Guest Bodie Posted September 27, 2007 Share Posted September 27, 2007 We were to leave today to take Bodie for chemo at OSU. Fortunately, on the recommendation of Greytalkers, I had his white blood count taken today and faxed to OSU. It is too low for chemo... Of course, I went into a panic... is he getting worse? He has seemed so well lately. He's eating well, he's happy, he even started to play last week. I called OSU and his oncologist assured me that this happens sometimes and it's nothing to worry about - we'll try again next week. But, of course, I worry. I know every delay allows more cancer cells to grow. So, my question is, is there anything I can give Bodie to help build up his white blood cells? He is currently on artimisinin, doxycycline, tramadol (although I'm not sure he needs that, but OSU insists he stay on it), and Pepcid AC. So, if there is something out there, it has to be compatable with those meds. Anyone whose been through this, or is just knowledgable, have any recommendations? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burpdog Posted September 27, 2007 Share Posted September 27, 2007 How low is it? I believe it does happen on occassion. Don't panic over a week Quote Diane & The Senior Gang Burpdog Biscuits Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bodie Posted September 27, 2007 Share Posted September 27, 2007 How low is it? I believe it does happen on occassion. Don't panic over a week I don't know the actual numbers - the doctor just told me it was too low for chemo. They did have me take him back to the vet for a temperature reading, to make sure he didn't have an infection. His temperature was normal. He is already on an antibiotic, so the doctor said not to worry...but you know how that goes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tenderhearts Posted September 27, 2007 Share Posted September 27, 2007 I have no suggestions, but am continuing to keep Bodie in my prayers here :hope :hope Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest zippsmum Posted September 27, 2007 Share Posted September 27, 2007 :hope :hope praying for Bodie.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devotion Posted September 27, 2007 Share Posted September 27, 2007 thinking of you both. Quote Pam with greys Avril, Dalton & Zeus & Diddy the dachshund & Miss Buzz the kitty Devotion, Jingle Bells, Rocky, Hans, Harbor, Lennon, NoLa, Scooter, Naomi and Scout at the bridge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patricia Posted September 28, 2007 Share Posted September 28, 2007 Sending hugs! LaceyLaine's Oncologist gave us a sheet of paper with her chemo protocol as well as acceptable labs for each different chemo agent. She told us going in that this can happen and if it does that her blood would be tested again in 3 days to see if we could go ahead. Quote Patti-Mommy of Lady Sophia 7-28-92 - 8-3-04... LaceyLaine 8-2-94-12-5-07... Flash Gordon 7-14-99 - 8-29-09... BrookLynne...Pavé Maria... and 18 Bridge Kids. WATCHING OVER US~SOPHIA~QUEENIE~LACEY LAINE~ CODY ANGELO~FLASH GORDON. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest argolola Posted September 28, 2007 Share Posted September 28, 2007 I will pray too. Hugs to that sweet baby of yours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest greytmonty Posted September 28, 2007 Share Posted September 28, 2007 Oh I am sorry to hear of this setback for Bodie. I am thinking that it is either the chemo or his chronic staph? I am hoping he bounces back real fast for his next treatment date. you and Bodie are in our thoughts!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batmom Posted September 28, 2007 Share Posted September 28, 2007 The antibiotic should protect him until his white count comes back. That's a very common thing in chemo patients of all species. Sending hugs and patience. Quote Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in IllinoisWe miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greytlady94 Posted September 28, 2007 Share Posted September 28, 2007 Sending prayers. Quote Greyhound angels at the bridge- Casey, Charlie, Maggie, Molly, Renie, Lucy & Teddy. Beagle angels Peanut and Charlie. And to all the 4 legged Bridge souls who have touched my heart, thank you. When a greyhound looks into you eyes it seems they touch your very soul. "A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more then he loves himself". Josh Billings Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LolasMom Posted September 28, 2007 Share Posted September 28, 2007 Keeping you and Bodie in my prayers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JohnnyBell Posted September 28, 2007 Share Posted September 28, 2007 I went through this same thing with Sophie.She was supposed to get 5 doses of Doxarubicin 2 weeks apart.We had to end up doing 3 weeks apart because her WBC was just too low after 2 weeks.Although I still took her in every two weeks for a CBC incase it was up enough for her chemo, but I always ended up taking her back home because it was too low to do it and returning the following week.My poor girl went through so much.Bodie should be good to go next week.This is a very common thing,just make sure your keeping him pretty home bound,his immune system is weak and that could lead to him catching illnesses very quickly and having trouble fighting them off.Good luck!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MorganKonaAlex Posted September 28, 2007 Share Posted September 28, 2007 It's not uncommon to delay chemo treatment because of low white counts. It happens with humans too. There are 2 prescription drugs that will stimulate WBC productions: Neupogen and Neulasta. They are from the same company and Neulasta is the newer version. I had chemo a few years ago. My protocol, dose-dense, was new at the time. The chemo that is usually given every 3 weeks is given every 2 weeks. To boost the WBC in between, I gave myself Neupogen shots for 5 days. It was *very* expensive. A 5-day supply was $1100. My understanding is with the newer drug, Neulasta, you only need 1 shot instead of 5 but it's even more expensive. While there are drugs, I doubt you want to spend that kind of money. I also wouldn't panic about delayed treatment. It seems like most cancer patients have to delay at least one treatment because of WBC. With some people, it just takes longer for counts to rebound. It's no indication of the cancer "getting worse". