Update on Kelly and Nicholas
Got a call this morning about Kelly's results...
Kelly definitely has hemangiosarcoma. You can read up more information here: Hemangiosarcoma. Basically, the prognosis for most cases is 1-3 months with only a splenectomy (removal of the spleen) and about 6 months with chemotherapy and splenectomy. Leah called the university but the oncology department was out today, so we'll hear back from them in the next day or so. It sounds like there is a one drug chemotherapy protocol, which is given once every other week for 5 weeks.
Dogs don't react to chemo the same way humans do. They don't lose their hair, they rarely have major gastrointestinal signs, and they are generally happy. So, that makes it easier to consider doing this for her. She finally feels completely and 100% back to her old self - jumping around and playing with her toy. She was a bit sore after the surgery but otherwise really didn't have any problems post-op.
Nicholas had such a distended abdomen that I thought for sure I'd have to end things early. But I talked to his vet and she said that we could drain the fluid and I could actually do it at home on my own! So we did that and got probably about 500 mL of fluid out before he said, ok - that's enough! There's still some left but at least there's room for his stomach and he came home and ate a bunch. So that was great. We just have to watch his hydration. Both boys are due for fluids tonight, so we'll do that and boost him up. This is certainly only a temporary fix, but at least it gives me some more time.
Cross fingers that we can keep both kids around for as long as possible. =)
Kelly definitely has hemangiosarcoma. You can read up more information here: Hemangiosarcoma. Basically, the prognosis for most cases is 1-3 months with only a splenectomy (removal of the spleen) and about 6 months with chemotherapy and splenectomy. Leah called the university but the oncology department was out today, so we'll hear back from them in the next day or so. It sounds like there is a one drug chemotherapy protocol, which is given once every other week for 5 weeks.
Dogs don't react to chemo the same way humans do. They don't lose their hair, they rarely have major gastrointestinal signs, and they are generally happy. So, that makes it easier to consider doing this for her. She finally feels completely and 100% back to her old self - jumping around and playing with her toy. She was a bit sore after the surgery but otherwise really didn't have any problems post-op.
Nicholas had such a distended abdomen that I thought for sure I'd have to end things early. But I talked to his vet and she said that we could drain the fluid and I could actually do it at home on my own! So we did that and got probably about 500 mL of fluid out before he said, ok - that's enough! There's still some left but at least there's room for his stomach and he came home and ate a bunch. So that was great. We just have to watch his hydration. Both boys are due for fluids tonight, so we'll do that and boost him up. This is certainly only a temporary fix, but at least it gives me some more time.
Cross fingers that we can keep both kids around for as long as possible. =)