CHEMOTHERAPY - ROUND 2

First I have to tell you that Beasley experienced what I think is the best week she’s ever had.  I’ve had her almost two years and I’ve never seen her act so playful and happy.  

I don’t know if it’s because they took out the cancer and it’s been there for a while, or if it’s the immune builders I have been giving her, maybe her teeth were bothering her (they took out 3 more), or she is just gradually learning to trust and accept love.  Maybe all of the above.

She is doing things she has never done before, like waiting for me at the door.  Not 100% of the time but quite a bit.  She is also licking me. Sometimes, I wake up to her licking me. She won’t let anyone touch her food.  She is letting all the other dogs know in no uncertain terms that her food is hers.  She used to just let them take over her bowl. I had to stand guard. And she’s stealing toys right out from underneath them.  That cracks me up.  

Round 2 was last Thursday.  Everything went well and she bounced right back.  And again, she didn’t get nauseous but this time she did get diarrhea.  And it was bloody.  So I started feeding her brown rice and ground turkey.  She loves it. I mean really loves it. And it has helped quite a bit.  Still a little blood but not runny anymore. So that will be something I will incorporate on Day 3 next time.  

I just got back from  having her white blood cell count checked and it’s higher than last time but not high enough so I will start antibiotics this afternoon and pray that she doesn’t get a fever or any kind of infection.  Normal is 6, last time it was 2.7 (really low) and this time it is 3.5.  

Maybe the Beta Glucan does help a little but in any case, it’s not hurting and so I’m going to keep giving it to her.  At least it is higher.  All positive things.

And I hated to hear this question, but Dr. B asked me if the tumor(s) started growing back yet?  I guess I didn’t want to think about it but according to everything I’ve read, eventually it will happen.  But I’m counting on all of this to fight the cancer off.  And being the eternal optimist that I am, forever! 

DIET FOR CANCER DOGS

I had been giving Beasley Avoderm Senior, which is low in protein and fat, since she is over 7.  But I thought I should do a little research on what to feed a dog with cancer and I’m glad I did.

• High in fat: Tumor cells are much less likely to use fat for energy, whereas the dog's normal cells find fats an excellent source. It is recommended that foods should be 25-40% fat on a dry matter basis.
• Moderately high in protein: Since cancer cachexia is associated with a decrease in muscle mass, and muscle is high in protein, moderately high protein levels should be available to dogs with cancer, provided they have normal kidney and liver function. In general, protein levels should be in the range of 30-45% on a dry matter basis.
• Low in carbohydrates: Since tumor cells prefer carbohydrates, diets low in carbohydrates will theoretically give the tumor cells less to grow on. Carbohydrates should be less that 25% of the food on a dry matter basis.

Added nutrients

Some dog foods are fortified with certain nutrients that can be beneficial to dogs with cancer. Added nutrients that may be recommended include:

• Omega-3 fatty acids: Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oils. They may be very beneficial to dogs with cancer. It not only reduces cachexia, it may also have a direct effect on the tumor cells themselves.
• Arginine: Arginine is an important amino acid for dogs. Arginine can benefit the immune system and may influence tumor growth. Although the optimal amount of arginine for dogs with cancer has not been determined, a level of 2% of dry matter or higher is generally recommended.

It was really hard to find a food with that much fat in it.  So for the dry food, I bought Blue Wilderness Wild Salmon.  It has 34% protein and 15% fat. I also bought some canned food to mix in with it.  Blue Wilderness, Castor & Pollux and Source. None of them are really high in protein or fat, about 10% but that’s as high as I could find for a limited ingredient high-grade food.  All are grain-free. 

An important rule for dogs with cancer is to offer them grain-free food. Grains need to be digested and dogs with cancer do not produce the necessary enzyme to do so, adding stress on the digestive system.

I wasn’t sure where to find Arginine so I looked it up.  Nuts, kidney beans, legumes, tuna, salmon, chicken, shrimp, eggs, pork and milk. Other foods with arginine include chocolate, oats, dairy products, sunflower seeds and brown rice.  I hope the salmon and canned food has it, it’s not on  any of the labels.  I do boil eggs for them every now and then and one of her favorite treats is string cheese so hopefully, I’m covered.  I also read that it helps kidney function. 

She’s back to her normal, happy self, barking/talking, playing, eating, pooping, all the things dogs do.  But it sure was a rough 24 hrs.  It’s been storming here today, not a lot of thunder, but she hasn’t even been hiding under the bed.  First sign of rain, she’s usually gone. 

BEASLEY GOT SICK

Beasley ended up getting really sick.  It just didn’t happen within the first week, which is the normal time frame.

Yesterday (Saturday afternoon) I could tell she didn’t feel well so I started her on the antibiotics. She wouldn’t eat dinner and just wanted to lay on the dog bed.  I finally got her to eat a little around 8 and gave her another antibiotic, which wasn’t easy. 

When I took her temp around 2am, it was 105.  It spiked so quickly.  So I wiped her down with a cool cloth, got an ice cube and just started rubbing her with it.  Wet the cloth again and within the hour, it was 103.7.  I was able to give her another antibiotic and she drank a little water.

Then I started reading online that the best points are the ears and the feet.  I had already been putting the cloth on her ears because I could tell they were burning up.  Then I started holding her paws with the cold cloth but I couldn’t get her temp any lower. In fact, it went back up to 104.2. 

It was interesting about the paws but it makes sense.  Jazz always sticks his paws in the water bowl all summer and it drives me nuts. Because then there are dirty paw prints all over the floor, but I will try to be more patient from now on.

