Jett, 11 year old Shih Tzu (Trilostane); Now lymphoma

[shevan]

Moderator's Note: Sheila, I noticed you had posted in the visitor's message section on your user profile. I have copied that post to start your own thread for your baby, so other members can respond to you directly. If you would like a different title, please feel free to PM me or any of the other administrative staff, & we will be happy to make that change for you. Debbie (StarDeb55)

My name is Sheila and my 11 year old Shih Tzu Jett got diagnosed with Cushings about a month ago! So far I have spent about $1500 on him (I had to raid my annuity, too - I'm disabled and retired). Jett is on Trilostane and is doing well on it! He isn't losing weight though, and he is really fat! My vet isn't real confident that Jett can live to be 14 or 15 even though I told him about this website and what I learned here! I take a med every 12 hours like Jett does! Mine is to walk better (I have MS), so Jett and I take our main meds together every morning and evening! I look forward to meeting all of you and learning about your dogs and your experience with Cushings! It's nice to be here! I found this website by accident...!

[StarDeb55]

I would like to welcome both of you to our group! It's good to hear that the initial stage of treatment have been going well. I will warn you that we tend to ask a lot of questions of new members, but that simply helps us to give you the most appropriate feedback from the group's collective experience, so here goes. Could you tell us the symptoms your baby was suffering from that led you to go to the vet? Was any general lab work done such as a senior wellness panel or super chemistry panel? There are common abnomalities on these labs, especially in the liver function tests that most of our pups will demonstrate. If you could post the actual results, we usually just want to see the abnormal values including normal ranges & reporting units. If you don't have copies of all the labs that have been done, your vet should be happy to provide them to you. Most members to keep files on their pups at home as you never know when that file might come in handy, especially if you end up at a strange vet. Could you tell us what tests were done to make the Cushing's diagnosis with the results? We are not trying to second guess your vet, but we have seen a misdiagnosis occur too often in this group due to a vet's lack of experience with Cushing's as this disease is probably the most difficult disease to diagnose. Was diabetes & thyroid ruled out? I ask about these 2 as their symptoms can overlap with Cushing's.

I can't comment a whole lot on Trilostane usage as I have never used it. I have used lysodren to treat 2 pups, now, including my 15 yr old Shih Tzu, Harley, who was diagnosed 2 years ago. I will leave the specific Trilo comments to the trilo parents. What they will want to know is what is your baby's current weight, & dosage of Trilo that he is on.

Your vet's comments about Jett surviving several more years are hogwash. Harley is proof of that. My first pup, Barkley, was successfully treated for nearly 8 years, crossing the bridge at 15.

Again, welcome to you & Jett. We are looking forward to hearing more.

Debbie

[shevan]

Thank you for your reply! I got bad news today - my Jett had another panel done - blood - several taken over a time period, and while he was 5.6 for Cortisol two weeks ago, after two weeks of treatment with Trilostane, I have been faithful with the every 12 hours and his level was 13 I found out today! My vet thinks the compounded Trilostane has "broken down" somehow, as I have been religious with his dosage every 12 hours (mine too, for my "walking pill). I don't have the energy to post his labs tonight, I am just learning this website, but I will try to do this this weekend. He will call me Monday or Tuesday. He has consulted an expert in the field, and she wonders if maybe Jett can go on Vetoryl, the brand name, and it should be compounded, and it will be more expensive. I am single, disabled, and rely on SSDI (MS) and a small income stream. Thanks for the reassurance that Jett could very well live out a longer lifespan than two years! You don't know how much that means to me to have hope like that! Then again, I'm sure you do! I will know more next week. Oh boy, I forgot his 10:00 Trilostane, I'm going now to give it (and take my Ampyra). Thanks - OMG - I forgot your name! I can't retrieve it right now! I will look it up, thanks so much for caring and putting me in a thread - I need this support, and am so grateful to all of you for this, thank you, thank you, thank you!

