Staffyluv

It is in a different site to the others... Thanks for the info Helen - what would I do without you??? Thanks to all for your good wishes... Was feeling quite down after being at the vet this morning but feel much better now... Cheers Jodie and Ollie dog...

Ollie went to have his blood work done today to make sure his blood cell counts were OK and the vet found another tumour... He has done a needle biopsy but is pretty sure that it will come back Mast Cell... Ollie has also been gaining weight and this has escalated to 1 kg in 10 days... So the vet took more blood this morning and is going to do a complete screening for liver/kidney function etc... Vet thinks that the chemo may have affected his thyroid (resulting in the weight gain)... Our wonderful vet also wants to do more xrays to see if he can see any shadows of tumours in his tummy... Will have to wait until tomorrow or Friday for the results... You should have seen the little guy, sitting up very still and very straight for his blood test - he is so much braver than I am... I don't think I can bear it, if they find more things wrong with him Just a bit down after this mornings vet visit.. I will be OK - just needed a vent... Thanks Jodie

Hi, I have a stafford (Ollie) here that has Mast Cell cancer (we are in Canberra)... He is being treated by an holistic vet in Sydney as well as our regular vet (who also liaises with Rob Straw - oncologist - from Animal Cancer Care, in Sydney)... Rod and his team are so good, they have assisted us all the way. And you can never ask too many questions... Our holistic vet is so wonderful, she is in contact with our regular vet and gets Ollie's results all the time, in case she needs to adjust his vitamins or herbs... We have telephone consults and I was surprised that it was so reasonably priced... Here are their contact details All Natural Vet Care I would definitely get a second opinion, more xrays etc - you just have to be sure... IMO.. Good luck Jodie

Fingers crossed that it is nothing sinister... Jodie

So sorry for your loss... RIP Jenna :rolleyes: Jodie and Ollie dog

So sorry for your loss Greytmate... RIP Sam Jodie

Hi Helen, Ollie will finish with the Macrolene in 8 days... I knew about the side effects of the macrolene, our holistic vet has Ollie's chemo protocols and she is working with it, to make sure that he gets all the holistic remedies that he needs... I really have great faith in his vets (the oncologist, traditional and holistic vets), they really do take great care of Ollie and me... The vet is still going ahead with chemo this week, he just wants to wait until Friday and do another blood test... Having to delay the chemo every few weeks just drags it out longer... The frustration of wanting it over is terrible... The vet said once this course is finished, we then wait to see if any more tumours grow... So far we have not had any more lumps of any type show up... That has to be a good thing... Hugs back to you and Lucinda, I hope she is well... Once again, many thanks for your wonderful support (and all the other DOLers)... Jodie

We have had another set back this week - both red and white blood cell counts were low... He is really tired all the time now... We go for a walk of a morning for about 15-20 minutes and another in the afternoon (sometimes)... It takes us that long to walk about 750m... Each walk is started with gusto and by the half way mark, he has slowed down... He has also put on 5 kg since he was diagnosed with mast cell... Poor bugger looks like a pot belly pig somedays, his tummy is so round... The vet wants me to reduce his food even further... He is only having 1.5 cups of HSD-UD, 1/4 cup BBQ chicken (to take his tablets with) and 2 ice cubes of frozen veges (usually carrot and zucchini)... So we are dropping the dry food to 1 cup... But he still loves his food and sleeps on the big bed (when we lift him up)... He loves driving in the car (when we lift him in)... He still loves to play with the kids, not so much with the toys this week... I did manage to get one of those cool mats and he loves it... Jodie

Oh MSJ, What can anyone say... You have our support and condolences for the position that you are in... If you have any doubts, talk to your vet... But deep down I think we all know when the right time has come to say our farewells... Hugs Jodie

So sorry to hear about Pete... RIP little man Jodie

RIP Oscar Jodie

Ollie is fed HSD - UD for a kidney/bladder problem, we have not had any kidney/bladder problems since we started with this... Cannot comment on the others as I have not used them. Before HSD, he was fed home cooked food... Jodie