I got the fan out of the closet, left the damp rag on her and took her temp about an hour later.  104.1. So it didn’t go down much but her coat felt a little better. Another tip I read online.  Thank God for the internet.

This morning, I was able to get a piroxicam down her. That’s for pain and inflammation, among other things and I’m not sure if that helped or if it was the cool sponge baths but I finally got her to eat and potty. She was really wobbly but her temp is finally normal.

I texted Dr. B early this morning and he said to try and get her to drink more water and let him know if she gets worse. I may have to use a fluid syringe. I think she might be okay now, she still doesn’t feel well but since she’s eating a little and her temp is back down, I’m hoping she is. I’ll just keep an eye on her all day. 

I’m hoping once the beta glucan gets in her system, it will help her little body fight the low white blood cell count next time. And I’m going to start the antibiotics early.  I don’t want her to go through this again. 

 

CHEMO - WEEK ONE

You can see the tumors and lymph nodes on her belly.

 

 

We’ve almost made it through the first round of chemo.  Beasley’s white blood cell count was lower than half of what it should be but Dr. B said it should recover by the next treatment, which will be in 2 weeks. There will be a total of 5 treatments spread out every three weeks.

 I started her on the Beta Glucan but I’m going to increase the amount.  The recommended dosage for a 100 lb. person with a chronic condition is 2.3 - 500 mg. capsules a day.  I’ve been giving her 2 - 100 mg. capsules a day so I’m going to order some that are 500 mg. so I only have to give her one.  Since she weighs about 35 lbs., that’s a little more than she really needs but it’s hard to bury so many pills in food. 

The piroxicam comes in today. I had to order it from a pharmacy.  Because it’s an NSAID, one of the side-effects is liver damage so I started adding milk thistle to her regime.  Mac takes meloxicam three times a week and it has helped his liver count return to almost normal. 

Another side-effect of piroxicam is that it can upset the stomach or give her heartburn.  So I need to run out today and get some Zantac.  150 mg. twice a day with her meals.

Ordered some Vetri-Science Cell Advance 880, delivered yesterday.  More great reviews on Amazon.  It has helped with everything from cataracts, ACL tears, arthritis to tumors.  I’ll be giving them to Mac as well. 

I also added 2 - 500 mg. Krill oil capsules a day to everything else.  We all know about the benefits of fish oil and Krill comes from small crustaceans, not fatty fish, and contains more EPA. And unlike conventional fish-oil pills, Krill oil’s omega-3s are linked to an antioxidant and other potentially beneficial substances. So far, it’s been easy to give her pills.  Bury them in wet food.

Dr. B said to watch her and if she starts acting like she doesn’t feel well, give her antibiotics.  Or if she has a fever.  So I bought a thermometer and get to add taking a dog’s temperature from their butt to my already strange repertoire.  Dog’s normal temp is 102.  Anything over 103 is high.

Other than that, she seems to be feeling great.  She’s done three things in the last week that she’s never done before.  She hung out with my friend and me in the kitchen, and only left because I scared her when I tried to take her picture.  She ate dinner in front of another friend, and she laid on the floor with me while I was exercising.  So much progress in trusting.

She’s eating fine, playing with toys and this morning instead of just taking a toy out of the toy basket, she tried to take the entire basket.  She even recovered from her trip to the vet a little quicker than last time.  It really does traumatize her to go in the car.  I wish it didn’t but I’m hoping that will get easier on her. 

 

 



CHEMOTHERAPY - DAY 3

So far, so good. She’s happy, playing with toys, going potty on her own and eating.  She doesn’t act like she’s nauseous or has an upset stomach at all.  She slept really well, snuggled up to me and seems fine.

Another thing I’m concerned about is infection. My vet told me about this a few days ago but my mind has been on information overload.  The chemo can lower the white blood cell count making the risk of infection higher.  So I started giving her Beta 1-3 or Beta-Glucan.  I read about it and it sounds amazing.  It stimulates the immune system, even targeting white blood cells.  The reviews on Amazon alone made it sound like a miracle supplement, quite a few written by cancer patients/survivors.   I went to a vitamin store yesterday and bought some but noticed the same one I bought was half the price on Amazon.  So I’ll be ordering it from now on.

Healthcare providers sometimes give beta glucans by a shot under the skin (subcutaneously) for treating and reducing the size of skin tumors resulting from cancer that has spread. But a lot of the articles I read said it has the same effect in pill form.  They also use it as a prevention for infection.

And then I read you’re not supposed to combine with Piroxicam because it’s an NSAID.  I haven’t started giving her the Piroxicam yet so I have more research to do after talking with my vet. 

There’s also a supplement called Inositol Hexaphosphate (also called IP6).  So I may try that instead. I need to do a little more reading on it but so far I read the following:   

Animal and lab research has found that IP6 might be effective in preventing tumors from forming and slowing tumor growth. One small study done in humans found that IP6 might help ease the side effects of chemotherapy and improve quality of life in people with cancer. Still, more clinical trials are needed to confirm these results and to find out if it might work in preventing or treating cancer in humans.

One strange thing that’s happened though is that all of the other dogs are sneezing.  Not runny nose sneezing, just sneezing.  They started a few hours after I brought Beasley home. I don’t know if it’s a coincidence because it’s been hot and the allergens are in full force but I’ve never noticed it before. Stinky and Melinda have allergies but they are skin allergies and both take Claritin.

So much to learn! Feel free to not read all of this, I’m mostly writing it for me, not only to keep a journal but it helps me sort things out and learn more about it.