March Update

I can't believe it has been so long since I've updated.  Strider had the 5th of his 6 chemo treatments yesterday.  We had a little scare because they did a chest X-ray and saw something that concerned them.  I agreed to have them do a CT scan, because if it was a lesion, indicating the cancer had metastasized, they would have changed the chemo protocol.  Fortunately, the CT was clear and they think it was some blood vessels that looked unusual on the X-ray.  They gave me the option of waiting for the CT scan and just checking another X-ray in a few weeks, but I wanted to start the new treatment immediately if needed.  They had to put him under a general  anesthesia for the CT scan, so he's still a little groggy today.

We have gotten into a routine with the chemotherapy.  We go every 3 weeks for the day to Auburn, where he gets the treatment.  One week later, we go to our local vet and get blood work done.  And so far, about 9 or 10 days after each treatment, he feels badly for a few days and doesn't want to eat much or do anything but lay around the house.  Twice, he has been put on preventative antibiotics, based on his blood work.   I also give him Cerenia, for nausea, for a few days following each chemo treatment.    When he feels badly and doesn't want to eat, I boil chicken parts and give him the meat to eat.  So far, he has never gotten where he will not eat that.  Then, after a few days, I notice him eating dog food out of his bowl, and I know we have turned the corner again.

So, every 3 weeks, Strider has 3 or 4 days where he doesn't feel well and I obsess over him a little bit.  The other days, he is back to his old self, playing with Ozzie, hanging out on the porch, sleeping in my son's bed, and begging for food and tummy rubs.  The hair is growing back a little bit on his muzzle, so apparently the hair loss was due to the radiation and not the chemo.

The vets at Auburn are really focusing on his weight, also.  He is still around 102 pounds, and they want him to lose a good bit of weight.  On one hand, it seems a bit beside the point.  He just turned 9 years old and has incurable cancer.  On the other hand, it's encouraging that they think he will be around long enough for his weight to matter.

I'll post a picture later and try to update more regularly as he comes to the end of his treatment.