It's OK to Talk About the Cancer

Mina died on November 9, 2009 at 13 years and one month old. Her cancer came back almost immediately after her last chemotherapy treatment.

A lot of the other blogs about dogs with lymphoma include information about the drugs taken and doses. Figured I’d make one for Mina’s chemicals.

Mina takes the following every day:

• Dasuquin MSM, bone/joint supplement, one tablet every day
• Milkthistle, an herb that promotes liver health, 2 capsules per day
• Source Naturals Mushroom Immune Defense, 1 tablet per day
• Famotidine (Pepcid AC), 10 mg. x 2
• Tums 750, 2 tablets per day, for calcium
• Tramadol, 50 mg. x 2 for arthritis pain
• One Daily Iron Free vitamin, half tab, daily
• Metoclopramide 5 mg. 3 x daily for nausea because every drug in this protocol, but Cytoxan, makes her puke

Immodium 1-1.5 of 2 mg. tablet twice daily, are prescribed as needed for diarrhea.

Metronidazole, 2 tablets 2-3 times per day for diarrhea.

Chemo drugs in bold.

Week 1
April 21-30, 2009

• Prednisone 10 mg. x 2
• L-asparaginase 9,400 IU Elspar given subcutaneously

Week 2
April 30-May 7, 2009

• Vincristine 1mg/ml administered intravenously
• Prednisone 10 mg. x 2

Mina suffered multiple episodes of vomiting on May 5 and was treated at Prince William Emergency Vet Clinic with the following:

• Famotidine 10 mg/ml subcutaneous
• Cerenia 30 mg subcutaneous

Week 3
May 7-12, 2009

• Mirtazapine 3/4 of 15 mg. tablet daily for 14 days
• Cytoxan (cyclophosphamide) 50 mg. x 2 on 5.12.09, 50 mg. on 5.13.09
• Prednisone 10 mg in morning, 5 mg. in evening

Week 4
May 12-19, 2009

• Cefpodoxime (Simplicef) 150 mg. daily until gone
• Prednisone 10 mg. in morning
• Adriamycin (doxorubicin) 2mg/ml
• Diphenhydramine 50 mg/ml
• Famotidine 10 mg/ml
• Mirtazipine

Week 5
May 19-26, 2009

• Prednisone 10 mg. every other day
• Cefpodoxime (Simplicef) 150 mg. Last dose 5.22.09
• Mirtazipine Last dose 5.24.09

Week 6
May 26-June 2, 2009
REST WEEK

• Prednisone 10 mg. every other day
• Metoclopramide 2-3 x day for nausea related to doxorubicin

Week 7
June 2-9, 2009

• Vincristine 1mg/ml
• Metoclopramide 5 mg. 2-3 x day for nausea related to Vincristine

Week 8
June 9-16, 2009

• Chlorambucil/Leukeran 15 tablets of 2 mg. each, all at once
• Keflex, antibiotic, 500 mg. every eight hours for seven days

Week 9
June 16-23, 2009

• Vincristine IV 0.4 mg
• Keflex, antibiotic for UTI, 500 mg. every 8 hours, ending on June 19
• Mirtazipine, 15 mg. daily for 15 days

Week 10
June 23-30, 2009

• Adriamycin/doxorubicin 2mg/ml
• Keflex, antibiotic for UTI, 500 mg. 3x daily for 10 days
• Mirtazipine, 15 mg. daily for 15 days
• Zofran, an anti-nausea drug given to human animals before chemotherapy treatments, 4 mg., four pills, last one taken 6.28.09

Week 11
June 30-July 7, 2009
REST WEEK

• Keflex, antibiotic for UTI, 500 mg. 3x daily for 10 days – last dose given 7.2.09
• Baytril, antibiotic for UTI that won’t go away, 68 mg. 2x daily for 14 days
• Stop giving Mina the Metoclopramide on July 3 as she isn’t nauseated
• Stop giving Mina the Mirtazipine on July 3 as she has a healthy appetite

Week 12
July 7-14, 2009

• Vincristine IV reduced dose by 10 percent to avoid stomach problems
• Baytril, antibiotic for UTI, 68 mg. 2x daily for 14 days
• Metoclopramide, anti-emetic, 3x daily during chemo week

Week 13
July 14-21, 2009

• Chlorambucil/Leukeran 15 tablets of 2 mg. each, all at once
• Baytril, antibiotic for UTI, 68 mg. 2x daily for 14 days – last dose taken 7.17.09
• Metoclopramide, anti-emetic, 5 mg. 3x daily during chemo week
• Traumeel, homeopathic anti-inflammatory (until I can afford more Tramadol)
• Zofran, anti-emetic, 1 dose on 7.18 and one dose on 7.19

Week 14
July 21-28, 2009

• Vincristine IV Reduced dose
• Metoclopramide, anti-emetic, 5 mg. 3x daily during chemo week
• Traumeel, homeopathic anti-inflammatory

Week 15
July28-August 4, 2009

• Adriamycin/doxorucin slightly reduced dose
• Metoclopramide, 5 mg. 3x daily during chemo week
• Mirtazipine for appetite stimulation – 3 doses

Week 16
August 4-11, 2009
REST WEEK
Week 17
August 11-18, 2009

• Vincristine IV (0.37 mg)
• Forti-Flora pro-biotic powder mixed in organic baby food

August 18-25, 2009
Week 18

• Leukeran, 15 pills, 2 mg. each, taken all at once
• Forti-Flora pro-biotic powder mixed in organic baby food

August 25-September 1, 2009
Week 19

• Vincristine IV, 0.36 mg
• Forti-Flora, pro-biotic powder mixed into regular food

September 1-8, 2009
Week 20

• Adriamycin/doxorubicin 20 mg. IV
• Per Dr. B.’s orders, no more Metoclopramide, which she didn’t take last week but once or twice.
• Zofran, anti-emetic, if necessary