God bless you,

Sheila:)

[shevan]

Debbie - thank you so much! Please have patience, I'm just learning this - I will try to scan his labs this weekend - although I don't have the ones from Wednesday yet!

Blessings,
She:o

[shevan]

Oh, I forgot - he weighs about 25 pounds, way overweight, his littermate Puck weighs 16 pounds. Jett had a senior blood panel on '08, and then in May of this year (last month) and the vet saw elevated protein levels and gave him those tests - what are they called? I forget - Cortisol blood tests, 3 samples - T450 Low dose dex (am reading from the invoice on May 7), a Dexamethasone SP 4mg/ml injection - but no values! I will ask my vet what his beginning cortisol level was, and what the D SP4 value was. He had an ACTH stim chem panel: 4 hours post Trilostne does. BP is elevated, was on Benazepryl, didn't work, switched to Amlopodine (sp) and was still at 190 - vet wonders if it's being in the clinic that makes Jett anxious! I will find out the initial Cortisol level, on his first Cushings test. Thanks for being concerned - I have a lot to learn, I can tell!

Best,
She:)

[shevan]

I also forgot - Jett is on .33 mg. of Trilostane, but as I said earlier, the vet called yesterday and said his cortisol levels were way up again. He consulted with a Cushings expert, and she recommended the compound Vetoryl which would be more expensive. Jett pants a lot, is obese, drinks a lot of water, but surprisingly, he's the one who will run after a ball, while his brother Puck, who weighs 16 pounds, just watches! Jett can no longer jump up on the bed, and I bought Pet Stairs but neither dog uses them, and I've tried fresh crisp bacon to lure them up - but they're afraid of the steps. I am dismayed that after a good response, the Trilo stopped working. I am further dismayed that if I have to go to a more expensive medicine, that I couldn't afford it. You all probably know, those who treat their dogs with Trilo, how expensive it is! What lab do you get yours from? My vet uses "Roadrunner" - because he trusts them.:(

[Harley PoMMom]

Hi Shevan,

Welcome from me and my boy Harley! My boy is on Lysodren so I won't be able to give you the "expert" feedback that our Trilostane/Vetoryl members can, which I am sure they will soon be along.


Jett is on .33 mg. of Trilostane
But just for their clarification on Jett's dosage is he taking 33mg of Trilostane capsules?

Some members use these compounding pharmacies for their pups rx's: http://www.diamondbackdrugs.com/
http://www.pethealthpharmacy.com/
http://www.centerpetpharmacy.com/

Concerning the elevated blood pressure in Jett, my boy suffers from that too. He is also on Amlodipine and yes, there is a situation known as "the white coat syndrome" in dogs and people where their blood pressure is high in the doctor's office but normal anywhere else. I have found with Harley that taking his BP in the morning is best, also, taking it from his rear leg is less stressful on him. I think the rear leg is less stressful because the vet-tech is not in his face per-se...I am. :)

We are definitely here for you and Jett, so ask all the questions you want and we will try to answer them as best we can, ok?

Love and hugs,
Lori

[shevan]

Dear Lori;

Thanks for your response. I used the wrong term - Jett doesn't have capsules, he has a liquid I squirt into his mouth with a syringe, and it is .33 cc's I guess. .33 is the number I draw to on the syringe. I am so worried about why the Trilostane is not working, and how expensive compounded Vetoryl will be! Vet said even more expensive than Trilo!

[shevan]

Hi Lori!

I wish I could post an avatar of the dogs, but I don't know how to! My vet thinks Jett has "white coat" syndrome too, but it wouldn't surprise me if the real reason is that this Shih Tzu weighs 25 pounds!!

I don't even know how to make friends here (I'd like to be yours), or access the threads! Even my own! It's all hit and miss here! Is your dog on Benazepryl? I forgot - mine is on Amlopodine, because the Benaz didn't work. However the Amlo shows a high BP as well!

