Okay, i have been searching and reading and doing all that good stuff...and it just seems to lead me in circles, so I thought I'd just ask directly.

My vet recommended trying a "magic mushroom carpet ride" as a supplemental treatment. He has some in stock, but they are only one 'shroom (maitake)...so he said there may be others out there that work better.

We are NOT doing chemo (Sam has OSA; ddx March 6; front leg amp March 7). I am trying to decide which of these to choose from:

K9 Immunity Plus

or

Healthy Dogma Mushroom Magic

Each seems to have the three types of mushrooms with the most beta-glucans (Cordyceps sinesis, shitake, maitake, etc.); they are hot water extracted, etc. is the K9 immunity plus only for dogs who do chemo? Can I just use that as a supplement alone? Is it "better" than the other brand, or...?

Thoughts?

Glad to hear he is doing better. Lets wait until the last moment for suture removal. If necessary Jacqie can bring him in.
Enjoy the magic mushrooms.... watch for random drug tests.

Houstoun Clinch, DVM

He's doing better--I think his pain levels, at least from the surgery, are much improved. We still get some whining as the evening progresses, but nothing too bad. Honestly, I think most of his discomfort comes from being forced to use muscles he hasn't, and from swelling--it's pretty puffy (Well, that and whapping his head/stump/whathaveyou when his reach oversteps his bounds, so to speak). I do think the swelling is coming down some, though.

Saturday night we did a full lap around the back yard.Slowly, and with a lot of panting, but he wanted to patrol. Last night, he slept for most of the night aside from one moment where he got up, wandered around, whined, and then went back to sleep. Last night was also the first night I saw him actually get up and do something out of his own volition. He got up, went to get some water, and then went to the toybox and came out with a toy (okay, it was a cardboard tube...we have the fancy toys at our house, what can I say). He happily chewed that up for awhile--had to figure out how to hold on to it with just one paw though (although his poor little stump was working overtime TRYING to help).

 

He also took a field trip upstairs when I was in the basement riding my bike. Someone, whether it was Sam or one of the others, knocked the baby gates down and he went up. Coming DOWN, was an issue...so I had to wait for Pat to come home so we could carry him (he wouldn't, and couldn't, get down on his own.).

 

Appetite is marginal/up and down...could be the piroxicam, could be he hates fish oil, could be he just doesn't feel like eating. I mixed in some cottage cheese one time and some low-sodium tuna another, and then he ate most of it. Some mild bleeding from the incision, nothing major. He likes to lick both the incision and the IV spot, but as of yet hasn't TOTALLY irritated the skin, and we stop him every time we catch him.

 

The K9 Immunity supplment seems to be pretty popular at the Tripawds site...both for folks with chemo and without, and I have a friend who used it on her newf and lab, and she likes it as well...so I may try that one.

 

As far as him living forever...why not? He could be the Harriet the Giant Tortiose of the dog world. He's stubborn enough, and hasn't really done what's been expected of him thus far...might as well continue to buck the trend.  

 

Should we wait until the last minute before we leave for suture removal or do it when we get more Piroxicam? Alternately, I could have Jacqie bring him in later if you think mid-next week is too soon. Do you need to seem him sooner for anything?

 

Thanks!

-megan

---

From: TLC Veterinary Hospital <tlc@TLCVETERINARYHOSPITAL.COM>
To: Megan Rocker <mmrocker13@yahoo.com>
Sent: Monday, March 11, 2013 10:28 AM
Subject: re: Mushroom supplement for Dr. Clinch

How is Sammy doing?

Well.... looks ok. Our mushroom extract is only maitake so maybe the others added in will help. I am not moved by any of the testimonials because they were all within 1 month of diagnosis. Actually one was out at 6 months but it had radiation therapy also.
Go for it and lets see if Sammy can live forever!
Later
Houstoun Clinch, DVM

TLC Veterinary Hospital
1037 Helmo Avenue N.
Oakdale, MN 55128
651.209.0557
651.209.0559 fax
http://www.tlcveterinaryhospital.com

'We treat our patients as if they were our own pets"

---

From: "Megan Rocker" <mmrocker13@yahoo.com>
Sent: Saturday, March 09, 2013 12:42 PM
To: "tlc@tlcveterinaryhospital.com" <tlc@tlcveterinaryhospital.com>
Subject: Mushroom supplement for Dr. Clinch

Well, I guess the mushroom supplements are not for you. :p But the e-mail is...

 

Here's the product I was looking at:

http://www.k9cuisine.com/p-2386-healthy-dogma-mushroom-magic-dog-supplements.aspx

 

The other two I considered are:

 

K9 immunity http://www.alohamedicinals.com/pet.htm#.UTt9hPJvCEE

 

K9 critical care http://www.k9criticalcare.com/dog-supplements/k9-critical-care-one/

 

All seem to have the three type of mushrooms with the most beta-glucans (Cordyceps sinesis, shitake, and maitake--among others), are hot water extracted, etc.

 

I feel a bit granola-hippie-dippie with all these supplement things...but the studies/anecdotal evidence seems promising, so what's a few bucks to try, right?