Miscellaneous (P)updates

[oceangirls]

Angel is doing very well with her chemo. She had neutropenia from the second week's drug (cyclophosphamide) and had to skip one week, but her counts recovered and she got vincristine again 5/12 and doxorubicin 5/19. Doxorubicin can be toxic to the heart, so there is a max lifetime dose they can give on that drug, and they did a cardiac ultrasound first to make sure her heart was good, which it is. She is happy and her lymph nodes have responded well. We've seen minimal side effects. For maybe 36 hours after cyclophosphamide, she seemed a little quiet and less interested in food, then was fine. A couple times this week she hesitated on her food, then decided it was awesome and ate it all. I am not sure if we'd know if she was more tired than usual, as she has always been a dog who enjoys relaxing/napping if nothing more interesting is going on . This is an off week, and then she starts the cycle again next week. They'll probably reduce her cyclophosphamide dose a little this time.
I took her off the renal diet and put her back on regular ID, which I think might be a little more tasty.

Mom's Adam did not have a good response to the seventeen million eyedrops she had to give four times a day (with 5 minutes in between each). They are doing an ablation on that eye this morning. We would appreciate rayz if you are able to spare any.

Cassie just keeps being Cassie. She sleeps much more and better than she did when she was younger. I think it is tiring not being able to breathe properly, although she still doesn't pant so she must be managing to get enough air with her nose. I enjoy hand-feeding her and it seems to cut down on the inhaling food. I ran out of canned food, and haven't replaced it yet as I think the mix actually might be harder for her to swallow. I add some warm water to their food to make a gravy, and YOGURT (which they love). She's still on ID lowfat and does well with that, and I put them both back on Wellness for when I do canned. And they get a little cheese routinely, because their mama eats a lot of it. They know the sound of a cheese wrapper opening from two rooms away .

We had international travel planned for the second week in June. The girls stay with Kirk's parents, and they really like having them. Just trying to work around the chemo schedule, as we don't want them to have to take her if possible. I would prefer not to be gone the whole 9 days I am off, anyway... hate getting back late the day before I have to be at work. Long periods seem hard on Cassie too. Even though they don't do anything super active, she always seems exhausted for a few days after we get back, and on a couple of occasions that was when she ended up with an infection (she is not good at pacing herself as she must be involved in EVERYTHING). K is pretty busy with work too, so we may adapt the plans. I am looking forward to some time off, wherever it is!

Hope all of you and your dogs are well

[lotsadox]

Thanks for the update! I'm glad Angel is doing so well. Sending more for further recovery.

Sending for your mom and Adam also. I hope the ablation goes well and relieves Adam (and your mom of having to put all those drops in his eyes)

I hope you get your travel plans worked out so everything works. I don't blame you about not wanting to come home late and be at work the next day. Too exhausting and disorienting.

[Rae]

Yay for a good Angel update, and waiting for good news on Adam.

[Lisa]

I have been thinking about all of you. I am very happy you posted. So happy she is responding so well. Rayz for the girls, and Adam I think ablation is the best possible solution. Pogo having lost his site, I am seeing how little dogs rely on vision. What exciting part of the world are you off to?

[oceangirls]

Adam did very well; it sounds like it was a pretty quick procedure actually. I need to read up on it. I guess this way he keeps the eye, although he won't be able to see from it. It was painful for him because of the pressure, so hopefully he will be more comfortable now. She said he was sleepy but knew where everything was in the house, and had some biscuits, a nap, dinner, and then another nap .

Thank you all for your rayz and good thoughts.

I am not sure what we're doing, Lisa. We were planning to go to Copenhagen and Prague. I'd be fine with just Copenhagen (one of my happy places ), but K doesn't think we want to go just for a few days. Blue Pearl pretty much told us we can do her chemo any day Tues-Fri, but if we want to do Monday, we'd have to change permanently to the other oncologist (the one we saw the first time). That doctor is only in Brandon and Tampa (about an hour one way) so obviously that doesn't work. I guess he wanted me to ask if we could skip a week, but he didn't really TELL me to ask that (he's traveling and asked if I would call because he didn't have time to ask them when he was there last week). I'd rather not wait that long, personally. His take is, there's a 50/50 chance she might have to miss a week anyway if she is neutropenic. However, that's her vincristine week, which she had no issues with last time.

Side note: he is really busy at work and other people are not doing their part (he's a part owner and they only have like 15 employees), so at the moment, he is pretty much mad at the world . So it may not be the best time for a big vacation anyway.

I don't really care; we can go 5 days to somewhere in the US. Or I hear Canada is nice this time of year...

[Lisa]

Canada is MUCH nicer this time of year (say, vs. December) Although, I guess being a Floridian, you are used to nice weather 24/7. Glad Adam did well with his surgery.

[LexieLuvr]

Good update! Adding for continued improvement.

[Alex's Mom]

A very good (p)update, overall! Glad Adam came through ok...ITA with Lisa - it's amazing how well blind dogs do. Ferk is pretty much there and honestly, apart from occasionally having to (briefly) hunt for food that drops on the floor, you'd never know it. It amazes me how much better dogs tolerate chemo than humans do. Like I said, in the 4 months Alex was going through it it didn't seem to phase her at all. Tons of for everyone.

Travel is highly overrated (just trying to make you feel better ). Canada IS nice this time of year, esp. on the east coast! Jus' sayin'.

[lotsadox]

I can relate to the overworked, cranky company owner. It might be better to wait until a calmer time. I'm glad Adam did well with the ablation. I second what Paula and Lisa said. I was amazed how well Miller did the last years with very little vision. Cash seems to be able to see but is getting deaf as a post. If I want to get his attention, I have to stand about 3 feet from him and yell LOUD. Mostly I just go over and tap him on the head.