Love and hugs to you and your pooch,
Sheila

[Harley PoMMom]

I'm awful with liquid suspensions...could you look and see exactly what it is...usually they are in mg/ml but I could be wrong!

In this article that I will provide for you it states that silica degrades Trilostane. Scroll half-way down the page. http://www.cvm.ncsu.edu/conted/documents/VMFMay2010NewDrugsandNewIdeasforOldDrugs.pdf

[Harley PoMMom]

I will send you a friendship request and I will provide a link for your Thread on your visitor's message board in your user profile.

To set up an avatar...these instructions here at our FAQ should be able to get you through that and if you have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to ask, ok?

http://www.k9cushings.com/forum/faq.php?faq=vb3_user_profile#faq_vb3_user_cp

http://www.k9cushings.com/forum/faq.php?faq=vb3_user_profile#faq_vb3_signatures_av atars

Also see:

http://www.k9cushings.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2018


If you can not find your Thread when you log in, you can find it in these two ways: One way; under the threads there is a drop down box that says "forum jump" click on that and then click on "Canine Cushing's Questions and Discussions" you will have to search for your Thread here and then when you find it just click on it to open it.

Second way; Upper left-hand corner (if looking at screen) you will see "Community" click on this and then click on "members list". Every member's name is in order alphabetically, so you will need to go to the "S" and from there find shevan. Your Thread link is provided for you there.

Hope this makes sense! :eek:

[shevan]

Welcome from me too! My dog has been treated for over 3 yrs and is on lysodren. She is now over 16 yrs old! So don't worry.. with treatment all will be fine.

I love that name pscyho! I call my other dog that because frankly at times... she is! ha. Welcome aboard. You are in great hands. Kim


Hi Diana and welcome to you and Psycho from me and my little boy Franklin. :)
I'm so sorry for the recent loss of your sweet little mini poodle.

You have come to the right place for Cushing's info, the people here are wonderful, kind and very knowledgeable.

Jane and Franklin xx

Hello everyone! My name is Sheila and I was on this site last year when my then 11 year old Shih Tzu was diagnosed with Cushings Disease. We found it on a Senior blood test; he has been treated with Trilostane very successfully - my vet and I have been overjoyed with his numbers, and he looks better, has lost some much needed weight and is friskier. Please know that there is hope after Cushings - Lysodren and Trilostane allow many Cushings dogs to live out their normal lifespans, as your administrator and others on this site point out.

This morning I got some bad news. I took Jett to the vet Thursday because I found four round lumps under his jaw. My vet was afraid that it COULD BE lymphoma, so he took a blood sample and sent it to a lab in Colorado. This morning, he called me with the results. It IS lymphoma. I will take him to the vet on Monday for another blood sample - we need to know if it is type "B" or type "T" - which is the worst. I am just taking this day by day and am in shock. I thought we were beating Cushings. And we were. I have prepared myself for some treatment for lymphoma, but know that that Rainbow Bridge is imminent. I am so glad there is a website like this one, to support all of us with Cushings dogs and dogs with other illnesses. Little did I know that something else would rear its head. I am trying to be strong, and am planning on rescuing another Shih Tzu eventually - his littermate lives with us and I couldn't bear to see him wandering the house, looking for the brother he's lived with all of his life. Take heart, people - there is always hope, and Jett is doing so well with his Cushings!

[labblab]

Welcome back, Sheila, although I am so very sorry to hear about Jett's new lymphoma diagnosis. As you can see, I've moved your reply here onto your original thread about Jett. This way, all of his history will be kept in one spot (that makes it easier for our members to give you feedback and suggestions). We have had other members who have faced lymphoma in their Cushpups, and I know they will be stopping by to offer their support and their suggestions. So I am really glad that you've returned to us.

