# Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia



## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

I'm so very sorry for Rocky's diagnosis, sending good thoughts and prayers to you both.


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

I'm very sorry. Kind thoughts coming your way.


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## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

Oh so very sorry. I hope turns out be B cell.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

I'm so sorry.


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## cwag (Apr 25, 2017)

I am so sorry. I think it is what we all dread. Hopefully he will still have a few good years.


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## Artbuc1 (Sep 4, 2016)

Ljilly28 said:


> Oh so very sorry. I hope turns out be B cell.


Thanks to all for your wonderful support. Is B cell easier to treat? I have been reading everything I can find and have not found any reference indicating outcomes are better for B cell. 

PS Have any of your dogs had a bone marrow aspiration procedure? How did they do? Is it very painful? I had a bone marrow biopsy performed on me a few years ago and I can not imagine putting Rocky through that.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Rocky*

I am so sorry to read about Rocky. Will keep you two in my prayers.
We love them so! I have a SPECIAL place in my heart for rescues.
I've adopted three dogs in my life, and my current dog, Tucker, was adopted.


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## Artbuc1 (Sep 4, 2016)

Oncologist squeezed us in a day early. She is Dr Jeglum...well known on East coast so I assume some of you may know her. Did the bone marrow aspiration and confirmed acute leukemia. Can not say lymphoid or myeloid until we get phenotyping results hopefully by Monday. Good news is Rocky has enough good cells left to possibly make him a candidate for chemo. One complicating factor is the presence of intermediate cells which are unpredictable. Not sure I have this right but depending on phenotype, intermediate cells can not be treated. As someone else posted, best case will be B cell because there is a brand new drug showing promise. Of course, even in the best case we are looking at only months of remission. For us, everyday counts so as long as he is generally happy, eating well and having at least a little fun, we want him here.

Dr Jeglum administered L Asparaginase to hopefully knock down his white count to make him feel a little better and buy some time. A common side effect is allergic itching so he also got a 25mg shot of pred and a 50mg shot of Benadryl. He has not scratched at all...either no allergic reaction or the pred/Benadryl completely suppressed it.

We were unnecessarily concerned about the bone marrow aspiration. I was thinking it was going to be a core biopsy like I had. The needle aspiration is not in the same league. I was not with him during the procedure but they said he did fine. I think he really did because when he came out he was calm and not afraid or nervous.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Thanks for the update, keeping you and your boy in my thoughts and prayers.


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## Artbuc1 (Sep 4, 2016)

OMG, still waiting for test results!!!! Dr. said she would call Monday but flow cytometry results did not get to her office until yesterday afternoon, BUT still waiting for her to review and call us. She may be a great oncologist but I think way too busy. Meanwhile Rocky is losing a little ground each day but he is not, IMO, suffering. He stopped eating kibble but has been eating sardines, ground turkey, ground beef, chicken thighs and scrambled eggs. Sometimes he eats enthusiastically and sometimes I hand feed. It seems like I have to keep changing the offering to keep him interested. Eg, he ate the first two sardine meals like a harvester but then would not touch them. So far no problem getting him enough calories. The more I read about acute leukemia, the more I am beginning to accept the inevitable. I am almost 69 yo and have been acting like a blubbering fool since diagnosis. I have never felt this much pain and quite frankly do not know what to do. Yesterday was chilly and breezy but the sun felt warm as Rocky and I lay down together on the deck. That boy loves to sunbathe. I make sure to stay in his field of vision as he still tries to follow me everywhere I go. I can not imagine life without him. I am not sure I will subject him to chemo unless the Dr can me much more optimistic than she has been so far. Seems like the very best outcome would be a few months and I do not want Rocky’s last days to be stressful and painful.


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## cwag (Apr 25, 2017)

This is so sad. I am sorry. I would probably be tempted to become a major pest until I got the test results. Give Rocky a hug for me.


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## Artbuc1 (Sep 4, 2016)

cwag said:


> This is so sad. I am sorry. I would probably be tempted to become a major pest until I got the test results. Give Rocky a hug for me.


Yeah, I have called her office everyday and I called Colorado State University Animal Lab Tues am to make sure they had his sample and pleaded that they do everything they can to expedite. I think that may be why results were sent yesterday afternoon. I was going to drive to her office but my wife said no. I will call again around 3 pm and if I get no response I will be standing at their front door tomorrow when they open. Thx for your kind words.


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## Artbuc1 (Sep 4, 2016)

Finally tracked down Dr late yesterday afternoon. She said she was just about to call me (yeah, and my check is in the mail, lol). She said results were unexpected based on bone marrow aspiration. She said too complicated to discuss on phone but she did mention CD34 positive. My heart sank and I told her my understanding was this marker represented an untreatable situation. She said that used to be true but they have changed protocols. She had a dog last year that did “well” although I don’t know yet what “well” means. We go in this morning at 10.

One thing I have learned is that acute leukemia is extremely complex and difficult to sub classify. There are almost endless combinations of cell size, lineage and markers with each case responding differently. 

I am running out of things to whet Rocky’s appetite. This morning he would not eat ground beef, ground turkey, sardines or eggs. He did eat a small piece of leftover filet mignon and a little cheddar cheese. He acts like he really wants to eat but turns away as soon as he smells the offering. It seems like he is saying “man I am starving...sniff, sniff, oh that is the same stuff I ate yesterday, ya gotta do better than that.”


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