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ss556 Posted September 28, 2007 Share Posted September 28, 2007 Sending more prayers for Bodie. Hang in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SYMBASMOMMY Posted September 28, 2007 Share Posted September 28, 2007 Sending healing thoughts for you and Bodie.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nancy14 Posted September 28, 2007 Share Posted September 28, 2007 Prayers and hugs for your boy. Let's hope he can stabalize..... Quote From Wisconsin -- It's Nancy, Bob, Carla, June Bug and our newby Skorch.... along with Buffy. She's the little hound that meows. With loving memorials to K.C., Barko and Major Turn -- all playing at the bridge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest snowberry Posted September 28, 2007 Share Posted September 28, 2007 I've been given two pieces of advice on this, and I've tested one of them, which has worked so far: cottage cheese and flax seed oil, about 4 oz cottage cheese and a spoonful of cold-pressed flax seed oil each day - it got the neutrophil count back to where we could have next chemo session. The other piece of advice came from Laurie Kaplan's book, Help your Dog Fight Cancer, and that recommended rinsed tinned red kidney beans - not sure how much. I haven't tested this, so don't know if it works. Anyway, both of those shouldn't interfere with meds! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bodie Posted September 30, 2007 Share Posted September 30, 2007 I've been given two pieces of advice on this, and I've tested one of them, which has worked so far: cottage cheese and flax seed oil, about 4 oz cottage cheese and a spoonful of cold-pressed flax seed oil each day - it got the neutrophil count back to where we could have next chemo session. I finally found time today to get the cottage cheese and flaxseed oil. I'm not sure why this would work, but it won't hurt. Better than the red kidney beans - I know what they'd do to Bodie's digestive system! Now I need to know what size spoonful - teaspoon or tablespoon - and did you give it during dinner or at another time. I'm going to try a teaspoon with 4 oz cottage cheese with his dinner tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
romansperson Posted October 1, 2007 Share Posted October 1, 2007 Try not to worry. When JC had his carboplatin treatments, he was supposed to get them every 3 weeks (4 treatments total). That never happened - at 3 weeks his white count was always too low, so it happened every 4 weeks. He survived osteo - died more than 3 years later of something else. The one thing you need to be aware of is that a dog with a low white cell count is at risk for infection, so just keep an eye on him. Dogs that get septicemia can actually get temperatures that are BELOW normal - so if your pup acts lethargic and has a temp either under or over the normal range for dogs, call your vet. Our vet actually gave us some oral antibiotics to have on hand just in case - I was instructed to give the antibs immediately if I suspected something was wrong and then call the vet! We just kept JC away from other dogs to limit his exposure to germs and he was fine. One nice thing about our vet was that they do house calls, and we had them come to the house to do the blood tests and only brought him in if the count was OK to go ahead with the actual treatment. JC was never a good traveler, so it saved on stress and carsickness for him and limited his exposure to random germs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bodie Posted October 1, 2007 Share Posted October 1, 2007 Try not to worry. When JC had his carboplatin treatments, he was supposed to get them every 3 weeks (4 treatments total). That never happened - at 3 weeks his white count was always too low, so it happened every 4 weeks. He survived osteo - died more than 3 years later of something else. The one thing you need to be aware of is that a dog with a low white cell count is at risk for infection, so just keep an eye on him. We just kept JC away from other dogs to limit his exposure to germs and he was fine. One nice thing about our vet was that they do house calls, and we had them come to the house to do the blood tests and only brought him in if the count was OK to go ahead with the actual treatment. That is so good to know - I love a success story of a grey beating osteo! I am keeping Bodie home because of the risk of infection - no walks - he's only allowed in the fenced-in yard. Last week, after my vet sent in the white blood count and it was too low, OSU asked for a temperature reading, so back to the vet we went, and his temperature was normal. OSU is also keeping him on the antibiotic he was on for the infection he had around his incision site, as a precaution. This week, when we go to the vet for a blood count, I'm going to ask them to read his temperature at the same time. Unfortunately, my vet does not make house calls and there is no vet in my area who does, so I have to take him to the office; but he goes there at 8:00 a.m. before they start appointments. I am a little concerned about having to stop at rest stops on the way to Ohio. Is there any serious risk of him catching anything from the pet areas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burpdog Posted October 1, 2007 Share Posted October 1, 2007 I doubt any more than at home You can't wrap him in bubble wrap (as much as you would like to). Quote Diane & The Senior Gang Burpdog Biscuits Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batmom Posted October 1, 2007 Share Posted October 1, 2007 If Bodie is a calm dog, you could ask your vet to come out to the car to do the blood draw and take his temp. Or, if you have a cell phone, call them from the parking lot and ask them to call you when they are ready for him so he doesn't have to hang out in the waiting room. GOOD LUCK!!!!!! Quote Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in IllinoisWe miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest snowberry Posted October 1, 2007 Share Posted October 1, 2007 A teaspoon of the oil is fine - TBH I normally just sloosh some in, and I'm not measuring all that carefully! I was told it was something about the essential fatty acids boosting the immune system, and the cottage cheese had fat and protein in a ratio that speeds up absorption. This might be all hogwash, but I don't think it's doing any harm, and Herbie seems happy to eat it. I don't think it matters when you give it - I normally give it to him as a light lunch, but I think it's fine on top of a regular meal. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.