Each Day Is Special

Last Friday we were given the news that Skol also had cancer. The tumor on his leg that was biopsied and diagnosed as a fatty tumor turned out, upon removal, to be soft tissue sarcoma. What does this mean? Well I have learned a lot about cancer over the past month, so basically this means that Skol has cancer, but it is a cancer that does not spread, but will continue to come back again and again, as there is no cure for it. Long-term prognosis is that eventually it will grow to a point that it compromises his quality of life, but that should be at least a year away.

When you are told that one of your dogs has cancer, you think how sad it is, but when both your dogs are diagnosed with cancer within weeks of one another, you wonder if it is something that you did, or if it was the environment which they live, or some other factor that you could have controlled. This way of thinking has kept me in a very dark place over the last week.

Friday, we had another visit with the vet and after much explanation from the vet, I have learned that sometimes it is just the course of an animal's life. Both my dear pups are considered "elderly" and as such run the risk of developing illness based on their age. Tasha has a form of cancer that is common in older female German Shepherds. Skol has a very different form of cancer that is common in older large breed dogs. Two different types of cancer, in two different dogs, who just happen to be my babies. Heartbreaking, yes; but unfortunately a reality of having animals and watching them get older.

I am doing everything I can for them. The best diet, the best herbs and medicine, the best care, and all the love that I can give them. We never know how much time we will have with a loved one and being given a diagnosis that puts a timestamp on it, makes you realize even more how precious each moment is.

A New Day Comes With New Hope

Well the "fixer" in me couldn't completely stop the research and we've done a great deal in the past week. Through friends' research and my own, there seemed to be hope in herbal supplements. Let me first say, that there is no cure for this cancer. Even the surgery, radiation, and chemo are not cures, they are only used to slow the progression of this type of cancer down. With that said, there is great promise shown in some medications and herbs in slowing down the progression of this type of cancer as well.

I do want to warn those of you who read this blog, to do your research carefully and do not believe everything that is on the web, because there are so many claims made, much of which is not proven and some of which is not safe for your animals.

Through my research I was able to find a Vet in Atlanta who is a holistic vet and offers nutritional plans as well as herbal and various medicinal treatments for dogs with cancer. Below please find our treatment plan that we have worked out for Tasha:

1. A new diet:
   
   
   
   1. We are putting Tasha on the "Cancer Diet," which is high in protein and low in carbs. This decision is because there are studies that show that tumor cells grow rapidly when provided with carbohydrates, yet slow down when deprived of carbs and fed with fats. Therefore we have the following recipe:
      
      
      
      1. 50% Meat or fish
      2. 50% Veggies (Including Shitake Mushrooms to get D-Fraction)
      3. Flax Seed Oil
      4. Centrum
      5. Tums
   
   
   2. The biggest factor in her diet is to keep her eating and not losing any weight.


2. Herbal Supplements:
   
   
   
   1. Hoxey:
      
      1. This supplement has shown promise in people with malignant cancer and is being studied in companion animals for the same benefits. We will keep Tasha on this for the first year and then determine the effectiveness.
   
   
   2. Double-Strength Fish Oil:
      
      1. This supplement has shown to improve the quality of life for cancer patients, slow weight loss and slow the growth and metastasis of tumors. She must be on a very high dosage of this to see results.
      
      
   3. Cell Advance 880 Antioxidant:
      
      1. This supplement should not be used for animals who are undergoing radiation or chemo, but as Tasha is not going to have those treatments, it has shown to enhance the effectiveness of the other drugs that she is on.


3. Medications:
   
   1. Piroxicam:
      
      1. This a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, which has proven to aid in the treatment of certain cancers that are affecting the lymphatic system. We will watch her carefully on this drug, as we do not want her to experience stomach upsets and lose weight.

If we find that Tasha is tolerating the above treatment well, we are considering adding Poly-MVA to her regimen, as it has also shown progress in treatment of adenocarcinoma.

