# My 3 year old golden got diagnosed with Lymphoma



## pawsnpaca (Nov 11, 2014)

Ugg. I am so, SO sorry... Cancer sucks at the best of times, but is absolutely devastating in one so young. 

Hopefully someone who has been through this can chime in, but in the meantime... If it were me I'd get a holistic vet involved. There ARE some things that can be done to at least increase his quality of life, and possibly even extend his life. I know there are "cancer diets" - usually very low carb, since carbs/sugars "feed" cancer. I know your vet should be able to direct you to a prescription cancer diet, but with the help of a nutritionist or your holistic vet, you could also do a homemade. I believe there are also some mushrooms that can help to boost his immune system... but again... best to get a holistic vet on your team. You can find a holistic vet near you at VetFinder – Find a Holistic Veterinarian – American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association

You may also want to search the Forum for prior postings that discuss lymphoma and see if you can find anything helpful there.

Sending you big hugs...


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## SyncMaster (Mar 12, 2017)

Thanks a lot! We were not aware of Holistic suggestion. This is a great link. Will try to find doctors in our area (Northen California) for dietary recommendation.


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## cwag (Apr 25, 2017)

I am so sorry. I just did a search putting the word lymphoma in quotes and there are waaaay to many threads. You might see if there are any vet school studies on lymphoma.


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## OscarsDad (Dec 20, 2017)

Such a sad and difficult time for you. I hope only the best for you and your pup. It sounds like you are exploring many options. This may be an ignorant suggestion but perhaps exploring clinical trials at a major veterinary hospital would be an option. Please keep us posted.


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## SyncMaster (Mar 12, 2017)

Day 1 update (2020/11/04):
Symptoms:
Bourbon had loss of appetite for the past two days. He was lethargic the whole time at home. However he wanted to play fetch when we took him to grass patch and he ha. We didn't expect it would be anything serious. Morning, we noticed swollen lymph nodes in his right jaw. We immediately rushed him to the vet and got to know he could have lymphoma. Also just before rushing to the vet, he stopped putting pressure on his hind right leg and started limping.

Vet Visit:
Bourbon stayed in the hospital the whole day and went through the tests. They noticed high levels of calcium in his blood. The doctor confirmed T-cell lymphomea suggested to go with Chemo and provided a 26-week Madison-Wisconsin LCHOP plan.
Bourbon got his first week of Chemo (He got Elspar).

The doctor called us after a few hours and updated that he is doing good. Also they scanned his hip and didn't find anything concerning with his hip/hind leg. He will be on IV fluids today and hoping to pick him up tomorrow.

Hope he gets better with the Chemo treatment.


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## SyncMaster (Mar 12, 2017)

@cwag Thanks! Yes, I have found a bunch of posts and going through them. I am so happy to be part of this forum!

I came across homeopathic plan to support liver functionality. Currently our vet didn't make any suggestions on diet (what to give and what to avoid). So we are planning to consult with a Hollistic vet. I am worried how the Hollistic/Homepathic plan could affect Chemo treatment. Any suggestions here on how this could go?

Few other things I have found so far from other relevant threads and came across these.

Denamarin, to help the liver process chemo better (if needed).
Krill oil to fight cancer
Cut down on grains and provide more lean meat.

Any experiences/suggestions on using the above with chemo?


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## I'm Elaine (Oct 27, 2020)

I'm so sorry to hear about Bourbon! Hopefully it was found early and he will beat this awful cancer!


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## Kenmar (Apr 28, 2018)

Hi,
I’m so sorry about the diagnosis!

Our golden was diagnosed when he was about 7. We also live in Nor Cal and took him to UC Davis for a consultation. They suggested chemo and half body radiation. We had the chemo done at our regular vet and returned to Davis for 2 half body radiation procedures.

It was a long haul, but can honestly say he had very few bad days during the months of treatment. He ended up living another 5 years and passing of another cause.

Sending tons of positive thoughts to you and your pup❤❤


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## Ffcmm (May 4, 2016)

I am so sorry to hear that, sending kind prayers and thoughts your way.


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## Otis-Agnes (Nov 24, 2015)

So very sorry to hear. Our sweet Haylie was diagnosed when she was 5. We did the weekly chemo at the vets (which Haylie loved going there). That year was known as the Year of Haylie. We pampered her and she had the best year. You didn't know she was sick except for the shaved areas on her front legs. That was 9 years ago. Hopefully they've learned more about this awful cancer and treatments will extend his life for many years.


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## SyncMaster (Mar 12, 2017)

Thanks for all the support and it means a lot!

Still can't accept the fact of how our happy and always energetic baby could go all down.

Even though cancer's cause can't be identified these questions keep popping in my head.
- How long could he have had cancer? Bourbon showed his lethargy behavior just three days before the actual diagnosis. Is Lymphoma something that they could have had for years or could he have gotten in days/weeks time? In case if he had gotten it recently, what did we expose him to which resulted in Lymphoma is haunting us.

