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| Max! |
The vet did a complete exam and noticed the lymph nodes in his neck were enlarged. I couldn't bare the thought of two dogs with cancer and the vet did tell me it could be he's fighting something else. So we did the antibiotics - no change. Blood work, x-rays, etc - he looks ok. Fine needle aspirate - still looked somewhat ok. Forgive me I'm doing this from memory. We did the tick born testing to see if that could be causing it. Nothing! The next step he recommended was a biopsy of a lymph node.
We set up that appointment and this experience could be a story in itself, but we're not going to go there. We got the results back and still not really sure what was going on. I was going crazy! Hide sight, I should have gone to an internist sooner but I didn't even know there was such a specialist.
I went to a heart/eye clinic and had Max's heart check. I explained to the vet why I was there. After checking Max out and finding he's fine, we chatted. I asked her, where to I go. Someone has to KNOW what is going on. That was when she told me to go see a internal medicine specialist.
We set up the appointment the following week and had all Max's records sent to him. After the exam, and I think an ultasound, we were told it's time to see the oncologist.
This was amaing: The place I went for this appointment was the Pet Emergency Clinic is my town. But weekdays, it is all specialist that some in. Wednesday just happened to be the day for the internist. When our appointment was over I went to pay my bill and set up my appointment with the oncologist who comes in each week. I thought we'll get is next week and figure this out. BUT lucky for Max and I, his day is Wednesday! And even luckier for us, he had an opening in 15 minutes! We saw both of them that morning!
The oncolgist looked at all Max's records and tests. One thing he said would have really helped is if the vet would have taken a whole lymph node instead of just a part. I THOUGHT that was what he was doing, but that was not the case. So we had to do several other tests and send them all over the place to eventually find out Max has indolent T-Zone lymphoma.
We had started all this on August 27, 2013. And that same week, Sammy lost his battle to cancer on
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| Sammy at his oncologist appointment in July |
What was really odd was, back in July I signed up and attended a "Cancer 101" seminar sponsored by the local golden rescue. I remember it well. The speaker had said: If your dog has to get the diagnosis of cancer, this is the one you want." The other thing is: that speaker was the oncologist Max saw that first day after the internist appointment.
I do feel we are in good hands. I've seen this oncologists name mentioned in one of the canine cancer books I read. When I contacted CSU, they seemed to recognize his name and stated what he is doing for Max is what they would do.
So, the treatment for Max was to not treatment until clinical. We were doing great but then in April I noticed Max would cough, not a lot, but still a cough. At his next oncologist check-up, he did an x-ray and noticed Max nodes were larger and causing the problem. The nodes in his neck had been consistently getting larger but very slowly. But now it was time to treat.
April 23, 2014 we started Prednisone (30 mg) and Chlorambucil (4.2). After two months of Pred at 30 mg we are now reducing. We went to 20 mg for 2 weeks and now down to 10 mg once a day for two weeks. We have a check-up on June 18. The doctor said he hopes Max will be on the chemo for a finite period of time but his finite meant months.
Max's nodes are definitely smaller and no more coughing! He seems to be losing weight so I've upped his food quantity. We're hoping for good test results on our next visit.
