A couple of weeks ago I wrote a post about blind Goldie having a second round of cancer surgery to remove a mast cell tumor. The surgery went fine, but the biopsy results came back with both good news and bad news. The good news was the tumor was a moderate Grade 2. The bad news was that we didn't have clean margins, meaning that some of the cancerous tissue might still be there. These kinds of tumors are basically impossible to see during surgery, so the surgeon removes as much tissue around the suspect area as possible and hopes he or she gets it all. The biopsy gives the answer.
In Goldie's case, our internal medicine specialist in Missoula, Dr. Dave Bostwick, had taken out a big chunk of her tissue during surgery, right down to the abdominal wall. He had warned us about the possibility of not getting it all, so we were prepared for the news when he called with the biopsy results. Dave said we had three options: more surgery; chemotherapy; or do nothing further, since it was a slow-growing Grade 2, Goldie is 11 years old, and we had a reasonable chance of the tumor not becoming lethal before she died of old age.
Our natural inclination is to be very aggressive and intervene medically, but we didn't want to put her through another surgery. It just seems that the more surgeries an animal goes through, the higher the risk for post-operative complications -- and Birdie's tragic death still haunts us. And Dave had already removed so much of her chest tissue in the initial surgery we hated to think how much more he'd have to take out.
Doing nothing did not sit well with us either, since she's already had two bouts of cancer this year alone, so it seemed to us she had a fairly high risk of this tumor rebounding aggressively. Moreover, who knows how long she may live? We're going to plan on -- we're going to will it -- for her to live to 17.
I talked with Dave last week about the chemotherapy option. The chemo drug is called vinblastine, and Dave said he has never had a dog get sick from it. He said it's commonly used for this purpose -- "margin clean-up" for mast cell tumors. She would get one intravenous injection each week for four weeks, then every other week for four weeks ... a total of eight rounds of treatment.
That's the option Alayne and I selected, and today I took Goldie in to see Dave for her first round of chemo. In these photos Dave's vet tech Tracy is holding Goldie still while Dave administers the drug.
A few hours later, back at the ranch, Goldie is doing great and just happy to be home -- though she liked riding around Missoula in the truck, too!
(Speaking of these photos, please notice the nice arrangement of yellow-ish pastel colors -- shirts, hair, walls, floor and the dog, too. Clearly there was a theme today.)
I agree with your and Alayne's decision. Best wishes to Goldie for another 6-7 years of good health!
Posted by: Nina | September 03, 2008 at 09:16 PM
I totally agree with the decision that you & Alayne made for Goldie's treatment. I trust that she will come through with flying colours & live a very long, happy & healthy life!
Big hugs to brave Goldie,
ginger, Tobias & Tlingit
Posted by: Ginger Young | September 03, 2008 at 08:01 PM
Bless her heart! 17 sounds like a good number to me too! Best wishes to you - you go girl!
Posted by: Suzanne | September 03, 2008 at 12:03 PM
We're going to put our Wills together for a wonderful 17 years of life with Goldie.
We hope she reacts well to her 8 rounds of chemo and keeps her happy spirit up through it all.
She'll be well thereafter! : )
Posted by: Boundforglory | September 03, 2008 at 10:21 AM
beagles are tough. Goldie will fight through her treatment. She will be sure to tell you that extra snacks are an important part of post-chemo care.
Posted by: Bob | September 03, 2008 at 09:27 AM
I would have done exactly as you have. Seems to me like the best shot at beating the cancer without having dear Goldie suffer any additional discomfort. Sunshine yellow thoughts that the chemo does the trick and you have many more years together!
Posted by: chris b from toronto | September 03, 2008 at 09:19 AM
Thanks for the update, Steve!
In the top picture, Goldie has such a sweet, trusting expression in her eyes... She knows she's in very good hands.:-)
Please give her a HUGE hug for me, will you?
Posted by: Carla Polastro-Nigro | September 03, 2008 at 03:01 AM
Best wishes, Goldie, and get well soon! Good call, Alayne & Steve!
Posted by: Moon Rani | September 03, 2008 at 12:00 AM
Oh boy! The choice that you all made sounds very good & promising. Especially since you were reassured she won't be sick. I agree 100% that you made the right decision. That first picture shows what a sweet, sweet face she has. She is such a darling girl! The theme was sunshine yellow for her future to be bright & happy. Live long, Sweet Goldie. On to 17 or more!!!!
Posted by: Colleen & Sweet Kitty Erin - San Antonio TX | September 02, 2008 at 10:46 PM
Goldie we wish you a pot of Gold at the end of the Chemo. It was very sad to think of Birdie's untimely death. GET WELL GOLDIE!!
Posted by: Shirley * James * Portland, OR | September 02, 2008 at 10:27 PM