Worrying about my pup

[jo_]

My heart goes out to you and Currey. I lost my Dad to cancer this past summer. Unfortunately he was diagnosed so late that he was not given the chance to fight. Little Currey has a chance to beat this. It sounds like he has wonderful doctors and is in the best hands. I think I speak for everyone on this forum when I say we are thinking of all of you and hoping for the best possible outcome. You can do it Currey!

"Once you choose hope, anything's possible" ~ Christopher Reeve

[Kathryn]

When you visit Currey today, be sure to tell him that he has friends all over the country -- and even beyond -- who are pulling for him. And if it would help, we would all mail his very favorite treats to him to encourage him to eat!

Please start chomping, Currey.

[Ivy & Lucy's Mom]

I do know what you are going through.The visits at the hospital are bittersweet. Keep the faith-you have one strong little guy.Cairns are tough-they know no boundries. Thinking and praying for you...Renee

[jodi0553]

Well, things were looking really good last night and we had a great visit with the little guy. This morning's news wasn't good. He's showing signs of sepsis. He's had several fluid draws from his abdomen and all have have been clear of bacteria but this morning he has a lot worse swelling in the abdomen and the initial guess is that there is a bacterial problem. He's still not stable enough to start chemo, so the cancer is still advancing. They're doing another ultrasound this morning and he's sedated, so she suggested I don't come visit just now. With how positive everyone was yesterday, I really believed we were having a good chance of no bad news for a while.

[Ivy & Lucy's Mom]

With my experience, you will have a lot of ups and downs... Just listen to the doctors-they wouldn't put Curry through anything that has no chance of working. This is just a stumble. Last year, I was going through such drastic emotions with my cairn Jack. One minute, you are happy and the next, you feel defeated. It almost became painful to call the vet hospital to get an update. You don't know what to expect every time you call. Save your visits to the hospital when Curry is awake and knows you are there. It will make you feel better as well when that little face looks up at you. Wishing you the best...Renee

[pkcrossley]

you can't set the parameters, you can only do the very best you can within the parameters. things will saw back and forth, as ivysmom says. i'm afraid you have to be ready for anything. what matters is currey knows you're there and you love him. to him, that's everything, and always.

[Rohnda]

Sorry that Currey is not doing good today. But here on the west coast the day is still young and there are lots of hours for Currey to feel better. Currey feels like a member of our family as I find myself thinking about him during the day, hoping he is doing better. Hugs to you all.

[jodi0553]

We just went for a visit. Poor guy was still sedated from the ultrasound and was pretty much high as a kite when we arrived. He couldn't really stand well but was convinced that he could jump from his 4 ft high wall crate. He came out of it as we visited, and we saw some more normal behavior after a bit. He's getting chemo now, despite the fact that they wanted him more stable first. It is incomprehensible how fast the disease has progressed. This morning's setback was not sepsis, thank god. It was, however, further signs of liver decline, which is why they went for the chemo. I still don't understand how the disease can be in his liver yet he had liver function parameters that showed up normal last Monday. I wish right now that I didn't stop taking biology in high school! (I am a chemist, so that's kind of shocking). They are again astounded by how quickly he bounced back with a positive response to the meds, so we'll take that as a good sign. He seemed so agitated in the crate, but when we got him out on a walk, he was just so full of joy. It's hard to tell if we are doing the right thing, but when I see his joy for life shine through so crystal clear, it makes it clear to me that he's not done living so I will do everything in my power to help him.

[pkcrossley]

ha yes, you have to let currey be your guide. it is good news indeed that his setback was not sepsis. if he tolerates the first week or so of chemo you will probably see a marked improvement --that was the experience of most of the chemo patients we met. i think survival is the biggest thrill any animal gets. every morning they seem to celebrate, i'm alive! that's why every day for them counts.

the liver can take a LOT of damage before it shows any clinical decline, something like the kidneys. i think that might mean the opposite is also true --you don't have to go back to 100 percent capacity to have a viable liver or kidney again.

[ScruffynMag]

My heart goes out to you and am praying for a positive outcome for you and Currey. My friend was diagnosed with Lymphoma, this was 5 years ago, she is still plodding along and always positive. He's Cairn and they are stubborn and strong. Where there is life there is hope, we are all behind him

[Ivy & Lucy's Mom]

You will know when it's time to stop hoping and stop the suffering. You really will...Try not to let the ups and downs make you wonder if you are doing the right thing. Only time will tell-listen to your doctors too. I believe in prayer and there are so many praying for you right now...

