We Are Joining The Cancer Club

[krissn333]

Ace's flow cytometry came back: chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Back when I sent Dr. Couto her initial bloodwork, that is what he suspected. The tests have confirmed it. He said it's "a relatively benign condition"...today on the phone my vet mentioned chemo or high dose prednisone.

 

I have already emailed Dr. Couto with her flow cytometry results...I really need to know where we go from here. If we need to do chemo I hope it's not that expensive

 

Has anyone else dealt with this specific cancer?

 

I think I will worry more about what to expect from treatment once we actually decide where we go now...but, is there anything I should be doing? Any special diet to help her? She eats TOTW Pacific Stream right now.

 

She is in good spirits and has gone back to eating regularly, though over the last couple of days I've noticed her being more lazy than usual again (she was super lazy when I first took her in to the vet).

 

I'm trying not to worry, but it's very hard. She's my first and she's just got to get better. Friday is Ace and Fritz's 9th birthday.

Edited February 10, 2010 by krissn333

[Guest Smiley]

I am so sorry to hear this. I wish I had some info. for you. I've worked with humans who have this, but not greyhounds. If I hear of anything at all, I will email you. I'm sure someone on here will have something to share. As for the expense, if you can hook up with OSU for chemo, I believe it may be free of charge, but you would have to double check on that. I'm not sure how that works if you don't receive the chemo at the hospital. Again, I am so sorry.

[Guest mcsheltie]

I know you are looking for info. But all I have is prayers. I hope that will help!!!!

[Guest bigorangedog]

So sorry to hear this. We only know about osteosarcoma, but we have our osteo pups on Artemisinin (from Hepalin.com) on the recommendation of OSU. We give Springtime's Fresh Factor's supplements to help keep the immune system healthy through chemo. We also do low- or no-carb diets... There's controversy over whether this really helps with cancer, but I figure if it might, I'm doing it (our 2 vets recommended doing it also).

 

We got our guys' chemo free from OSU, but I'm not sure whether they only do that for bone cancer. Does not hurt to ask! They just mail the drugs to my regular vet, and she administers it in her office.

 

Hope that helps a little bit! All the best to you and your sweet pup.

[Guest GryffinSong]

I'm so sorry, and hope that "relatively benign" means that you'll have a full and happy life together!!!

[EnzaFerrari]

hugs

[Wonder]

Oh no!

[MandysMom]

No advice, just

[Guest mountain4greys]

Crap! I am sorry to hear this.

[nyGreys]

Sending prayers.

[ZoomDoggy]

I'm very sorry to hear the diagnosis. I've no experience to share on this type of cancer, but my thoughts are with you...

[inugrey]

Kristin, I've got nothing but cyberhugs (I'm a hugger). I like the sounds of "relatively benign" but I don't know what it really means either.

[Wonder]

We give Springtime's Fresh Factor's supplements to help keep the immune system healthy through chemo.

I think someone posted these are on sale right now too

 

I'm sorry that I don't have any advice other than

 

 

[robinw]

[GreyPoopon]

No advice, just loads of sympathy and the best wishes for you and Ace.

[krissn333]

We give Springtime's Fresh Factor's supplements to help keep the immune system healthy through chemo.

I think someone posted these are on sale right now too

 

I'm sorry that I don't have any advice other than

 

 

 

Yep...I have a few bottles of it but I may order some more. Sutra's been on the fresh factors and the joint health tablets for a few months now. I'll start giving Ace the fresh factors too.

 

Thank you everyone for your good thoughts. I'm hoping Dr. C will get my email in the morning and will have time to at least shoot me some quick advice.

[greyhndz]

Kristen, I'm sorry to hear about this, but here are a couple of articles (kind of technical) which do mention the good chance of chemo resulting in remission. Big hugs to both of you!