A more important question that we are trying to find is how to give him the best care during his Chemo.

Is there something we should avoid with his compromised immune system? The way we take him on walks etc.
I see that a Cancer feeds from grains and sugar. So planning to give him protein-based and no-carb food. We thought of going RAW. But have a serious dilemma on how this would impact his compromised immune system. We are planning to get a consultation from a Holistic vet on diet recommendations. Any suggestions on the diet changes will be of great help.

Our usual life with Bourbon:

Early Morning to a dog park close by (when there are no dogs) and play fetch with Bourbon. He loves playing fetch.
Back home and feed him Taste of the Wild food.
He happily roams in our backyard, gets pets, and naps during the day.
Evening, we take him for a walk around our area (occasionally we go on a run). As he is a high-energy dog, we play fetch with him in an open grass area.
At times he will have playdates with his friends. We take him for a hike maybe once a month.


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## pawsnpaca (Nov 11, 2014)

Most holistic vets practice "complementary" medicine - this means that any more natural treatment they recommend should "complement" or support the more traditional therapies. It's more likely that chem/radiation would interfere with the holistic remedies than vice versa. Because of that, and because of a belief in the body's ability to heal itself, _some _holistic vets might be of the opinion that chemo or radiation is not the best route for you to go. The reality is traditional cancer treatment involves pumping our pets full of chemicals and exposing them to radiation (not saying that that isn't sometimes the only, or even the best, option we have... only pointing out the reality that sometimes the treatment can be as hard on the body as the disease). I wish I could tell you that your holistic vet and your allopathic ("regular"/traditional) vet will agree on the correct course of treatment, but to be honest I'd be prepared to have to consider multiple opinions and recommendations, do some research on your own, and then follow your gut as to the best course of treatment. FWIW, my holistic vet once said that she considered lymphoma one of the cancers that is most responsive to holistic treatment.

Although I believe in raw diets, I wouldn't jump into them without your holistic vet's recommendation, since if a dog's immune system is compromised they'll have a harder time battling any pathogens in the food. That does not mean that you can't feed a home-made/home-cooked cancer diet... but again... I'd get your holistic vet on board for guidance to ensure that it's properly balanced and contains the things that will support your dog's cancer battle.

One of my favorite resources for a lot of dog health issues is a website called "Dog Aware" (I can't post the link but Google it and it should come right up). There is a link to a bunch of info on cancer under the "health" link. It's a great place to start for a variety of info about treatment, food and supplements. I also just found a blog that reviews a video series called "The Truth About Dog Cancer" and in the course of the review, the blog also summarizes some of the points/claims made in the series, so you may find that interesting. https://www.caninecancerconcerns.com/book-reviews/the-truth-about-pet-cancer/

Wishing you the best on this tough journey... I hope Bourbon is feeling much better soon. Do let us know how it goes...


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## goldensmum (Oct 23, 2007)

Have no experience of Lymphoma but didn't want to read and run. Sending hugs and good wishes for you all


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## Robbobbin (Oct 3, 2019)

SyncMaster said:


> Our 3yr 7month golden got diagnosed with Lymphoma and we are devastated about it.
> 
> It all started 3 days back when he became lethargic during the day (he would still play fetch in the grass patch on mornings and evenings). But during the day he was unusually lethargic. He stopped showing interest in food and started drinking lot of water and more urination.
> 
> ...


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## Robbobbin (Oct 3, 2019)

This is a really hard time and I can understand. Our Penny was 2 yr 5 months when diagnosed with Lymphoma. It was during her routine check up. A large mass in her tummy was about 4” long. Her other lymph nodes were swollen. We started CHOP which included prednisone. She did have many set backs. She lost nearly all her hair and suffered from bouts of diarrhea and vomiting. We learned how to manage these with meds from our regular vet. That was cheaper than chemo vet. Took us 7 months to get through but we’ve come out the other side! She’s getting her hair back, eating and chasing squirrels. She is hap most of the time. The cost for us was about 12k and worth it. Hope this helps!


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## SyncMaster (Mar 12, 2017)

Thanks for the replies!

@Robbobbin Messages like these help us in being strong. Can you share details on what diet Penny got get during her treatment? I know this is a tough question. But anything that you would suggest to follow/avoid to help them get through it?

Day 2 (11/05/2020):
We picked Bourbon today. He was so happy and came running to us. He seems completely normal. The nurse made us feel his lymph nodes on his neck and belly. They have reduced in size after L-asparaginase (Elspar). This seems to be a mild dosage.

He was sent home with Prednisone 20mg (2 tablets a day for a week and reducing it by 0.5 every week)

As he was limping his hind leg, the doctor also gave pain killers (however X-ray didn't reveal anything).

His next appointment is coming Wednesday. However the doctor mentioned that we could start the next one in 2 days i.e. Saturday. But we worried if that would be too much for him to handle. We thought of waiting for a week to see how he is doing and go for his next sesssion on Wednesday.


