|
From time to time, the health committee receives
inquiries from Bichon owners asking about effects of cancer
treatment on the dogs. This is the story of one Bichon's treatment
with radiation, in his case for ameloblastoma in his mouth.
Ameloblastoma is a tumor formation classified as an
odontogenic
tumor. To read more
about these tumors, check the web article listed below.
Beau is a rescue dog, a Bichon that suffered car
sickness for a time after arriving with his new family. Humans
often suffer nausea when treated with medications and radiation and
so do dogs. In his case, Beau's new family had no way of knowing
about his past but car sickness was not a new thing. This is the
story of his treatments and it includes nausea. Beau would have 18
radiation treatments and the story picks up as he completed the
first 6. Cheryl's comment about the nausea was "He is either going
to get over car sickness or REALLY keep it up after this trauma."
She also remarked that "Beau and I are keeping close company".
Here is Beau's story:
"The first day, Beau could not stand for an hour and
a half after we left and then he popped up like a cork and took
off. The first two days he was given a high dose of anti-nausea
medication and with few exceptions has done well. We are traveling
1 1/2 hours each way to and from the clinic and 1 1/2 hours at the
clinic (week days only). We have gone from no stools to VERY loose
stools (thank goodness he wakes me up) and I have been sleeping with
him on a leash at night. Think I will ever get him back in a crate
at night? (ha, ha) Now we are back to no stools. He lost 2 of his
15 pounds after the surgery and after a month has gained back 1
pound. He is on a high protein soft diet (no carbs) and started it
16 days before radiation. He is also taking Omega 3 oil and Metacam
anti-inflammatory daily. Our appointment times range from
10 AM
to 3 PM.
The first day he gagged and threw up about 6 times on
the way home from the throat tube but he didn't do that again. He
seems to be getting used to his "three martini lunch" (treatments)
each day and he is much more animated on the way home between naps
and traffic lights. The burns have not started to show yet; two
legs have been used for anesthesia and they are tender. You can
tell his mouth is dry but he does not seem to be drinking any more
than usual and his appetite is good. All in all, we have made a
decent beginning."
Cheryl continued to correspond with me throughout the
treatments. One email addressed issues with giving him anything by
mouth (other than food). "During radiation treatment, there was a
coating/rinse antibiotic/anti-inflammatory that we had to shoot into
Beau's mouth twice a day. Needless to say, he was not very
cooperative about anyone fooling with his mouth. As a result, when
I try to shoot the oral rinse for his teeth into his mouth, I have
to trick him by moving in from the side where he can't see it
coming." (The last line of that email stated that the vet bill "is
approaching $9,000", though veterinary costs may vary widely from
one part of the country to another and will also depend on how
extensive the treatment may be.)
At the point of the eighth treatment, Beau started to
lose his beard, which just rubbed off. "I decided to give him a
bath last night, mostly to get the oncology do-do off him and
figuring he would not be able to be bathed fro a few weeks. Today
all of his beard is gone (day 14, 9th treatment). On the trips
home, he pops up to look around when I slow down and I have talked
him out of throwing up three times, which tells me that the car
sickness is mental instead of physical (or he wouldn't be so
interested in watching the world go by!)."
On day 16, treatment number 11, Cheryl wrote "He is
in a full time neck collar to preclude damage to the burns but we
are in the home stretch! In spite of the fact that he is wary of
getting in the car every day, Beau's personality remains perky and
sweet. He is especially glad to greet Jim each evening as if to say
"I made it back again!" His mouth is obviously sore, as he takes
quite a long time to finish his soft food and his little legs are
mighty tender, with the IV going in daily. I am told he is quite
cooperative with the techs and the veterinarian and stops shaking
the moment he passes through the lab door."
While 12 year old Beau was receiving his treatments,
there was a 7 year old Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier also undergoing
treatments (for cancer on her spine). She was to have chemo
following the radiation. Things were not going as well for Teagan
and that was a sad week. As with all dog lovers, Cheryl and her
owner shared stories and gave each other moral support. In fact,
they were like family because the owner's sister has three Bichons,
proving "they must be a VERY fine family!!
There was another email about the treatments that we
offer in full:
"About
week three (or 2 1/2), the radiation burns were getting really awful
and we were required to clean the salve off and replace it twice a
day. It took 2 people, with a bath towel used as a straight jacket
to do so. Best to note that dabbing the wounds with cold water
(suggested by vet) only made more pain for him and we quickly went
to pouring water from a cup down his neck to rid the wound of old
salve. It is amazing how strong an 11 pound dog can be
against three hundred pounds plus of human. And for a rescue dog
who had been severely physically abused, I was amazed that he never
once snapped at us. I will tell you that during this week of pain,
I seriously had my doubts about going through with this treatment.
I will also tell you that this particular dog is the most stoic of
any I have owned and I would not have tried it on any of the
others."
"We
are now 9 months away from radiation, have seen the oncologist at 1
week, 2 weeks, 1 month, 2 months, 6 months and Beau is a shining
example of what can go right with this kind of cancer. He seems to
have a new lease on life and is a happy, hopping boy of almost 13.
There is a space of about 1X3 inches under his chin, where the hair
has not grown back and I keep him in a short cut, with fullish legs
and this bald spot cannot be seen. A full head and beard is not
possible now, but, hey, a short cut is much easier on this
groomer!! His only other small problem has been that he eats a lot
slower than he used to, because a lot of his jaw and 3 teeth were
removed in the initial surgery and he's had to adjust some inside
mechanics. He NEVER lost his appetite during this ordeal and was
eating gruel for most of it. I think it is a major factor in keeping
his strength, obviously, and normal routine going. I have owned 2
dogs, who I know, would shut down their appetites in the first sign
of trauma, so I am very grateful.
In
closing, you and I both know how important it is to know the
personality of your animal and whether they can withstand this kind
of radical ordeal.
(Sadly
during the recovery period for Beau, the family lost Winston, one of
their other Bichons. Cheryl and her family are now having to deal
with other decisions, one of those being whether Beau needs a
companion. Only time will answer that question but there may be
hints in this final note.)
On
another note, we seem to be a contented only dog family and while my
friends and family keep insisting that Beau needs a puppy, I am not
ready. Maybe, in his old age, there is a bit of dementia, as he is
definitely not in the pain he demonstrated after Winston died. I
have always said that Bichons don't have owners, they have STAFF!
Of course, the only dog thing could change tomorrow, but I recently
cuddled a Maltese puppy for a good hour and came away unscathed!
And
now a final note from Anne. "I had a Bichon with a sarcoma in his
mouth and he received no treatment because my vet told me that he
would have a week to 3 weeks before his jaw would break and he would
be unable to eat. My Bichon was approaching 15 at the time and I
did not seek further advice. Tiger did survive 3 months until his
birthday, amazingly enough, with the jaw fracturing at that point
and he was euthanized. My comment to my vet at the time was that he
had been the healthiest dying dog I had ever seen. Shortly after,
another breeder friend called to tell me that her slightly younger
Puli had a similar diagnosis and Annie had her entire lower jaw
removed! She lived several years and could eat without dropping a
single pellet of her food! These are three stories of dealing with
tumors in the mouth/jaw that may help you make your own decision.
http://www.vin.com/VINDBPub/SearchPB/Proceedings/PR05000/PR00072.htm
|
