Jasmine's Cancer Story
Life After Lung Mets
Thursday, September 1, 2005
Yesterday was quite the day, and not necessarily a good one. The highs were low and the lows were even lower.
Two months ago, they found a possible lung met in her x-rays. They wanted to see her in 4 - 6 weeks, but we couldn't afford it, so we postponed it until yesterday (9 weeks). Yesterday was also my husband's 39th birthday. So, I was doing a little shopping for both when I got the call from Dr. Hillers (CSU). The original spot on the x-ray has now doubled and there is another lung met that has shown up. The original spot is 1.5 cm which doesn't seem all that big to me, but I suppose it is, growing in the lung like that.
Jasmine has also been limping very badly and they were concerned that the OSA may have popped up in her front leg. She passed the orthopedic exam, so they couldn't determine what exactly is bothering her (she is so stoic). So, standing in the middle of PetSmart I had this lengthy conversation with Dr. Hillers as to other diagnostic options. I decided to go with a bone scan to determine what all we might be dealing with. I called my husband at home (he was supposed to work last night) and after another lengthy conversation, we decided to not do the bone scan, but opt for an x- ray of the right foreleg. So, I called CSU back, but they had already pumped Jasmine full of nucleotides (will she glow?) so I said, ok, let's stay with the bone scan. They said we could pick her up in the morning. I finished my shopping and drove the hour home.
Needless to say, I couldn't concentrate much at work. Right before I left for the day, Dr. Hillers called and said we could pick Jasmine up that night. So, I called the husband, since he was home sick (with worry, I suspect) and we drove down there. It took over an hour to get from Cheyenne to Ft Collins with the construction and traffic. And, I can't believe I was happy to pay $2.55 for gas yesterday (it is now $2.79+ here).
Dr. Hillers stayed and showed us her x-rays, which I had never seen in all of the visits we've been doing over the last year. My untrained eye could see the first met, but the second is smaller and harder to pick out. They aren't growing near the trachea and shouldn't restrict her air ways for a while.
Jasmine celebrating her 12th birthday by eating her Rocky
Mountain Chocolate Factory dog biscuit. August 31, 2005
She also showed us the bone scans, which were pretty interesting. I had never seen anything like it. The results were that she has bad arthritis in all of her joints--shoulder, hips, knees, elbows, and writsts. None of them were really "hot". No OSA (phew!). What was interesting, in a freaky-scary way, was that her larger lung met popped on the bone scan. It glowed as bright as her bladder, which is where all of her nucleoties ended up as her body flushed it out of her system. Dr. Hillers say that is very unusual for a lung met to show up at all, let alone one so "hot". Makes me wonder how much bone that thing is producing in her lung. Like I said, freaky-scary.
Jasmine's blood work was great. No problems there. We opted to up her pain meds--50 mg. of Deramaxx for my 50 lb. dog and give her the Tramadol more regularly. She didn't lose any weight, even with the switching of diet and more exercise. Dr. Hillers was happy her wait was "stable." We are probably going to start her on the metronomic protocol, and I'm going to look into accupuncture for her arthritis. That is her biggest problem now. It is sad that we may have to her PTS because of arthritis pain and not the cancer. But, she isn't to that point yet.
We got home after 8 p.m. She ate dinner, then had a Rocky Mountain Chocolate factory dog bone (with white chocolate) and got a new toy, which Levi and Nixie promptly took from her. She didn't care, she was still a bit out of it from the sedation.
We are seriously considering the metronomic protocol for Jasmine, but I'm not sure we can afford the cytoxin. I checked the Walgreens website, and it is a bit pricey. I've spent that much on doggie meds before, but after yesterday, we really can't afford it. So, is it worth it? Jasmine's first lung met doubled in size in two months. Will the protocol slow that one down and prevent others from organizing? Are there any adverse side effects that we have to worry about? Can we do two thirds of the protocol?
We are also considering accupuncture for her arthritis. Dr. Hillers and the people I know who've done it for their dogs say it is expensive. So, how expensive is it? How of a big difference will we see afterwards? How many treatments will it take to see a difference?
Good news--We won $3 from the Colorado Lotto and $3 from PowerBall yesterday! I always buy a quick pick ticket for one or the other when we go to Colorado for vet appointments, and since I did two trips yesterday, I got two tickets. My grandiose winnings will pay for dinner at McDonalds or a couple of gallons of gas. Hey, beggers can't be choosers.
Friday, September 30, 2005
Just a quickie Jassy update. She's doing well, handling the new drug regimen, and she looks forward to those hot dogs every day. So do our other dogs, too, for that matter! She's been on a metronomics protocol for three weeks now.
She has a follow-up appointment next week at CSU for an exam and bloodwork. No x-rays. She has no problems breathing, and hardly limps at all with the new pain meds. The only time she limps is when she picks on our Great Dane, who wollops her with her paws. Nixie really can't control where she throws those big feet. She can't figure out how to play nicely with Jasmine. So, Jasmine usually picks on Levi, who is also twice her size. They do this funny thing where they face off, then jump and spin a quarter turn, and then face off again, growling and barking the whole time. They can do this f-o-r-e-v-e-r! She has quite an appetite, but doesn't seem to be gaining weight. Her metabolism must have sped up a bit since I began taking her out for 10 minute limps around the block.
Wednesday, October 5, 2005
No news is good news, or in our case, no change is good.
