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My Precious Yorkie has been diagnosed with mediastinal lymphoma

by Barb
(Munhall, Pa. USA)

On 3/12/09, my Yorkie, Precious, was diagnosed with mediastinal lymphoma and was started on chemo with a modified Madison Wisconsin protocol. On 4/14/09 the disease progressed and was started on Adriamycin & Temodar. This seemed to help for a short time. She is having trouble breathing and started chocking when she ate. As of yesterday, she hasn't eaten much of anything, and I've tried different methods of changing her food, like wetting it, and even tried canned food, which she used to love. She is still active, but doesn't want to be held.

Precious is just a sweetheart, we've had her and her sister since they were 2 months old and we are devastated seeing her like this. I feel as though my hands are tied as to what to do for her.

I heard about the herb "turmeric" and that it helped with tumors. But I can't find out how it would be administerd.

My vet mentioned another treatment called MOPP---This treatment is more expensive than the others and our funds are becoming limited.

Just the thought of having her put done is unthinkable, as I'm sure anyone that has made that decision knows how I'm feeling.

Any thoughts or information on turmeric or any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated to say the least.

Thank you for letting me vent without seeing my tears.

Barb

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My Precious Yorkie has been diagnosed with mediastinal lymphoma

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Aug 16, 2009
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starstarstarstarstar 		mediastinal lymphoma
by: Maggie

My Emma was diagnosed with Mediastinal Lymphoma about two months ago, at sixteen months of age. She is a full bred Golden Retriever from a REPUTABLE breeder?!! Emma is on Chemo with a poor prognosis and I'm sure once this round of steroids is complete she won't rally again and I will need to say, "Good Bye", to my beautiful little Golden. It's amazing to me how little concern the breeder displayed and actually she was belligerent when I called to notify her of Emma's illness. One in eight Goldens can develop cancer, mediastinal lymphoma is rare in such a young dog. Beware of the breeders. It's all about making money and there's no sympathy for your broken heart. You are very much on your own.
Jun 02, 2009
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starstarstarstarstar 		Sorry for your Loss
by: Hazel

I am so sorry for your loss, Barb. Making that decision is the hardest for all pet parents, I think. You always have that doubt like, "Did I do the right thing?" Hard as it may be, please try not to doubt yourself. I am sure you have made the right decision given the condition Precious was in. We love our dogs but we don't want to see them suffer. Prolonging their lives and making them suffer unnecessarily is selfish. We need to know when to let go, but that takes a lot of courage as well. So tell yourself you did the right thing and that Precious thanked you for that.

It may be hard for you to believe now, but I can assure you that you will feel better in time. It is OK to grieve and mourn for your loss but at the same time, please try to focus on living your life as that's what Precious would like to see you do!

In time, you will gradually get over your loss and, every time you think of Precious, you will be reminded of all the happy "Precious" moments that you shared with her. She may not be with you physically but she can still bring joy and warmth to your heart!

Take care.
Jun 01, 2009
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starstarstarstarstar 		Up-date about my Precious
by: Barb

Well on May 21st, we ended Precious's suffering. It was the hardest decision I ever had to make. Nothing was helping her and on the 20th, she was having more breathing problems and started to have seizures again. So with heavy hearts and very wet & swollen eyes we decided it was time. Her sister is always looking for Precious to come when she barks. It's been 1 week and my heart aches terribly. Not a minute passes that I don't think, "did I do the right thing". Will it get easier, will I stop crying. I'm so devasted that I walk around my house in a daze. I miss her so much. We will always Love Precious and never forget her. Even though we still are blessed to have her sister, Corkie, it's till hard to go about our every day lives.
Thank You for this site.
Sincerely,
Barb
May 07, 2009
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starstarstarstarstar 		Turmeric for Dog Cancer
by: Hazel, Site Editor

Hi, Barb,

I am so sorry about your Precious. It is really hard to see something as adorable and innocent as our dogs suffer from cancer or other diseases, isn't it?

Is Precious still refusing to eat? How about making her some veggie and chicken soup? Strain the soup and just give her the liquid. If she still doesn't want it, you may need to use a syringe to feed her. Don't want her to get dehydrated.

Yes - turmeric has been getting more and more recognition as an anticancer herb. The yellow pigment from turmeric (curcumin) seems to be able to inhibit cancer growth and induce cancer cell death. It can also protect the heart against damage from chemo medications. There is a supplement called "Total Inflam" by Nutri-West. It contains curcumin as well as other good herbs such as ginger (helps curcumin absorption), milk thistle (for the liver), and other anti-inflammatory nutrients such as Quercetin. Dosage for curcumin intake is about 15-20 mg per pound of body weight per day.

Besides turmeric, be sure to give Precious antioxidants (CoQ10, vitamins C and E, green tea) to get rid of all the free radicals resulting from chemotherapy. Also give her a probiotic supplement for her digestive system since some chemo drugs can kill some of the good bacteria in her system. Other good supplements include flaxseed oil plus cottage cheese, fish oil, and aloe vera. These should all be safe to use in conjunction with chemotherapy but please check with your vet.

I really hope that Precious can feel and get better soon! Let's keep our fingers crossed!!

Please do keep us informed of her progress - and if you just want some comfort, please feel free to share your feelings here any time.

Best of luck,
Hazel

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