Mina is typically sort of lethargic and generally down the day after a chemo treatment, but yesterday proved the exception. She was bright, energetic, she ate everything she was offered (including some small bites of the crust from my vegan pizza), and we even took a long walk around 8 p.m. – something she hasn’t wanted to do in a while.
Mina resting at my Dad's last May. She was a little chubby then.
I noticed last night that her skin is peeling – like you have a sunburn, that kind of peeling. I’m not sure what’s causing it but it’s not the yeast shampoo because I haven’t given her a bath in weeks. I’m considering giving her one tonight and hoping the shampoo will help her skin. I’ve also added eggs to her stinky beef-and-rice stuff because I hear that helps a non-human animal’s coat and skin. It’s probably just another lovely side effect of the chemotherapy and a symptom of her compromised immune system.
Another thing about Mina that I noticed is that her paws are all white now. See her paws in the photo taken last May in Florida at my Dad’s? The hair on her paws is a pinkish-brown color because she constantly licks her feet and the iron in her saliva changes the color of her hair. I rarely see her licking her feet now. Whatever she was allergic to is no longer in her system and I strongly suspect it was something in her diet. The last commercial food she ate was EVO by Natura Pet. It’s free of wheat and grains, which can cause allergy problems, but it uses factory-farmed carcasses from animals fed high-grain diets as well as antibiotics and hormones. Mina gets her carcass from Whole Foods and the dead ground cows are grass-fed and free of antibiotics and hormones, and the chickens are fed a natural grain diet with no antibiotics or hormones. I have no idea if that’s the reason she no longer licks her feet, but it’s a possibility.
Mina no longer eats grain-based snacks, either. In fact, she does very little snacking because her diet is now more satisfying for her. The only treats I currently have for her are freeze-dried cow’s liver bites. I rarely give her one but I know her Auntie Sherrie and Auntie Lolo like to give her treats when they visit.
Another factor are the supplements I’m giving her every day. There’s a complete list under the Drugs & Doses tab. I’m looking for a stronger mushroom immune system booster, so if any of you know of one that you believe works particularly well, please let me know.
s.
It's OK to Talk About the Cancer 
Leave a comment