Please give Jett some big hugs for me,
Marianne

[shevan]

Welcome back, Sheila, although I am so very sorry to hear about Jett's new lymphoma diagnosis. As you can see, I've moved your reply onto your original thread about Jett. This way, all of his history will be kept in one spot (that makes it easier for our members to give you feedback and suggestions). We have had other members who have faced lymphoma in their Cushpups, and I know they will be stopping by to offer their support and their suggestions. So I am really glad that you've returned to us.

Please give Jett some big hugs for me,
Marianne

Hi Marianne!

Thank for your help on this site - I was able to find my posts from last year, but not the one I posted tonight. I don't see the "jump forums" on a drop down menu - do you mean on the top somewhere? I will try to do different things to see if I can find my new post today and replies by others, but so far I'm not having any luck finding my post from today!

[shevan]

Well, I did find it after all, Marianne! Thank you! I am sitting here just sighing - it's only been about 10 hours since I got the bad news. I will know more next week when we send a blood sample from a draw planned on Monday, to that same lab in CO to find out the "type" of lymphoma. I will keep everyone posted. Thanks to you all for your support! I am just taking things day by day.

[labblab]

Hi Sheila, it's me again! :)

While we are awaiting some input from other members who are more knowledgeable about lymphoma, I thought I'd give you the link to the thread of another member whose dog has been diagnosed with lymphoma, too. As you will see, Boomer also has a seizure disorder, so there is discussion about that, as well. But I think that the replies and links that are directly related to Boomer's lymphoma may be of interest to you, especially because he was also being treated with trilostane. If you click on the link below, it will take you directly to Boomer's thread:

http://www.k9cushings.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1866

Marianne

[Squirt's Mom]

Hi Sheila,

While it is good to hear from you again and especially to know that Jett is doing well with his Cushing's! :)

But I am so sorry to hear about the lymphoma diagnosis. :( I am going to believe the tests will come back as the least problematic type.

Please stay in touch and let us know how he is doing, ok?

And know we are here with you any time you need to ask a question or just to talk.

Hugs,
Leslie and the gang

[shevan]

I am taking Jett to Dr. Norman tomorrow, for a blood draw. We are trying to find out if he has "T" type, or "B" type" lymphoma. I guess "T" type is really bad news. Are there any other members here who's Cushings dogs were diagnosed with lymphoma later on, like mine was?:confused::

Jett is now 12 years old - birthday was 2/20/11. His lymphoma diagnosis comes almost a year after his Cushings diagnosis last May. He had been doing so well, too. I noticed four large green-olive sized lumps under his jaws, and took him in to see Dr. Norma, and he suspected lymphoma and sent a biospy to CO and it came back - lymphoma. When I take him for a blood draw tomorrow so he can send a sample to the Colorado lab for diagnosis of the type of lymphoma, I will post it here. Is anyone else experiencing lymphoma in their dogs, along with the Cushings? Jett is on Trilostane and has done well. He is always hungry, but he lost 3 pounds a few months ago, which was needed. His appetite remains robust (22.5 pounds down from 25), and he follows me every single time I go into the kitchen. Please, if anyone here has experience in treating their dog for lymphoma, could you please post?

[labblab]

Sheila, I'm not sure if you saw my earlier reply, but do take a look at this thread. You'll find some extensive discussion about lymphoma treatment in Cushing's dogs:

http://www.k9cushings.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1866

As you'll see, Boomer was 12 when he was diagnosed with lymphoma, and was also taking trilostane.

Marianne

[StarDeb55]

Sheila, I'm extremely sorry to hear about Jett's lymphoma diagnosis. My 1st cushpup, Barkley went through the same thing after he had been under treatment for his cushing's quite successfully for about 6 years. To tell you what happened with Barkley, I'm going to copy what I posted on Boomer's thread which Marianne has already given you a link to read.