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## pawsnpaca (Nov 11, 2014)

I thought of another resource for you... Go to the website for "Land of Pure Gold" and from the menu on the left, under "Live and Learn," click on "PDF Info Printables." There are a bunch of cancer resources there that you may find helpful.


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## SyncMaster (Mar 12, 2017)

Another thing that we have been noticing is uncontrolled urination/leaking urine (feel the urine comes out automatically without his knowledge). We notice that the place he lays down (even while sleeping) gets wet around his pee area.

We did notice this two days before we took him to the hospital.

Came across a study where lymphoma could cause this - Lymphoma affecting the urinary bladder in three dogs and a cat - PubMed


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## bigblackdog (Jun 14, 2013)

I'm so sorry to hear that your young dog is going through this. Can't help with any questions, but you mentioned that your dog has been put on prednisone. Prednisone could be the cause of the leaking urine. Prednisone often causes them to drink more...and need to urinate WAY more. The cleanest dogs can have accidents while on prednisone. It also causes them to be hungry...so they look for food constantly. HTH. Good luck with your pup.


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## jackcrowder (Oct 3, 2020)

Hi, check out TRIPAWDS for help with Cancer.


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## Kayleegirl (Nov 10, 2020)

SyncMaster said:


> Our 3yr 7month golden got diagnosed with Lymphoma and we are devastated about it.
> 
> It all started 3 days back when he became lethargic during the day (he would still play fetch in the grass patch on mornings and evenings). But during the day he was unusually lethargic. He stopped showing interest in food and started drinking lot of water and more urination.
> 
> ...


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## Kayleegirl (Nov 10, 2020)

In 2002, I know years, ago, my golden, Mollie was 5 1/2 yrs. old she when diagnosed with Lymphoma. It was devastating. I don't recall all the details but I remember how sick she became when the enlarged lymph nodes surrounded her intestines and caused her lack of appetite and constipation. Back then she was the pioneer for chemo in my vets office. I can't recall the full protocol but I remember her being started on prednisone and the names of the three of the four chemo drugs were ( cytoxan, doxorubicin and L-Asparaginase). After the nodes around the intestines shrunk she got better and never looked back. I can't remember how long she was on the protocol, I'm sure it was at least a year, and after that my vet kept her on a maintenance regimen. She lived until she was 11 yrs. old and passed away from bladder cancer. I'm sure protocols and their length of times have changed since then, and more is now know, but I just wanted to let you know that there is hope.


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## SyncMaster (Mar 12, 2017)

@Kayleegirl That's nice to know and messages like these help us to stay strong! Thanks for sharing your experience. Bourbon is our first dog and we didn't know about Lymphoma until last week (as well as how common cancer is among dogs).

As oncologists say that Chemo extends the life by a year *on average *(few cases where it could be longer or otherwise), we want to make sure that we don't miss out on anything that could keep him healthy.


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## SyncMaster (Mar 12, 2017)

*Updates on Bourbon:
1. Health:*
Bourbon had his second chemo treatment on 11/07 (Vincristine). The oncologist mentioned that is doing good for the treatment and we are happy to hear!

He has had Prednisone 40mg for a week now and from tomorrow, will be switching to 30mg. His lymph nodes under his jaw has significantly gone down. However he has a small lump on his rear left leg. The oncologist took X-ray of his hip and everything looks normal.

He seems active at home. He wants to play fetch and seems energetic. But he craves for food (due to Prednisone I guess). He is mostly in our kitchen. He drink a lot of water. At nights we take him out to pee every two hours as he is still leaking urine. We got dog diapers which is helping.

Since his actual chemo is started, we are cautious when we take him on walks as his immune system will start wearing down.

*2. Diet:*
We stopped giving him Kibble as we didn't want to give him too much of carbs and grains. In a day we alternate between homecooked food and JustFoodForDogs CriticalCare with Neoplasia support. We are boiling vegetables like Brocolli, brussel sprouts, zucchini and making them into a puree form. Topping it with Chicken/turkey.

Listing down a few other things that we have come across. We are still doing our homework on how each of these are useful and will help Bourbon. We don't want to try too many things at once. So trying to take it slow.

Golden paste - Healing Golden Turmeric Paste Recipe For Your Dog
A type Mushrooms - Maitake - Mushroom Wisdom
Turkey tail
Krill Oil
TransFactor Plus
APOCAPS
Immune Support from K9 Medicinals

We came across Dog-Cancer-Survival-Guide book which has a ton of details.

*3. Holistic Vet*
Most vets are super busy right now and it is hard to get an appointment. We didn't have much luck in finalizing a holistic vet yet. We didn't know they dog accpunture which will help them.

*4. CBD / Cannibis oil*
We did come acorss this as well. For now we wanted to stick with the Chemo treatment and not use CBD oil.

Feel free to share your thoughts and suggestions.


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