Re: [PyrNet-L] Lymphoma/Clondike Update

["Joe & Kathy" <chewbear@msn.com>]

Hi David, We just wanted to let you know that we are thinking good thoughts
for Clondike & for you.

Kathy, Joe, Chewbear(Sammy) and Heidi(pyr)
Wish you well.. Woof, Woof
-----Original Message-----
From: David P Kintsfather Jr <kintsfat@kutztown.edu>
To: pyrnet-l@pyrnet.org <pyrnet-l@pyrnet.org>
Date: Saturday, August 29, 1998 6:42 PM
Subject: Re: [PyrNet-L] Lymphoma/Clondike Update


>Clondike continues to experience problems with chemotherapy :(.  In spite
>of a switch to IV administration and to darbazine as an anti-nausea drug,
>Clondike experienced nausea and vomiting within a few hours of the first
>dose of cytoxan.  For the 2nd dose (of 4, supposed to be on successive
>days) they pretreated her with injectible zofran, a very expensive and
>exotic drug specifically designed to help humans tolerate chemo.
>
>Even with oral zofran, she continued to have episodes of vomiting, and
>twice she experienced mini seizures while throwing up. She would retch for
>a few seconds, then fall over on her side and twitch for about 4 seconds.
>After that she'd get up and appeared OK, but this was really scary.
>
>Both seizures (or neurological events in any case) occurred within 2 or 3
>hours of administering clavamox, and I think this may have been the
>underlying cause, but the zofran may play a part as well.  So far 5 vets
>have speculated on the cause, but all agree that the retching was the
>trigger, and so we will try to avoid nausea if we can.
>
>After the problems with the 2nd dose, the oncologist decided not to
>complete the cycle of 4 doses.  Clondike's white count had gone down to
>2800 (6000 is low normal) and they administered neupogen, a bone marrow
>stimulator.
>
>We had Clondike's white count checked 36 hours later and it was over
>18,000, which pleased all the vets very much.  She apparently responds
>with unusual sensitivity to both the chemo and the neupogen.  We did a
>complete chem panel at the same time and all the readings were normal
>except for liver function, which were only slightly elevated, and were
>quite acceptable for a dog on chemo.
>
>The plan was to let her rest a week and build up her strength, and we meet
>with the oncologist next Wed. to discuss administering the 4th (and LAST)
>drug in the protocol, the one that nearly killed her the first time
>around.  By using the neupogen early with the cytoxan, we eliminated the
>diarrhea, and that was the really life-threatening part of the reaction to
>the doxorubicin.
>
>We have mixed news from 2 vet visits this Thursday to assess her progress.
>The holistic vet feels her pulse and color are significantly
>better than the last time he saw her, even though she has had the bad
>reaction to cytoxan in between.  He apparently treats quite a few dogs on
>chemo and said that she is holding her own very well.
>
>Our vet said her coat had its sparkle back and she was generally doing
>well, BUT one of the lymph nodes in her neck has increased in size
>slightly since the last time she checked it.  It is still within normal
>limits, but this is the first step backward we have experienced with
>respect to the cancer, so we are really sweating out what the oncologist
>will say on Wed.  On a positive note, some swelling she had around the
>nodes in her groin is completely gone now.
>
>She is eating very well and back on the Chinese herbs and all her other
>supplements, so we hope she will be stronger by Wed. to face whatever
>decision we and the oncologist come to about the 4th drug (doxorubicin).
>
>I am hopeful that she will be strong enough to participate in a brief
>therapy visit tomorrow, probably just 2 or 3 of our "regulars."  I think
>she will enjoy it as long as we keep it short.
>
>My school starts back on Monday, but I'll try to update the list on how
>she does with future treatments.
>
>David
>
>---------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
> David Kintsfather              | PHONE:       (610) 683-4497
> Dept. of Telecommunications    | FAX:         (610) 683-4659
> Kutztown University            | INTERNET:    kintsfat@kutztown.edu
> PO Box 730                     |   "We need not think alike to love
alike."
> Kutztown, PA  19530-0730       |                Francis David
>---------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
>
>