My 1st cushpup, Barkley, was diagnosed with lymphoma at 13 after being treated for Cushing's for about 6 years. Barkley, too, had been through so much besides his cushing's, including severe allergies with repeated ear infections, 2 surgeries to repair a blown cruciate ligament in one knee, just to name a few. When his IMS made the diagnosis, my initial thought was that at his age I did not want to put him through anything else. I did know that I at least wanted to talk to an oncologist to see what the options were so I could make the best informed decision that I could. I don't think much has changed when it comes to treatment options, but the oncologist will go over everything with you. First of all, lymphoma is extremely aggressive, 6-8 weeks without treatment. When I heard this, I did freak out. The other thing is that lymphoma is not curable, no matter what treatment you choose the pup will eventually relapse. There are subsequent treatments that can be used, but each remission will usually last only 1/2 the time of the previous remission. The treatment options that were presented for B were simply prednisone which would probably buy him about 2-3 months, but the problem with pred only is that once the relapse occurs, no other chemo can be used, as the pred makes the tumor resistant to any other drugs. There is a major chemo protocol that I believe alternates between 4 or so different medications including pred, cytoxan, doxyrubicin, & I don't remember the others. The protocol lasts for about 1 year, & it is horribly expensive. If B had been younger, I probably would have found the $$ somehow. I don't remember what the average remission rates are using this protocol. B did the 2nd best protocol which is 5 rounds of doxyrubicin which is administered about every 2-3 week by IV infusion. Whether or not the pup gets his treatment on a specific week will also depend on what his WBC count looks like prior to treatment. If the count is too low, there will be no chemo as chemo depresses WBC's which already predisposes a pup to infection, so you don't want the WBCs dropping any lower. B did not developed any infection during treatment, but he had to go on antibiotics once, simply as a precaution because his count was just a tad low.

When it comes to the rest of the diagnostics, B's IMS simply aspirated one mass that was easy to stick a needle in, an the abdominal ultrasound. B had multiple enlarged lymph nodes on physical exam. His US showed multiple enlarged nodes in his belly, including around his liver & spleen.

When I quote you average remission times, please remember that an oncologist is going to give you %'s based on the treatment histories they have seen in their practice experience, some dogs do better, some do not do as well. When B was treated with the dox, the average remission time I was given was 6-8 months. B was one of his oncologist's huge success stories as his remission lasted 16 months with an excellent quality of life. I had serious doubts about treating as I'm a medical lab technologist who works in hematology, & I know what chemo does to people. I was repeatedly assured by B's oncologist that dogs do not respond like humans, chemo actually improves their quality of life. I'm looking at her like, "yeah, right! Do you forget what I do for a living?" She was right. I had a very sick boy who was literally dying day by day in front of me. About 10 days after his first round of chemo, I got home one afternoon from work, B came out immediately to meet me. I was ecstatic. I knew I had my boy back. It was literally like his fairy godmother waved her magic wand & said "You will feel better!"

B did lose his first remission at 16 months. We tried 2 other chemo protocols which gave another 4 months total. I will be up front, & say that the last month he was with me got kind of bad as I knew he was slipping away. His oncologist always told me that he would tell me when it was time because I had told her that my worst fear was that I would hold on to him for too long for my selfish reasons rather than do the last loving thing that I could for him. She was right, he told me loud & clear when I got home one afternoon, & there was no mistake on my part that he was very tired of being sick & everything that went with it. I would not trade the extra 20 months that chemo gave me for anything in the world. B was my "heart dog", & I was not ready to lose him.

The last thing I can tell you is that the cost of doxyrubicin treatment is based on the weight of the dog. B weighed 18-20 lbs, & his average costs for a single round of chemo was about $275. The timeframe for all of this was about 5-6 years ago, so I'm sure costs have gone up.

I know you are in a state of shock, & your head feels like it's going to explode one second, or you going to break down in tears the next second. All I could think of with B was, "Dear God, what else can happen to this poor creature of yours? I know you sent him to me for purpose, & I will do my best to take care of him, but please help me to make the best decisions I can for him." Unfortunately, you don't have a lot of time to learn about lymphoma. This is going to have to be the biggest crash course you have ever had. Please do not be afraid to ask questions of the oncologist. If you don't understand something, ask them to explain it, again. B's oncologist was very good. She sent me home with a huge packet of printed information explaining everything, including treatment options, & told me do not hesitate to call if I had any questions.

