoposide, an antineoplastic agent, when administered IV in 0.9% sodium chloride solution (0.4 mg of etoposide/ml) over a 30-minute period to dogs at a dosage of 40 mg/m2 of body surface. On day 1, 6 adult German Shorthaired Pointers were anesthetized with halothane, and blood pressures were measured via a femoral artery catheter before, during, and after the etoposide was administered. Systolic, diastolic, and mean blood pressures of each dog increased significantly (P less than 0.01) within 30 minutes after initiation of etoposide infusion. On day 3, when the dogs were not anesthetized, etoposide was again administered to each dog, using the same dosage. Each dog developed a moderate to severe cutaneous reaction characterized by moderate to severe pruritus, urticaria, and swelling of the head and extremities that began during the second infusion of etoposide. These same cutaneous reactions were seen on day 30, when etoposide was administered to 3 of the previously treated dogs and 2 previously untreated Beagles. We concluded that the administration of the commercial preparation of etoposide is likely to cause a significant reduction in blood pressure of anesthetized dogs, and that the drug is likely to induce a moderate to severe cutaneous reaction when administered to unanesthetized dogs.

A study was undertaken to determine the toxic effects of cisplatin, an antineoplastic agent, on canine kidneys and bone marrow when administered during a 6-hour saline diuresis. Cisplatin (70 mg/m2 of body surface) was administered IV to 6 healthy dogs over a 20-minute period after 0.9% NaCl solution (saline) was administered IV for 4 hours at a rate of 18.3 ml/kg/hr. After cisplatin injection, saline diuresis was continued at the same rate for 2 hours. Each dog vomited within 8 hours after the drug was administered. Clinical status, weight gain, and food consumption were normal throughout the 27-day study. All measures of renal function remained unchanged and were within normal limits for 27 days after the drug was administered. Nadirs in the daily neutrophil count were observed on days 6 (3,240 +/- 404/microliter) and 15 (1,196 +/- 275/microliter). There were no important gross or histologic abnormalities referable to cisplatin administration when the dogs were necropsied at the conclusion of the study (day 27). We concluded that cisplatin can be administered safely at a dosage of 70 mg/m2 of body surface, using a shortterm diuresis protocol, and that the drug induces a ndair in the neutrophil count on days 6 and 15.