A week 10 days ago, I reported how initial results from a biopsy
indicated how our Bichon, Cosmo, might have cancer. The pathology was
not totally certain so two days ago a whole gland was removed for
examination. The results are due this coming week but when we picked
Cosmo up from the vet, the vet said that it looked 'very bad' but she
hastened to say she was not a pathologist. We are teetering on needle
points. If it is the big C, it will be a Lymphoma. I have heard that
dog chemo works much better than human chemo but, really, what might
the future hold for us. Will Cosmo rebound in remission only later to
sink into an abyss.

In article ,
John Ferman wrote:

A week 10 days ago, I reported how initial results from a biopsy
indicated how our Bichon, Cosmo, might have cancer. The pathology was
not totally certain so two days ago a whole gland was removed for
examination. The results are due this coming week but when we picked
Cosmo up from the vet, the vet said that it looked 'very bad' but she
hastened to say she was not a pathologist. We are teetering on needle
points. If it is the big C, it will be a Lymphoma. I have heard that
dog chemo works much better than human chemo but, really, what might
the future hold for us. Will Cosmo rebound in remission only later to
sink into an abyss.

I don't know enough about lymphoma to give you advice about what to
expect, but I would want to consult a canine oncologist before I made a
decision about chemo or hospice care for my dog.

I'm so sorry you are going through this. We have had two dogs with
cancer with two very different types of cancers and two very different
potential outcomes. We lost our heart dog to lung cancer and while
surgery was an option, in the end there was very little difference in
the potential outcomes. With surgery we may have had six to nine months
with Spencer and without surgery we had nine months with our Spencer.
Spencer was twelve when diagnosed, which also affected our decisions.

Our Tracy had a different kind of cancer and the outcome after surgery
looked much better. He had his surgery over a year ago and while he has
other problems, his mast cell sarcomas have not returned and it didn't
turn into lymphoma.

I wish I could help, but I hope you get as much information as you can
before you have to make horribly difficult decisions.

In article ,
John Ferman wrote:

A week 10 days ago, I reported how initial results from a biopsy
indicated how our Bichon, Cosmo, might have cancer. The pathology was
not totally certain so two days ago a whole gland was removed for
examination. The results are due this coming week but when we picked
Cosmo up from the vet, the vet said that it looked 'very bad' but she
hastened to say she was not a pathologist. We are teetering on needle
points. If it is the big C, it will be a Lymphoma. I have heard that
dog chemo works much better than human chemo but, really, what might
the future hold for us. Will Cosmo rebound in remission only later to
sink into an abyss.

I don't know enough about lymphoma to give you advice about what to
expect, but I would want to consult a canine oncologist before I made a
decision about chemo or hospice care for my dog.

I'm so sorry you are going through this. We have had two dogs with
cancer with two very different types of cancers and two very different
potential outcomes. We lost our heart dog to lung cancer and while
surgery was an option, in the end there was very little difference in
the potential outcomes. With surgery we may have had six to nine months
with Spencer and without surgery we had nine months with our Spencer.
Spencer was twelve when diagnosed, which also affected our decisions.

Our Tracy had a different kind of cancer and the outcome after surgery
looked much better. He had his surgery over a year ago and while he has
other problems, his mast cell sarcomas have not returned and it didn't
turn into lymphoma.

I wish I could help, but I hope you get as much information as you can
before you have to make horribly difficult decisions.

montana wrote:
In article ,
John Ferman wrote:


A week 10 days ago, I reported how initial results from a biopsy
indicated how our Bichon, Cosmo, might have cancer. The pathology was
not totally certain so two days ago a whole gland was removed for
examination. The results are due this coming week but when we picked
Cosmo up from the vet, the vet said that it looked 'very bad' but she
hastened to say she was not a pathologist. We are teetering on needle
points. If it is the big C, it will be a Lymphoma. I have heard that
dog chemo works much better than human chemo but, really, what might
the future hold for us. Will Cosmo rebound in remission only later to
sink into an abyss.


I don't know enough about lymphoma to give you advice about what to
expect, but I would want to consult a canine oncologist before I made a
decision about chemo or hospice care for my dog.

