[Canine Cancer]
Does your dog have cancer?
For information about caring for a dog with cancer CLICK HERE
To order the book “Help Your Dog Fight Cancer” CLICK HERE
To apply for financial assistance for your dog’s cancer treatment
or to donate for other dogs in treatment, CLICK HERE
Here’s my story
My precious Bullet was 9 when he was diagnosed with lymphoma, on July 17, 2000. I was horrified. I started chemo the next day, hoping against hope to get the 12-18 months that some dogs with lymphoma gain by having chemo. My love for Bullet knew no bounds and I just couldn’t imagine NOT trying for that. If I had not been able to afford it, I don’t know what I would have done. There was no “Magic Bullet Fund” yet.
Bullet had a chemo protocol that isn’t used anymore. It was called VELCAP-L and it went on for 75 weeks (a year and a half). He went into remission after the first treatment, and he stayed in remission for the next 4 years and 4 months. I created a special diet for him to fight cancer, now called “Bullet’s Cancer Diet.” I put together a special home care program and a rotation of supplements to help him survive.
In November 2002, Bullet went into congestive heart failure. He couldn’t tolerate the drug that is usually prescribed for his conditions. Without medication to manage his heart conditions, he would not survive. At the advice of Bullet’s oncologist, I set about getting FDA clearance to import a new drug, not yet approved in the U.S., that might help. With this new drug (which is now approved here), he survived another 2 years.
In November 2004, Bullet went into kidney failure. The drugs that were helping him survive his heart conditions were damaging to his kidneys. Within 5 days, my little boy went to the Rainbow Bridge. Bullet was almost 14 years old and still cancer free.
I wasn’t prepared to lose Bullet on 11/20/2004, even after his very long survival. I would never have been prepared to lose Bullet, even if he lived to be 40 years old!
My Lucy Lou was diagnosed with lymphoma in February. She also has a medistinal mass so her odds are already against her. I was bound and determined to keep my Lucy around, so I immediately started chemo, wisconsin protocol. She was doing great, never had any side effects BUT never went into complete remisssion and by the 13th week all nodes the size of baseballs. She had doxorubicin 3 times but now cant keep her platelet count up to do CCNU. I started reading everything and started her on Fish oil, Arginine, Vitamin E, Co Q10, and Proanimal( has vit a, d, e, selenium, zinc. I am in the process of finding Hoxey formula. I know my time is running out with her but I wish I could find some magic thing to lenghten her life. My dogs are my children and each day I spend more time crying and not coping very well. I work at helping dogs and cats every day and only wish I can do more for my Lucy AKA GOOFY
Tami, a lot of dogs don’t go into remission, but can maintain for quite a while in partial remission. I’m sorry Lucy (Goofy) has lymphoma, and I’m sorry that chemo didn’t knock it into clinical remission. Cancer is unpredictable and we can’t guess ahead of time which lymphoma dogs will get a remission and which won’t. We do know what will happen, however, if we don’t give chemo. It happens within 1-2 months. So by giving Lucy chemo, you already got 3 extra months for her on borrowed time. Keep giving her that TLC, I hope you will be able to get much more. Please don’t grieve now – you will have time to mourn later. For now, just enjoy every second with your girl and make sure she is enjoying being with you!
Laurie,
My Soft Coated Wheten Terrier, Magic, was diagnosed with a brain tumor 3 weeks ago. We opted for Cyber-knife treatments which she finished on Friday. Since the diagnosis, I’ve been feeding her brown rice, chicken, liver, cottage cheese, broccoli, carrots, apples, eggs etc to boost her protein levels. What diet do YOU recommend?
Are you familiar with Cyber-knife?
Thanks, Julie
Julie, I am familiar with the Cyber knife. Only recently for dogs, but I have been familiar with it for human treatment for years. Good for you providing Magic (great name!) with a home made diet. You ask for my thoughts about the diet’s components – I suggest you minimize the rice, carrots and apples and be sure to cook the whites of the eggs before feeding them to her. If you like, you can see the diet I recommend for dogs with cancer in great detail in my book “Help Your Dog Fight Cancer.” I share Bullet’s Cancer Diet, and that same diet with variations. Thank you for posting, and I wish good luck to you and Magic – I hope she beats it!!
I was shocked and pleasantly surprised to see that you posted here, Blake!! I thought you were no longer in communication with us on purpose. All of the emails to you have been bouncing back for quite a while.
laurie.kaplan@themagicbulletfund.org
(914) 941-0159
Can’t wait to hear from you!
Your information Helped me Thanks you Much