Henry’s first chemo

We took Henry to the oncologist in Atlanta today. The specialist had to do a couple more tests to determine if Henry had B- or T-cell lymphoma. “B” is better and “T” is tougher to treat. Obviously, we are hoping for “B,” but we have to wait two weeks for results. At this point in this office visit, the specialist heard me groan audibly. I wanted to start treatment today. So the specialist said not to worry — that we would definitely start today, and here is what happened in case any of you out there are about to go through this same issue with your Berner or Golden or whatever your beloved breed may be.

First, they did a bone marrow aspiration to see if the lymphoma had invaded the bone. It seems unlikely given Henry’s energy, but you never know. The specialist assumed Henry would be much worse, given how he presented at the emergency clinic last week. He was very lethargic then and could walk only with extreme difficulty. The first specialist speculated that he had histiocytosis, so we basically brought him back home to pass quietly. However, I had read about the anti-cancer, high-protein dog diet, so we decided to try it. Henry perked up incredibly and very quickly. His limping also improved dramatically. In fact, after only five days, he was barely limping at all.

The specialist also started the “Wisconsin Protocol” which is a program of weekly treatments for about nine weeks, and then every other week for a total of 25 weeks. They start by giving him an injection of L-asparaginase and prednisone oral tablets. They also recommend a cooked (not raw) high-protein diet, since lymphoma seems to thrive on carbohydrates, but of course the main objective is to keep the dog eating. We told him we were already doing the high-protein diet, so we will continue that.

The specialist told us that response rates with this protocol are about 90% and that dogs live on average a year — as opposed to the four-to-six weeks that they live typically after diagnosis without treatment. About 25% live longer than a year (up to two years). Of course, we hope for the best outcome.

Remember — prednisone increases energy, appetite, and URINATION. So you’ll have to watch your dog and let him go out very frequently and through the night. And if you are like us, you will be cooking him a lot of hamburgers, steaks, and eggs, with cheese as a bonus. So be prepared to walk this path with your dog. He will appreciate it!

I’ll keep you posted on Henry’s progress.