 

WSAVA article

 

The Immunophenotype and Hematology of Canine Leukemia

William Vernau BSc, BVMS, DVSc, PhD, Diplomate ACVP Assistant Professor of Clinical Pathology, Department

of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, UC Davis, Davis, CA. USA

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)

Canine CLL differs markedly from human CLL. In the largest canine study to date, canine chronic lymphocytic

leukemia (CLL) occurred in older dogs (mean age 9.75 years; range 1.5 - 15 years; n=73 cases).1 Blood

lymphocyte counts ranged from 15,000/ul to 1,600,000/ul. Surprisingly, 73% of CLL cases involved proliferation of

T lymphocytes (CD3+), and 54% of CLL cases had granular lymphocyte (GL) morphology.1 GL CLL’s were almost

exclusively proliferations of T cells that expressed CD8 and the leukointegrin CD11d and more frequently

expressed T cell receptor (TCR)ab (69%) than TCRgd (31%). Canine GL CLL followed a typically indolent clinical

course. The non-GL T cell CLL cases (19% of CLL) involved proliferation of TCRab T cells in which no consistent

pattern of CD4 or CD8 expression was found. B cell CLL, based on expression of CD21 (and lack of T cell

antigens) or CD79a, accounted for only 26% of canine CLL cases. No cases of canine B cell CLL expressed CD5.

CD1c expression was present in 95% of canine B cell CLL. These results are in marked contrast to people where

greater than 95% of CLL’s involve proliferation of CD5+ B lymphocytes.2

Anemia (< 0.37 L/L) is a common finding (58% of cases) in canine CLL. Of the cases with anemia, 58% were

classified as mild (Hct 0.30-0.36, reference interval 0.37-0.55 L/L), 34% as moderate ( Hct 0.20-0.30 L/L) and 8% as

severe (Hct <0.20 L/L).1 Almost all anemias were poorly responsive. Thrombocytopenia was present in 27% of cases

and, in the majority of these cases (72%), it was relatively mild (120-200 x 109/L, reference interval 180-500 x 109/L).

Absolute neutropenia (<3 x 109/L) was not observed in any case.1

Canine B cell CLL appears to be a primary bone marrow disease. However, bone marrow involvement in T cell

CLL involving proliferation of GL’s appears to occur relatively late in the course of the disease.1 The neoplastic

expansion in these instances appears to originate in the spleen. In several cases of GL CLL, concurrent aspirates of

spleen and marrow were available for assessment.1 In most of these cases, there was marked splenic infiltration with

GL’s but bone marrow involvement was either minimal or inapparent. Occasionally, there was significant marrow

infiltration but this was accompanied by a greater degree of splenic involvement. Interestingly, CD11d expression is

relatively constrained in tissue; the splenic red pulp is the dominant site of CD11d expression in the hematopoietic

system in both dogs and cats.3

The different immunophenotypes observed in canine CLL do not appear to be associated with different

clinical courses or confer different prognoses although long term follow up was not available for many of the cases

in the above mentioned study.1 The disease runs a somewhat variable course, depending on how advanced it is

at the time of initial diagnosis. Several very advanced cases with lymphocyte counts in excess of 500,000/ul (500

x 109/L), severe anemia and significant clinical signs achieved complete remissions with normalization of the

lymphocyte counts.1 Many of the dogs were still alive, more than three years after the initial diagnosis, and this

long term survival appeared to be independent of the different immunophenotypes present within this group.1 The

immunophenotype of a given case did not change significantly over time or with disease progression in those

instances where repeat immunophenotyping was performed.1 As with other types of canine CLL, canine GL CLL

appears to respond favourably to standard prednisone and chlorambucil therapy.

[MP_the4pack]

OSU sends chemo free to any greyhound.

 

But you'll still have to pay your vet to administer it. If you have several vets you used, check all of them. Prices vary. Red Bank, the huge hospital here was going to charge $1200 to $4000 for doing Diamond's chemo.

My local vets did it for $500 (that's all the chemos, not individual sessions).

[Guest greytgrandma]

[Guest K9Cookies]

So sorry to hear about Ace's diagnosis. Definitely keep in touch with Dr. Couto. OSU will provide the chemo medications at no charge, but as MP_the4pack said, you'll have to pay your local vet for the administration of it.

 

Dr. Couto gave us the chemo protocols and worked closely with our local vet during Bonnie's chemo for lymphoma. Once you get into a routine, it's not bad at all. Hang in there.

[TinyMityMo]

Oh Kristin I'm sorry to hear this. But, I think that because you have been so proactive with hunting down what was wrong with her that you probably caught it sooner than later. She'll do just fine and you'll celebrate many more birthdays with her

[Guest Energy11]

Sorry to hear about this, but looks like it is treatable. I am sure Dr. Couto will get back to you soon! Sending love, hugs and prayers!

[CaliforniaGreys]

Prayers coming from the desert

[giadog]

This may mean nothing, but as I read the title of your thread, I thought, 'Isn't that the cancer that you can live a long time with?' I hope my random inkling was right, and you and Ace have plenty more time together.

[kamsmom]