Jasmine and I fought the wind and drove to CSU this morning. It was beautiful down there--clear, blue sky, a bit of a cool, dry breeze, and not nearly as cold as it is here in Wyoming (brrr!). She had a quickie exam and they drew some blood; no x-rays. She had a new oncologist today, I think #9 (I've lost my scorecard). She wanted to discuss other treatment options--I said we were happy with what we were doing. She said that Jasmine didn't exhibit any pain upon examination, and that she wasn't compensating for her right leg anymore. She told us to come back in three months for chest x-rays and gave us 3 months worth of pain killers (Deramaxx and Tramadol). She said she'd call if there was anything to be concerned about with her bloodwork. She also told us to watch for the signs of a reaction to the Deramaxx and Cytoxan. She wants us to call if anything changes in Jasmine's status--breathing obstruction, more limping, or whatever.
I collected our $6 in Lotto winnings from our last trip to Colorado and got two more quick picks. Wish us luck!
The vet called the next day to say that one of Jasmine's kidney tests was slightly elevated, but not to worry.
The pack, Nixie, Levi and Jasmine, checkin' out the yard with the new snow.
February 18, 2006.
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
Today I called CSU to make her appointment, and the lady on the other end wanted to know which follow-up visit this was for. I said three months, thinking it'll be three months since her last visit. She said "three months since chemo?" and I paused, thought about it and said "no, it'll be fourteen months since her last chemo." She was taken aback. Kinda funny. You go girl! Stretch those statistics!
So, our old dog has been 15 months post dx and surgery, and 12 1/2 months post chemo. I never thought she'd make it this long, but there she is, chugging along, running in the cold and snow and wind, picking on our other two dogs, growling to be put up on the bed, demanding to be fed, chewing on rawhide bits, and just living life they way she wants to live it. I know this will end some day, and it could come on fast (it did with our rottie, Otto), so I try not to take her for granted.
Monday, December 19, 2005
Yesterday was the 16 month anniversary of Jasmine's partial maxillectomy. Also, it was four years ago today that we had to euthanize our beautiful rottie, Otto. I appreciate all the extra time we've been given to enjoy Jasmine and her antics. I truly didn't expect that she would see another Christmas.
Friday, January 6, 2006
Today, Jasmine had her 3 month (16 month post-dx) check up at CSU. We fought the nasty 55+ mph cross-wind all the way to Ft. Collins. She had x-rays and bloodwork to see how she is handling the metronomic protocol and how those lung mets are doing.
Crystal, the oncology nurse, called us while we were eating lunch at Jason's Deli, and said that Dr. Hillers wanted us to see the x-rays. Uh oh, I thought. That could be bad (the lung mets have progressed) or good (they haven't done much). So, we go back and see Dr. Hillers. She pulled out Jasmine's x-rays from August, when the two mets were confirmed, and displayed them next to the x-rays from today. There is only one more met (in four months!) and the two from August have only doubled. She is ecstatic. She said that dogs with OS of the maxilla usually only live 5 months post-surgery, and here is the crazy little wonder-mutt surviving more than 16, and 6 with lung mets. Everyone there loves Jasmine—I think it is the Jimmy Cagne look she is sporting with that partial maxillectomy.
Checking out the snow. February 18, 2006
She gave Jasmine four doggie biscuits and sent us on our way with three more months of drugs. The bloodwork hadn't come back yet when we left (to fight the cross-wind all the way home), but hopefully it will be ok. She was pretty tuckered from her full day—no afternoon siesta.
The metronomic protocol appears to be doing some good. I work with fellow dog people, and when I came back to work on Friday afternoon after Jasmine's visit, I told them that she had one more tumor and the first two doubled. They didn't understand why that was great news. I had to think about it over the weekend to figure out a way to get it through to them that it really was good news.
Chewing a rawhide. February 19, 2006
Here's her met chronology:
June 30, 2005—1 lung met suspected, but not confirmed
August 31, 2005—2 lung mets confirmed (1st one doubled in size), bone scan done to rule out other mets (especially front legs)
September 9, 2005—started metronomic protocol
January 6, 2006—3 lung mets confirmed, 1st two doubled
So, without the protocol, her mets doubled every two months. Now, on the protocol, they're doubling every four months. Dr. Hillers said she's never seen a dog on Cytoxan longer than a year, so we'll see how much longer Jasmine tolerates it.
Sunday, February 19, 2006
Saturday was the 18 month anniversary of Jasmine's surgery. She is doing great, chugging along without a care in the world. I baked carob brownies for the dogs to celebrate. Jasmine chewing a rawhide [Quicktime movie]
Thoracic x-rays, click on to view larger
March 30, 2006.
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Patti, Cindy with Karma, Leslie and Erin
March 30, 2006.
Jasmine had her check up today. It's been 19+ months since dx, and almost 7 months post lung met dx. The happy news is that there is no change. The three lung mets she has have gotten a bit bigger, and "darker" (more dense?) but other than that, nothing. We are to continue on as we've been--tramadol in the AM, Deramaxx in the PM, doxy twice a day, and Cytoxan once every other day. Oh, and she's on Glycoflex III for her arthritis (I highly recommend it). Her BUN is still a bit elevated (45) but nothing to worry about. We're supposed to go back in 3 - 6 months for her next set of x-rays.
We met Cindy, Leslie and Patti for lunch. It was great, and Panera does a mean sandwich. I was waffling a bit about the reunion, but now we're definitely going, but maybe without the pack ;-)
Showin' off for the camera
March 30, 2006.
Karma, just coolin'
March 30, 2006.
April 18, 2006
A fellow BoneCancerDog, Albion, was on the news today. It was about a collaboration between Dr Withrow from CSU VTH and Dr Wilkins from St Luke's in Denver and how an veterinary oncologist and a human bone cancer specialist are working together to help out both human and animal patients. "Cancer Treatments Span Species"