I'm so sorry you are going through this. We have had two dogs with
cancer with two very different types of cancers and two very different
potential outcomes. We lost our heart dog to lung cancer and while
surgery was an option, in the end there was very little difference in
the potential outcomes. With surgery we may have had six to nine months
with Spencer and without surgery we had nine months with our Spencer.
Spencer was twelve when diagnosed, which also affected our decisions.

Our Tracy had a different kind of cancer and the outcome after surgery
looked much better. He had his surgery over a year ago and while he has
other problems, his mast cell sarcomas have not returned and it didn't
turn into lymphoma.

I wish I could help, but I hope you get as much information as you can
before you have to make horribly difficult decisions.


My dog was diagnosed with lymphoma when he was not quite 10, and chemo
provided good quality of life for him for over two years. When we did
lose him, it was a quick, steep drop that made it clear that it "was
time". At the beginning of his treatment, he got treatment each week;
then every two weeks, and eventually at three or four week intervals.
He would generally be a little bit lethargic for a day or so, maybe two
days after his treatment; but he didn't have any major side effects.
His fur thinned a little bit and he lost his whiskers, but that was a
small price to pay.

I would definitely talk to an oncologist to discuss treatment options,
if you're considering chemo. If there isn't one close to where you
live, some will work with local vets to manage a treatment plan. You
can get alphabetical and geographical lists of board-certified
oncologists he http://www.acvim.org/wwwfp/Diplomate/directory.htm

Good luck -
Lisa

montana wrote:
In article ,
John Ferman wrote:


A week 10 days ago, I reported how initial results from a biopsy
indicated how our Bichon, Cosmo, might have cancer. The pathology was
not totally certain so two days ago a whole gland was removed for
examination. The results are due this coming week but when we picked
Cosmo up from the vet, the vet said that it looked 'very bad' but she
hastened to say she was not a pathologist. We are teetering on needle
points. If it is the big C, it will be a Lymphoma. I have heard that
dog chemo works much better than human chemo but, really, what might
the future hold for us. Will Cosmo rebound in remission only later to
sink into an abyss.


I don't know enough about lymphoma to give you advice about what to
expect, but I would want to consult a canine oncologist before I made a
decision about chemo or hospice care for my dog.

I'm so sorry you are going through this. We have had two dogs with
cancer with two very different types of cancers and two very different
potential outcomes. We lost our heart dog to lung cancer and while
surgery was an option, in the end there was very little difference in
the potential outcomes. With surgery we may have had six to nine months
with Spencer and without surgery we had nine months with our Spencer.
Spencer was twelve when diagnosed, which also affected our decisions.

Our Tracy had a different kind of cancer and the outcome after surgery
looked much better. He had his surgery over a year ago and while he has
other problems, his mast cell sarcomas have not returned and it didn't
turn into lymphoma.

I wish I could help, but I hope you get as much information as you can
before you have to make horribly difficult decisions.


My dog was diagnosed with lymphoma when he was not quite 10, and chemo
provided good quality of life for him for over two years. When we did
lose him, it was a quick, steep drop that made it clear that it "was
time". At the beginning of his treatment, he got treatment each week;
then every two weeks, and eventually at three or four week intervals.
He would generally be a little bit lethargic for a day or so, maybe two
days after his treatment; but he didn't have any major side effects.
His fur thinned a little bit and he lost his whiskers, but that was a
small price to pay.

I would definitely talk to an oncologist to discuss treatment options,
if you're considering chemo. If there isn't one close to where you
live, some will work with local vets to manage a treatment plan. You
can get alphabetical and geographical lists of board-certified
oncologists he http://www.acvim.org/wwwfp/Diplomate/directory.htm

Good luck -
Lisa

On Sun, 24 Aug 2003 02:16:01 GMT, montana
wrote:

In article ,
John Ferman wrote:

A week 10 days ago, I reported how initial results from a biopsy
indicated how our Bichon, Cosmo, might have cancer. The pathology was
not totally certain so two days ago a whole gland was removed for
examination. The results are due this coming week but when we picked
Cosmo up from the vet, the vet said that it looked 'very bad' but she
hastened to say she was not a pathologist. We are teetering on needle
points. If it is the big C, it will be a Lymphoma. I have heard that
dog chemo works much better than human chemo but, really, what might
the future hold for us. Will Cosmo rebound in remission only later to
sink into an abyss.