Here is a link to B's story which is posted in the "In Loving Memory" section of the forum. It goes over a lot of what I have already told you here.

http://www.k9cushings.com/forum/showthread.php?t=345

Please keep us posted.

Debbie

[bkdice]

Sheila - I am so incredibly sorry to hear your baby is facing lymphoma. I am one that had a cush pup with Lymphoma. It is a difficult combination. My boy was 2 months shy of his 16th bday when he was dxed, and I had no hope. I was going to do nothing. It was StarDeb55 that gave me hope and we did pick out a single agent protocol for Niko that would be a good option for his age, and cushings. We let his natural cortisol rise a bit, and did 4 rounds of doxorubicin.

Deciding to treat cancer for your fur baby is an extremely difficult situation, for so many reasons. When you are facing cancer, on top of a disease like cushings, it can be even harder. I documented our journey here: http://rememberingniko.wordpress.com/cancer/

In addition to the heartaches, there is also a cost. I know multi agent protocols can be well over $10K. The route we went, the doxorubicin, was about $500 a treatment for my 45lb boy. There is financial assistance out there, like The Magic Bullet Fund (http://www.themagicbulletfund.org/). I donate monthly, and raised $1000 last year. Paws 4 A Cure (http://www.paws4acure.org/application.php) is another one to look at.

If you decide to treat, there is a great group of people for support in LymphomaHeartDogs (http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/LymphomaHeartDogs/). I have friends I made in that group, that I believe I will stay in touch with for many, many years. They are a wonderful resource of knowledge, and support.

Again, Sheila, I'm so sorry for what you are facing. Please know that there are others that understand what you are faced with, and we are here if you need to reach out. Please feel free to PM me anytime. Hang in there....

Bettina

[shevan]

I took Jett in after his first week on the COPS protocol started last Monday, 4/18 - a Vincristine infusion, and chemo for lymphoma, recently discovered by me, with enlarged lymph nodes under his neck. He had prednisone, Furosemede, and Cytoxan at home, daily for 3 days; chemo pills of Furosamede and Cytoxan were given once a day for three days, 4/18- 4/20. After a week, his swollen lymphs are gone, but he is lethargic, doesn't like to go on walks, and hides in the house - mainly in the foyer closet where many plastic newspaper sleeves on the floor make a "nest" and keep him warm, I believe. My house has laminate, no carpet. He is more aloof than usual. :( I hoist him onto my bed several times a day, and he sleeps with me, as does his brother, Puck, who has no symptoms of anything, except old age, yet. My vet told me today, when I took Jett in for another blood draw for a CBC, that it would come back - the lympohoma, and with a vengeance. We discussed euthansia and pet cremation. My heart was in shreds with this conversation. He could last three months, six months, nine months, a year. We do not know. All I know is I cannot afford the $4-5K for extended treatment, but gave $1500 from my small annuity, which supplements my SS and won't last the rest of my own life, at that. My vet assured me he would not stop any chemo due to finances, and I can pay him monthly, and have an excellent credit rating. We had beat the Cushings, we thought - his numbers were great - then in late March, we discovered the swollen lymphs - and the picture changed. He is still on Trilostane, 10 mg. twice a day.

Jett had diarrhea and vomiting last week; but not excessive. The Furosamed (Lasix) made him urinate a lot, but I have pee pads all over the house. We took a blood sample today, to check Jett's CBC. Depending on the results, he will have another Vincristine infusion on Wednesday (4/27). I would come here more often if I knew how to use the website; it is trial and error. I am trying to get used to the idea that one of my dogs will probably die within a year, maybe sooner. I thought with the successful Cushing's treatment, he would live to be 16 or so. I guess it's just like Lennon said - "Life is what happens when you are making other plans." I just have one question - i
f you give your heart to your dog, and then he dies, does he take it
with him?