[hheldorfer]

Thanks for the update. I think we're all on pins and needles checking the forum for news every few minutes.

Sounds like Currey is telling you to "go for it!" - and you are. Good for you. Keeping the prayers coming from Illinois.

[Hawkeye]

You are doing the right thing - Currey is young and has the fight in him. Continue to visit him giving him all your love and encourage - stay strong. Several years ago we were on a similar roller coaster ride with our cairn - visiting her daily in the hospital, hooked up to IVs and taking her for walks. She repaid us with 7 more wonderful years. It was well worth the money and emotional turmoil.

Currey and you are in my prayers.

[BetsyNoodle]

I have been checking in each day after work and following Currey's progress. I am so relieved to hear he does not have a bacterial infection and has been able to start the chemo. Hopefully, you will begin to seen some improvement very soon.

Jodi, as one of the other posters said, you don't have to thank us for listening. When one of "our" beloved Cairns is ill, I think we all worry. I am sure I speak for everyone when I say we'll be here for you and Currey. Just think of us as Currey's extended family!

Currey, we are sending BIG hugs and many prayers from Texas.

Melissa and George

Murphy the Cairn

Gracie the Lab

[remltr]

+1 What BetsyNoodle said

[dianer]

Healing hopes from us to Currey. We lost our cat Marcie to lymphoma in September. I wish I'd never heard of this cancer. Count on the cairness to stand tough and fight this.

[utgaard]

Currey hasn't stopped fighting, neither should you. He bounces back when you visit, he shows his true Cairn self when out on walks, and I think (forgive me for reading between the lines) that he has charmed the clinic staff. It may seem that you are taking two steps forward and one step back, but remember that victories, no matter how small, keep you moving in the right direction.

Hang in there. You, Currey and the rest of his family have more support than they know.

[tlwtheq]

He seemed so agitated in the crate, but when we got him out on a walk, he was just so full of joy. It's hard to tell if we are doing the right thing, but when I see his joy for life shine through so crystal clear, it makes it clear to me that he's not done living so I will do everything in my power to help him.

That has always been the rule I used...if they want to "be here" then I will do what needs to be done.

I've never regretted that decision.

With love, Tara

[tlwtheq]

He seemed so agitated in the crate, but when we got him out on a walk, he was just so full of joy. It's hard to tell if we are doing the right thing, but when I see his joy for life shine through so crystal clear, it makes it clear to me that he's not done living so I will do everything in my power to help him.

That has always been the rule I used...if they want to "be here" then I will do what needs to be done.

I've never regretted that decision.

With love, Tara

Clarification: if they want to "be here" then I'll go to and past the limit to make sure their wishes

are my command.

[Islander]

Jodi...please know that for every eloquent and wise member of this forum posting words of solace and encouragement, there are countless more of us who can't quite find the words to express how much we are hoping, praying, supporting you, your husband and Currey in this journey.

Huge hugs to all of you.

[jodi0553]

Hey All,

Well, It's been another rough 24 hours but Currey is still hanging in there. Last night he started suffering from some pretty nasty diarrhea and got his adorable little yak butt shaved. They also wrapped a bandage around his tail to keep it out of the line of fire, which was just so silly looking, especially when he wags it. His energy and strength were pretty much normal yesterday, which was wonderful, but a bit challenging to deal with given the fact that he has a bit of a leaky butt and of course a central line preventing us from putting a collar on him. He started chemo yesterday and is going for round 2 today. The drs say we should be able to know something about therapeutic and/or side effects by Monday. The really big question now is how much time are we buying for him and what quality of life will we all will have. We have two very different opinions from the two different docs on the case. Both say he can have some really good time if he responds well to chemo. However, the internist who I spoke to for the first time today told me that the chance of curing is very low but the chance of remission, at least for a little while, is high. However, we are probably looking at only 6 months to a year according to him and only a month if he doesn't respond as well. He said even if it is a short time, it is usually good quality time, but it is of course a big gamble. Currey is showing tons of spunk, despite his terrible haircut and all the meds he's getting. It broke my heart last night - he parked himself on the sidewalk in front of DH's car and refused to budge. It is very clear that he's done with that place and just wants to go home. It's so hard leaving him there at night, especially now that he's feeling a bit better and rebelling like this. So, I guess we hang on till Monday or so, hope that the meds kick in and hope we can bring the little guy home for at least some time of wonderful living.