I don't know enough about lymphoma to give you advice about what to
expect, but I would want to consult a canine oncologist before I made a
decision about chemo or hospice care for my dog.

Our oncologist said the average life expectancy is 16 - 18 months. At
that point the lymphoma may return, or another type of cancer may
emerge. Generally dogs aren't cured of cancer through chemo; chemo
buys time. But I read something recently where a vet said that a
couple of years for a dog is like 5 years for a human, and that's
considered a crime. If you do decide on chemo, know that dogs don't
have have the side effects that people do, and usually their quality
of life during remission is quite good.

Sally Hennessey

On Sun, 24 Aug 2003 02:16:01 GMT, montana
wrote:

In article ,
John Ferman wrote:

A week 10 days ago, I reported how initial results from a biopsy
indicated how our Bichon, Cosmo, might have cancer. The pathology was
not totally certain so two days ago a whole gland was removed for
examination. The results are due this coming week but when we picked
Cosmo up from the vet, the vet said that it looked 'very bad' but she
hastened to say she was not a pathologist. We are teetering on needle
points. If it is the big C, it will be a Lymphoma. I have heard that
dog chemo works much better than human chemo but, really, what might
the future hold for us. Will Cosmo rebound in remission only later to
sink into an abyss.

I don't know enough about lymphoma to give you advice about what to
expect, but I would want to consult a canine oncologist before I made a
decision about chemo or hospice care for my dog.

Our oncologist said the average life expectancy is 16 - 18 months. At
that point the lymphoma may return, or another type of cancer may
emerge. Generally dogs aren't cured of cancer through chemo; chemo
buys time. But I read something recently where a vet said that a
couple of years for a dog is like 5 years for a human, and that's
considered a crime. If you do decide on chemo, know that dogs don't
have have the side effects that people do, and usually their quality
of life during remission is quite good.

Sally Hennessey

The final diagnosis is in. Cosmo has cancer. The best estimate by the
vet for chemo is $3000. Cosmo could go into remission for as long as
2-3 years. The vet does not do chemo but must refer us to the
University of Minnesota School of Veterinary.


In article , John Ferman
wrote:

A week 10 days ago, I reported how initial results from a biopsy
indicated how our Bichon, Cosmo, might have cancer. The pathology was
not totally certain so two days ago a whole gland was removed for
examination. The results are due this coming week but when we picked
Cosmo up from the vet, the vet said that it looked 'very bad' but she
hastened to say she was not a pathologist. We are teetering on needle
points. If it is the big C, it will be a Lymphoma. I have heard that
dog chemo works much better than human chemo but, really, what might
the future hold for us. Will Cosmo rebound in remission only later to
sink into an abyss.

The final diagnosis is in. Cosmo has cancer. The best estimate by the
vet for chemo is $3000. Cosmo could go into remission for as long as
2-3 years. The vet does not do chemo but must refer us to the
University of Minnesota School of Veterinary.


In article , John Ferman
wrote:

A week 10 days ago, I reported how initial results from a biopsy
indicated how our Bichon, Cosmo, might have cancer. The pathology was
not totally certain so two days ago a whole gland was removed for
examination. The results are due this coming week but when we picked
Cosmo up from the vet, the vet said that it looked 'very bad' but she
hastened to say she was not a pathologist. We are teetering on needle
points. If it is the big C, it will be a Lymphoma. I have heard that
dog chemo works much better than human chemo but, really, what might
the future hold for us. Will Cosmo rebound in remission only later to
sink into an abyss.

"John Ferman" wrote in message
...
The final diagnosis is in. Cosmo has cancer. The best estimate by the
vet for chemo is $3000. Cosmo could go into remission for as long as
2-3 years. The vet does not do chemo but must refer us to the
University of Minnesota School of Veterinary.

........I'm so sorry. A cancer diagnosis in our friends is always a kick in
the teeth. By all reports chemo does work pretty well for lymphoma, but it
sure isn't cheap. I hope you can reach a decision you're comfortable with.
These are all really very personal decisions.

I'd do a search of the archives of this NG - go to Google and click on
Groups and search under lymphoma. There's a vet who used to post here who
has been working with some alternatives (Essiac and some other things) when
cfients refuse chemo who has had some success. I think he gets a lot of
lymphoma patients too. If you can't find the posts , post back.

buglady
take out the dog before replying