Doc's medical thread

[Tina B and crew]

Still waiting for the AM update. They usually call before 9 but I'm guessing they may have had an emergency to deal with.

And, as soon as I hit enter I got a call!

Doc is doing well this morning, he has continued to eat. They have him on fluids and that seems to have perked him up. Still waiting for the preliminary blood work to come back but they did look at a smear and it appeared that his WBC was slightly elevated but not extraordinarily so. His temp continues in the 103 range so it is down just a bit. The plan today is to do another ultrasound, take a closer look at the incision and what is going on inside. I am praying so hard that the find nothing extraordinary!!

[Traci]

Update us when you know more. It's bugging me they don't know where the source of infection is, have they mentioned an immunology profile?

He's had at least one FELV/FIV snap combo test, right? (not that I'm worried about this, it's just good practice to test again if they feel it's necessary - this can also act as minimal workup to help rule out virus vs bacterial).

[Tina B and crew]

No news yet, so I consider no news is good news.

He had test for FeLV/FIV when he was neutered as well as when he got sick this time around, so yes, he has been tested.

[Traci]

They better hurry up, then, because I am impatient

Ok, good on the FELV/FIV testing, and if the CBC is only showing infection, that too might be good news, as in, perhaps a change in antibiotics. Remember too, that inflammation can also cause fevers, elevated WBC's. He's had two abdominal surgeries, so it can take some time for inflammation to calm down - let's hope it's only a minor thing and that it was only releasing too soon.

[Tina B and crew]

I sent you a PM...

[Tina B and crew]

First round of chemo down, but not with out a few hitches. Ultrasound showed a few spots - on the liver and the gallbladder. The oncologist doesn't THINK they are metastasis of the cancer but without doing a biopsy there is no way of knowing and he did not want to do that. He said his experience, at least with dogs, is that this cancer wouldn't have spread and grown that fast. Anyway, his blood work was good and everything else was good so chemo was a go. Doc is resting now but he did eat when I got him home. I'm not bothering him much because I know he's had a long and tiring day. Our next chemo appointment will be in 3 weeks, then again in 6 weeks, then another ultrasound, then rinse and repeat.

[slvrwhispr]

What was his WBC, do you know? I'm assuming it had to be low since he's been so energetic. Hoping those lesions are nothing.

[Tina B and crew]

His WBC was normal. We will check it again next week too. He really is doing well with all his has been through. He's been sleepy today after he got home but it was a long day full of pokes and prods. He's such a good boy though. They said he fell asleep during his ultrasound!

[Traci]

I'm surprised the oncologist didn't mention those "nodules" could be scar tissue, post-surgery. I suspect that inflammation is also still present, but unremarkable bloodwork would help indicate that inflammation is lessening, which is good news.

Do you know which chemo protocol they're using?

I'm so happy to hear Doc is doing well, he is quite the trooper!

[Tina B and crew]

He did mention the possibility that the nodule where the spleen was removed was simply scar tissue. And, the liver and gallbladder may be nothing of any concern. That's at least my hope. The fact that he said "if he goes a year without any abnormalities in his ultrasound we'd consider him clean" is what I'm going to focus on. Of course that doesn't mean it would never recur but I choose to focus on the most positive outcome!

I'm not sure what you means specifically by chemo protocol. He's got 5.7mg of Cerenia 1 hour prior, and 5.7mg Benadryl 30 minutes prior to the administration of doxorubicin - of which 5.7mg IV in 50mls of NS over a 20 minute span.

So far the only side effect I have seen was a bit of sleepiness last night. I attributed it to the benadryl and just having a long day! We were there from 10 until almost 4. When the ultrasound showed those quirks he wanted to do a full chem profile to check the gall bladder and liver before proceeding.