I have always had the injection for Ollie for Heart worm and I cannot for the life of me remember the name of the tablet I used to get for worming him Since he started on chemo and did not have his annual vaccinations (which included the heart worm injection), the vet suggested Paragard - this has an allworm tablet (which I give every 3 months) and heart worm chews (which I give monthly) - It cost $56, which I thought was pretty good for 6 months worming... Jodie

Thanks for the links Helen. I went and got one for him today... It is great and stays cool for up to 2 days before you have to wet it again... Thankyou everyone for your kind words... I am sure we (both Ollie and I) will be fine, some days are just a little harder than others... It is nice to be able to come to DOL and have others who are sharing the same experiences and others that just lend an ear for when it is tough... Thank you Jodie

Thanks fifi, I read your post and burst into tears... I am so broken hearted that I cannot do more for him... He had a terrible night last night, I stayed up with him and all he wanted to do was lay near me... It was so hot and he pants so fast, he just seems exhausted at the moment. It seems like he has been panting really hard for the last couple of days... His temperature is 38.3C (so not really high) and still loves his walk and food, so he must be doing OK... Mind you he is snoring his head off, at my feet, as I type this... I think I need to get him a cooling mat, will have to investigate where in Canberra I can get one on Monday... I think that I am a bit emotional at the moment (due to Ollie and the OH), so every little thing seems ten times worse than it really is... Thanks for all the comfort and support Jodie

Just thought I would add the a copy of the professional photo that hubby and the kids had done for me for Christmas (just in case some of you have not seen it yet)...

I think he deals with it better than I do... He is quite round at the moment (not so much fat as it is around his tummy and really hard to the touch), he is drinking 3-4 litres of water a day and always seems to be starving... The vet said this is just a side effect of the chemo drugs that he is on... He has gone to the toilet in the house a couple of times. But this is only becuase he cannot wake someone to let him out (poor little fella, he gets all forlorn about it too). Apart from that the chemo does not make him vomit... He is really quite slow on his walks some days but I don't mind what pace he sets, just as long as he enjoys them... We used to walk up to 4km's a day now we are down to less than 1km daily... And by the end of the walk he is quite tired... I don't push him at all, he makes his way back to the car when he is ready to go home... He does walk better in the morning, I think because it is cooler... He still wants to wrestle with the boys and has a ball when friends bring their kids over (he usually sleeps for ages after the kids have been)... Bless my angel, I really don't think that he will be here for a long time now.. The heat really affects him and everyone comments on how slow he is now... It breaks my heart everyday, to know that I have to say goodbye sooner rather than later... Bugger, I am bawling now - I don't talk about this sort of thing with the others here at home and sometimes it all gets so built up... Thanks for asking Jodie and Ollie dog

So sorry Paula... RIP Gremlin Jodie

Oh Crysti_Lei They are such beautiful, heartfelt memories... RIP Brodie Jodie and Ollie dog

So sorry honey... It is never easy to say goodbye... Big Hugs RIP Brodie :rolleyes: Jodie

Here is a link to the thread about Brodie Brodie Ollie has cancer and sometimes he pants like that when it is not really that hot... I do hope you are OK, let us know when you can... Jodie

Oh CL, hope you are on your way to the vet... Thinking of you and Boo... Hugs Jodie

Thinking of you and your lovely boy today... Jodie

Oh Mel, I am so sorry honey... Hugs to you and your boy, you know you are doing the right thing... Jodie

We have had a bit of a set back this week... Ollie could not have his chemo as his white blood cell (WBC) count was only 1.1, vet said it needs to be at least 2.5 to do the chemo... We have to wait until next week now and have another blood test to make sure that his WBC count is OK... He is a bit flat this week, I thought it was just because of the heat... I have to take his temp twice a day, to make sure he has no infection and if his temp goes above 39.2, then the vet wants me to take him in... So far so good, his temp has been 38.3 at the highest... Fingers crossed here that he does not get an infection and can have his chemo next week... Thanks Jodie