Lucas's Dad

I posted a few months ago about my 8 1/2 year old white boxer Lucas. He 's had chronic diarrhea and vomiting. Took him in to the Nashville Vet Specialist and they did blood work, x rays and ultrasound. Everything came back normal. His healthy has gone down hill. He was 70lbs but he's now 50lbs and it breaks my heart. It's a challenge to get him to eat anything, feeding him by hand is the only way. So i brought him in to get a scope of his throat, stomach and intestines. The vet said he had severe ulcers in his stomach but no blockages. They biopsied several things and now.........they came back as lymphomia cancer. The treatment choice is prednisone and either a cvi drug? or chemo therapy. The chemo scares me cause i don't want him to go through any more sickness then he's already been through....he's such a sweet and kind dog. Even though he's very sick, he still has such a great demeanor. I just don't know what to do, this is breaking my heart.
If anyone has any advice, i'm open to hear it. If anyone has gone through Chemo or lymphoma treatment , i want to hear about it , the good and bad.
This is the hardest decision of my entire life.

Katielovesleo

I don't have any advice bc I've never gone through any health problems yet *knock on wood* but I pray for your sweet Lucas. Poor lil buddy! Get well!

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"Dogs will be dogs; it's up to you to show them how to be dogs around people" Pat Miller

2manydogs

Chemo is much easier on dogs than it is on people. They seem to tolerate it much better. Did they say what stage the lymphoma was?

Have you tried home cooking for him to get him to eat?

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Kari ~ Keeper, servant and mommy to the following crew



**Proudly Raw fed since 2010**

af_wx_wife

My Maggie was diagnosed with lymphoma & it was already far along. Her intestines had thickened, she was swelling & had several seizures. My husband was gone & the vet said at the point she was he'd try the prednisone treatment. She went down hill pretty quickly & we decided that the way she was living wasn't the way she'd want to live. We made the hardest decision that any parent would ever make & on the 22nd of August we let our Maggie go. It's so hard to make that decision. I would of given my life for hers. I wish you the best of luck (((HUGS)))

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GoudasMom

What type of Lymphoma? What stage? My Gouda had CCNU(Lomustine) as a chemo drug and had hardly any side effects. As Kari said dogs handle chemo a lot better then humans. I suggest you read some of the threads in the holistic section of the forum. If you need more specific information PM I have dealt with Lymphoma and might be able to answer some questions or at least give you support. Hugs to you and your pup.

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Gouda 9/6/01 - 7/19/12

Sue - Mom to Kippah rescued 8/19/12

WholeLottaBoxers

Whatever route you choose, I would definitely suggest home cooking. It's helping wonders with our Barkley right now. He pretty much refused to eat dog food, but he cleans his bowl every meal now that I'm cooking for him. It's made a huge difference.

So sorry you're going through this. You're in our thoughts and prayers. Please keep us posted.

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Cait, Mom to:
Max (11), Tucker (4), Sam (9), Cinnamon (13),
Titan (8 ), Honey (8 ), Piper (3) & Virgil (10)
Jake ~1/1/98-10/31/08~ ♥
Saba ~???-7/28/11~ ♥
Baby ~1998-11/25/11~ ♥
Lillie ~3/10/05-1/17/12~ ♥
Sadie ~2001-2/14/12~ ♥
Chief ~1998-2/20/12~ ♥
Barkley ~2000-2/28/13~ ♥
Maggie ~1999-4/22/13~ ♥

"Adapt yourself to the things among which your lot has been cast and love sincerely the fellow creatures with whom destiny has ordained that you shall live." ~ Marcus Aurelius

Laneysmom

I am so sorry to hear this... Gouda's Mom is a wealth of knowledge about lymphoma. I wish you all the best. (((Hugs))) to you and Lucas.

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Laneys Mom,
CAROL

Lucas's Dad

they didn't say. the vet wanted me to make appointment with oncologist. i have tried to cook for him but he'll only eat if i hand feed him.

GoudasMom

His lymph nodes in his GI tract are most likely enlarged and he doesnt want to eat or the ones in his neck are so enlarged its difficult for him to eat. I would get him on prednisone ASAP to give him some relief and then follow up with an oncologist to see if chemo is an option. If not dont give up hope there are non traditional therapies to try. I can give you lots of links and places to read. Try to find out what stage and what type of Lymphoma thats important to know what route to take as far as treatment.

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Gouda 9/6/01 - 7/19/12

Sue - Mom to Kippah rescued 8/19/12

WholeLottaBoxers

I spoon-feed Barkley his meals. He gets chicken breast and oatmeal cooked in chicken broth plus a pureed veggie in the morning and pureed fruit at night. When I'm short on time, I use baby food. It takes a little extra time, but it's great bonding time with Barkley. When he's all done eating he moves closer to me, tucks his head into my chest and gives me a low growl. (That's his happy sound.) I wouldn't trade those few minutes with him for anything in the world.

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Cait, Mom to:
Max (11), Tucker (4), Sam (9), Cinnamon (13),
Titan (8 ), Honey (8 ), Piper (3) & Virgil (10)
Jake ~1/1/98-10/31/08~ ♥
Saba ~???-7/28/11~ ♥
Baby ~1998-11/25/11~ ♥
Lillie ~3/10/05-1/17/12~ ♥
Sadie ~2001-2/14/12~ ♥
Chief ~1998-2/20/12~ ♥
Barkley ~2000-2/28/13~ ♥
Maggie ~1999-4/22/13~ ♥

"Adapt yourself to the things among which your lot has been cast and love sincerely the fellow creatures with whom destiny has ordained that you shall live." ~ Marcus Aurelius