[frijole]

I just have one question - i
f you give your heart to your dog, and then he dies, does he take it
with him?

No! Your dog lives forever in your heart. And mine goes out to you as you deal with such tough issues. I know we have members that have dealt with lymphoma and hope they can post.

BTW you are posting just fine.

I lost my gal Haley 11 mos ago and it still hurts. My other gal has had a real rough year and I've had to fight a battle just to figure out what is going on. It can be tough but as you know - it is well worth it. I am so glad your vet is willing to let you work out a financial plan to allow you to help your dog. What a compassionate gesture.

I will include you and Jett in my prayers. Keep the faith and enjoy every single minute. Hugs, Kim

[shevan]

Thank you, Kim!!! I am so sorry about Haley - where can I read your profile? Your user name is "Frijole", right? I see by the picture you have a Schnauzer, correct? I am so flying by the seat of my pants here! It takes forever to figure out how to respond to a post or leave one of my own! Maybe if I came here daily, it would come with practice and I'd be able to navigate the site better! After all, I learned Facebook four years ago!!

What is the name of your "other gal"? And what is her diagnosis? I wasn't clear from that one comment you had. I am so frustrated that we seemed to have beaten back the Cushings (dxd 5/10) with Trilostane - and now this!! I will pray for your baby - just give me her name (is she a Schnauzer), OK? I'll try to picture her in my mind! If I knew how to upload a picture here, I would. Jett and Puck and 12 y/o Shih Tzu brothers whom I have had since they were 12 weeks old. Jett is pure black, and his littermate Puck is silver and white. Puck is a velcro dog, Jett is more independent, you might say, but he does hang around me! Let me know what your dog's name is, and how to go to your profile and see your comments, OK? I will try to come here daily, now! Thanks for the support - it means a lot to me, and I hope to give you and others that same support - if I could only figure out to go right to the Cushings link!!

[labblab]

Sheila, I'm so glad you've made your way back to us. I just want to make sure that you've been able to read all the replies that have been posted to your thread here. For instance, at the top of this page, Bettina ("bkdice") posted links to some funds that may be able to give you financial help with Jett's treatment. Also, at the bottom of the first page of your thread is a lengthy reply from Debbie sharing her lymphoma treatment experiences. If you have trouble finding your way back to your thread here, or navigating up and down in your thread, or from page to page, you can always send us an email at k9cushings@gmail.com, and we'll help you with more detailed instructions. :)

Also, in order to go directly to any of the "links" that we are giving you ("links" are underlined titles or internet addresses like the gmail address above), all you have to do is move your computer mouse to the underlined part and then "left-click" when you see the little "pointing hand" symbol.

Marianne

[addy]

Your posts are coming through, I think you are using the site just fine:)

We give our hearts to a dog knowing they will be broken one day but the pain we suffer on that day is because the love we shared was so great. It may be safer to not love but look what we would miss out on.

I am so sorry you are going through so much. Just know we are there for you always.

Love,
Addy

[Squirt's Mom]

Hi Shelia,

Glad you made it back! You are posting just great!

Ya know, even without facing such terrible health conditions as most of our babies here do, there is never a promise of more than just this very moment in time. Here we could learn so much from our furbabies as they live for right now and nothing more. Jett has no idea what the vet said or what it means, he only knows what he feels now. I am sure he feels your love and concern, and that he feels safer for it. Whatever the next moment brings will be alright because his mom is by his side.

We are the ones who carry the anguish and fears for tomorrow, and the pain of the past. I say "we" because everyone here understands how you feel. When you have those moments of fear, please know we are here for you. We will listen and do our best to lessen your burden. You do not walk this path alone.

Keep your chin up!
Hugs,
Leslie and the gang