[Sam I Am]

What you have to ask yourself is this a good quality of life... am I doing this for him or us because we can’t let him go. Really horrid tough questions I know. When our Scottie was diagnosed with a primary lung tumour, we opted for no chemo or any other kinds of treatment beyond palliative care. She had for most part a good part of a year. The last three weeks of her life I doubt were very pleasant. She was on pain killers and a low dose of prednisone (to ease inflammation). I remember coming home from work looking at her struggling to stand to greet me, tail wagging but the look in her eyes told me it was time. I knew right away and I know you will also. Don’t ask me how that works but I know you will know it in your heart and head to do the right thing for Currey. I am so sorry this is happening to you and Currey but its part of owning an animal. It’s always hard to play “God” in the end. My heart goes out to you and your family.

[Rileymom27]

I, also, can relate to what you are going through. I lost Riley in January at the age of 7 years due to renal failure. We tried every possible way of buying some extra time for him - - I even enlisted a hollistic vet - - I would have gone to the ends of the earth to keep him for a couple more years but in the end - - it was he who chose to go. After months of dialysis, vitamins and treatments he had had enough!! He simply refused to eat and no amount of any kind of medicine or training or desperate LOVE could keep him here. The hollistic vet said that he gave me the greatest gift of all - - choosing to die so that I didn't have to make that decision for him. My last rememberance of him is of his beautiful little face looking into mine - - almost pleading - - and then a kiss on my hand. I will never forget that. Sometimes - - despite our best efforts - - it is time to say "good-bye" - - he will always be a part of me - - he was a very special little boy. Thinking of you as you go through this journey --God bless!

[cairnrescueleague]

If I had a cairn Currey's age who had lymphoma, I would give him a chance as long as the good seems to outweigh the bad and he has spunk and wants to fight. My first cairn Willie died of lymphoma when he was around 11-12 years old. Despite chemo, he only survived about 4 months, but we had caught it too late (cairns are so stoic, we didn't realize anything was wrong, he got a clean bill of health from our regular vet the week before he was diagnosed). We were told that he could live for another year or so with the treatment, I think only a month or so without, but that his quality of life would be good either way. Apparently, with lymphoma, they just gradually lose their energy and will to live. As the vets told us, the chemo was NOT hard on Will, dogs usually tolerate it much better than people do. We are all thinking of you and pulling for little Currey.

[pkcrossley]

so far as i know vets never talk about curing lymphoma (it is a goal in human treatment, sometimes, but i don't think that for animals this is ever considered the goal). the point has always been to buy time. what the vets told you is the standard line for lymphoma, with a little shade of pessimism thrown in, probably because currey was heavily symptomatic when diagnosed. if they consider his chances of remission high, that is the optimal picture, and it catches my attention that they would say that --i was afraid they would tell you that his chances of remission were diminished below the average.

you will most definitely only be buying time, and that is the case with all lymphoma cases. the time frame they are referring to corresponds roughly to the time that my dog redmon has bought with his radiation treatments. these are averages, and of course nobody knows what will happen with any individual dog. those who for some reason don't respond to radiation or chemo will of course have a very short time. those who respond well will have a much longer time. you don't know which one you will come up with until you try.

as we were told when weighing the radiation for redmon -- in a dog's lifetime, a year is a very long time. it is hard to see what the gamble is. the treatments are very tolerable for the dogs, their quality of life is usually quite high (i saw this for myself with the many patients at our clinic), and in all cases, even the least successful ones, the treatments have bought much more time than the couple of weeks that a dog would have with no treatments.

overall, the news you've been given recently conforms to the standard prognosis for lymphoma. it is striking to me that the doctors still consider that currey's outcome could be what they consider a success (and it is a success, when you consider the real facts): a solid six months or more (in some cases substantially more) of very good quality life, and a return to his old self.

everybody everywhere is only buying time, no matter what they do. there are healthy happy dogs today all over the world who for some reason or other will not be here in six months or a year or a year and a half. nobody knows what will happen to anybody. it is all a gamble, in that sense. when i signed redmon up for radiation i felt there was in some ways less of a gamble than anything else --i knew that the chances were overwhelming that he would be returned to his old self, and live his own life, for a period of time that to him was very substantial. for myself i would have wanted more, but we can only work within the parameters that medical realities allow. to redmon, having another year and perhaps a little more of the life he loves is an eternity.

you're following currey, who is showing an exceptional attitude during his illness, and on the basis of that may really do very well with chemo, meaning that he may well achieve remission --the goal of all lymphoma treatment. i think you are right to place your faith in him. he'll tell you what to do.