Here is the situation leading to my confusion: I have a 5 year old collie diagnosed with multicentric lymphoma, stage Vb. I started the UWMadison protocol – she had two treatments with L-asparaginase, cyclophosphamide, and prednisone (she has the mutant MDR gene, so she can’t have normal doses of doxorubicin or vincristine). Six days after the second treatment, she became very ill – high fever, pneumonia, etc. – and had to spend a day and night in an emergency vet getting IV fluids and antibiotics. Unfortunately, because of this, I had already spent about 90% of the estimate I got for the 6-month treatment. So when she recovered, I took her back to the oncologist to see if there were any cheaper, easier options (after her long stays at the vet it became apparent to me that she would not have “quality of life” if she had to keep spending time away from me in hospitals). The vet said we should try CCNU – its an oral medication that she would only need every three weeks, and my local vet could give her the meds (I am 2 hours away from the oncologist), and it was a safer drug for her due to her mutant MDR gene. However, before giving her the drug, they ran the usual blood tests, and it turns out she went from nearly dead to complete remission in about 9 days. So my question is, if remission means there are no signs/symptoms of the cancer, what is the point behind starting a whole new protocol? I thought remission was the goal of chemotherapy?

Dr D

Just came upon your website..hope you have ANY info you could share.

Jack is our 7 yr old boxer..boxers have been in our family forever and the only breed we’ve ever had. I have been through cancer before with my dogs..this however is a bit unusual..

Jack woke up last Thursday with a “dewlap”, we thought he got a bug bite or a bee sting..we waited to see how things turned out as he wasn’t in pain and acted his loving self. Well the dewlap retreated on one side and a huge ball remains on the other..this is in a matter of three days! Took him to the vet yesterday, drew blood, aspirated, and are awaiting lab results. My vet says it is lymphoma..how can it be SO fast??

We have a 11 year old GSD mix.(Taz) About a month ago, he was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma. It is in his left upper arm/shoulder region. Our local vet and a specialist vet both confirmed the finding, through x-rays. We did a full panel of blood work, and no negative results. They wanted to first amputate his leg, said it was the only way to get the cancer. And also informed me that they may not get all of it. We are not for the amputation, and neither is the local holistic vet, as Taz’s mobility is already stressed by ACL surgery on his right rear leg. As well as stiffness and older age. With the mobility problems in his rear, he will just not move well on three.

We have changed his diet, to A TASTE OF THE WILD, both the meat and fish versions. He also gets cooked ground beef with the dry foods, cooked greens and carrots as well. He is also on Previcox, and Tramadol. Supplements are We Qi booster for immune, Chinese Bone Stasis for tumor support, Probiotics for digestion, VM-100 Complete liquid vitamin by Buried Treasure, Bone Meal (crushed). We add different treats throughout the day as well.

Through a local wellness doctor, we have also been treating him with a low laser and energy cell machine. And through this treatment have been able to reduce his pain med’s up until two weekends ago. Now I am back to dosing him with the Tramadol, and Previcox. Which has made us very uncomfortable that we seemed to be making progress, only now to be back at square one. Both during and after the treatments, he does put off some nasty odors, probably detox related.

His energy levels are decent, I could say. Last night we went to go for a ride in the car, and he charged out the door. He still has the intense drive at times, and will want to run. His appetite is not great in the mornings, but is improved at evening dinner time. Stools are normal, no diarhea or loose as in earlier time before changing his diet.

Another area of concern now is that our wellness doc is not available on the weekends or fridays. It seems as though he does improve during the week while being treated only to drop over the weekend. And then we treat him pretty intensely on Mondays.

We are going back for another set of digital x-rays to see if any improvement has occured during this time sometime this week. Hopefully today or tomorrow. The one vet keeps harping on me to “help him out of the situation”, and put him down. I really cannot justify that at this time, he still wants to “patrol” if you will the yard and house, just as he did when he was healthy. He is still very alert/aware. But at times the pain can be very intense as we observe him as he walks, lifting or carrying the diseased leg. Some times he will walk on it, but lately he is putting less and less pressure on the leg.

Thanks for taking the time to read our story. Any and all suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

My Boxer that just turned 3 June 25th was diagnoses with a Mast Cell Tumor in his ear. He ripped it open a few times and it became highly infected and very stinky. We had to make the choice of whether to put him down or get it removed in hopes that it would not come back.

We got it removed about a month ago. Great recovery. Now his lymphnode on the left side (the side where he got the tumor removed) is swollen. It started out a little but swollen; now it can fit in the palm of my hand. Our surgeon put him on Cipro and told us it was the most aggresive medicine they have. The surgeon also told us that he highly beleives that it is just swelled because it was such a drastic surgury. He had to close off the ear and take out a bunch of cartilage and make a new ear canal hole down a little lower.

Samson is doing fenominal. He is eating like a little pig and jumping around being a wild boy like usual. The only defect is that lymphnode. The swelling has not gone down after 10 days on the Cipro. I am beggining to get very worried wondering if this will be it for my Boxer.

I have him on a raw diet ever since i foundout about him having a mast cell. He eats “Taste of the Wild” and we make a big combination of beef. pork, chicken, beets, carrots, green beans, egg and yogurt mix it all up and cook it. He is also on K9 Immunity and the Transfactor pill from Aloha Medicine. He is also on the reccomended dose of 4,000mg of fish oil. He eats non- gran treats. Occasionaly I will gve him a little snack with grain. I take him out for weekly ice cream at our nearest ice cream shop.

I really hope that you can tell me some good news. I am worried about him….

That you for your time and hopefully useful information.

My 7 year old maltese had a tumor removed from her back left leg a week ago. Today I got the results that it is a grade 4 mast cell tumor. I am devastated. I talked with my vet & the first thing she said to do is to have a ultrasound done to see if the cancer has affected her kidney/liver.
Is there anything I should be doing from home to be proactive with this?
My dog’s are my life………….Thanks for your time & information.