I also wanted to share that there is a long list of other supplements that have not shown any evidence of helping with cancer in dogs, yet they are distributed throughout the internet. Please be advised to work with a certified holistic vet before determining what is the best treatment for your loved ones. A short list of items you should stay away from are listed below:

• Beta-Glucan
• CoQ10
• Colostrum
• Conjugated Linoleic Acid
• Ellagic Acid
• Enzymes
• Glutathione
• IP-6
• Lycopene
• MGN-3
• Melatonin
• Shark Cartilage
• Shark Liver Oil
• Vitamin D
• Transfer Factor
• Astagalus
• Berry and fruit juices (Noni, Acai, Goji and others)
• Black Walnut
• Cancell
• Cansema
• Carnivora
• Coriolus Versicolor
• Essiac (Flor-Essence)
• European Mistletoe
• Graviola
• Green Tea Extract
• Grapeseed Extract
• Ginseng
• Haelan
• Neoplasene
• Pau D'Arco
• Red Clover
• Saw Palmetto
• Wheat Grass and Wormwood

We have started the new program with Tasha today and I will keep you posted on her progress.

Also, another quick note. Our sweet boy Skol, or Buddy as we like to call him, is currently undergoing surgery to remove a fatty tumor from his leg. We are hopeful that this surgery has no complications. We will be changing his diet as well, but not to the low carb diet, but a homemade diet to keep him healthy and at a good weight.

More updates soon.

The Start Of A New Year...

I really can't believe that we have made it through the holidays. It has been a mixture of joy, sadness, and worry. I have tried very hard to enjoy every moment of the holidays, the family members who shared it with us, the friends who shared love and concern, and just the glorious feelings the holidays bring. Today, however, brings me back to the decision that was the elephant sitting in the room throughout the holidays that no one wanted to acknowledge; do I continue treatment for Tasha or not.

So for those of you who know me well, I have pulled together a pros and cons list to help me make the decision.

Medical Point of View:

Pros:

1. Potential to extend Tasha's Life.


2. Dogs and Cats do not experience chemo and radiation the way that humans do.


3. We have the capability to do more, why not do it.
   

Cons:

1. Tasha could (with a high probability) have permanent side affects.
   
   
   
   1. Fecal Incontinence
   
   
   2. Urinary Incontinence
   
   
   3. Additional tumors caused by radiation
   
   
   4. Feeling weak, listless, nauseous


2. For radiation, the treatments would last approximately four to five weeks. During that time she would have to go to the vet each day, be sedated, receive treatment and come home each night with meds to help with side affects.


3. For chemo, the treatments would occur after radiation is completed and would last approximately three to four weeks. During that time she would have to go to the vet three times a week, receive treatment and come home at the end of those days with meds to help with side affects.

Personal Point of View:

Pros:

1. Treatment would potentially give me more time with Tasha


2. I would feel like I have done everything possible to treat her. I am a "fixer" so that is a hard one for me to get past.

Cons:

1. Treatment would potentially (with a high probability) impact Tasha's quality of life during her remaining time with us.


2. She would be stressed during treatment because she does not like going to the vets, being sedated, or driving in a car.


3. It was very hard to watch Tasha after the surgery, because she was in pain, and didn't understand why and for how long it would last. With further treatment, this would continue.


4. Tasha loves to play frisbee, run in the yard, sleep on the couch, jump on the bed, and play with her buddy Skolby. All of these things would be put in jeapardy, at least for the short-term, if not permanently.

I have also asked many friends and family members and received the following advice:

1. Dogs do not view time in the same way that we humans do. They live in the moment. They have no concept of a year from now, let alone six months from now.


2. The quality of life is more important than the length of life.


3. Working dogs need to have a purpose. If they are not able to work, it causes them stress and anxiety.

With all of these points taken into consideration. I have decided that Tasha deserves the utmost respect in her remaining days with us; I will not continue with any more treatment, but let her live her remaining days in comfort and filled with love. The "fixer" in me is having difficulty with this decision, but the mother in me sees that it is more important to let her be happy, let her live her days doing the things that she loves, and being happy and without pain; even if this means that the amount of time she is with us is shortened.