Hi,

Yes, I was just going to start with one supplement and do that for a week to see how Mali does on it. Then add another and do that for a week. So then he'd be getting 2 supplements. But when he'd have a chemo treatment, I would withhold the supplements until day 8 or so or maybe all together if he is not feeling well.

I really would like to start him on the fish oil/DHA, MyCommunity from Fungi Perfect and the transfer factor plus. I can hold off on the other stuff to later on.

Yes, its Arteminisin (sp?) and I also have Artemax from hepalin. I'd give the Art-e in the morning (empty stomach) and then the artemax (contains the 3 type of formulations of art-e) at bedtime (at least 3 hours after a protein meal). I also have Denasyl (SAM-E) that I had been giving him prior to his surgery for liver support.

I received the fungi perfect MyCommunity pills today, but not the 4Life tranfer factor plus yet. I was told to give them both about the same time as they compliment each other.

I don't want to overload him with supplements. All Mali is getting right now is the cerenia and his last dose is tomorrow, unless he gets sick again.

Oh, he pooped tonight and it was pretty normal, so is a good thing.

We walked a bit tonight again .. he loves it cool out and 40* is cool to me and him. I offered him his shirt, but he wasn't interested. If he wanted it he would of put his head in the neck opening and then laid down so I could put his leg through the sleeve and then he'd get up for adjustments and off we'd go. But we went out, this time I had my jacket on as Don was in bed already, so no minivan option tonight if he got tired.

I guess one very small positive regarding Mali's amp surgery is that I can now go out the door with him off leash and not worry he'll take off running like a crazy dog .. Now he just hops out, urinates and then we walk and I let him hop off leash. He really enjoys that. Tonight he went up into the neighbors yard and laid down near the house and hedge .. out of the wind. So we were already 2 houses away and I told him okay .. rest and Oz and I are just going to go to the next light pole down the street. I stayed in the middle of the road .. side neighborhood street with next to no traffic and no at around midnight anyway and walked backward .. looking to see if Mali decided to follow us and then checking on Oz who is only about 5 -6 ft ahead of me pee-ing on every tree possible he comes across in the swales. Yep .. sure enough, I see Mali coming around the car parked over the sidewalk and I start walking towards him .. I was only 1 house away from him and told him lets go quick quick back home. He turned around and head home and then stopped to rest at the same place he was before. Oz and I waited 10 minutes and then he was ready again. We made it to the next house and he rested for a few moments and then he went the rest of the way home without stopping. He is now sleeping on his big bed on the living room floor. Sam and Moe are each sleeping with their heads on the bed to be near Mali. Mali doesn't like his personal space infringed upon .. so this is as close as they can get to cuddling with him. Even as a 8 week old puppy, he didn't like his littermates to share his space. 🙂 Only time he allows exceptions to this rule is during car trips where someone is usually touching someone else as the suburban is only so big, same with the minivan and 5 Anatolians take up all the empty space (luckily we usually only have 1 suitcase and cosmetic bag or depending on where we are going, I will ship some stuff prior to our arrival - like visiting my parents in Toronto or family in MA). The other dogs have be great with him. They will readily give up their bed so he can have it and try to stay out of his way. I guess they know something is very different as they don't jump on him or get in his way when he move about the house or yard. Even the cats are pretty understanding and he'll let them lay near him .. still not next to him though. Even I can't lay right next to him - if I do for more than just a few minutes, he'll grump and either start to move so I keep moving over until I'm off the bed or he'll push with his feet against me until I get off his bed. However, he is fine with me sleeping on the couch right next to him. Oz has no such problems and will curl up with you .. a spoony and same with Sam and Moe. Gabby likes her space too, but she doesn't care if someone sleeps curled up next to her and rests their head on her back.

Mali is not going to have another blood test until he goes in for the 2nd chemo treatment on 1/26. I guess if his levels are not good, then the chemo will be postponed, but he goes every 3 weeks (so 21 days between treatments).

Monday I start school again full time .. meaning monday, wed & fri I classes from 10;30 - 2:30; monday night from 6 - 8 pm and thursday night 6 -8 pm. Don will be home with Mali when I have the evening classes, but he'll home alone for 4 hours on M, W, & F. I think he'll be okay though. I have no school on tuesdays so that is when I scheduled his chemo treatments at 9:00 am so if he gets sick a few hours later, I'll be with him. I just hope he doesn't get that sick again.

Everyone is sleeping now and I just gave Mali some water and now he is back asleep. I guess I should go to bed and get some rest. Since his dx of OS, I have just been unable to sleep and stay up watching him. I will have to get back on a schedule for school though.

Thanks again for all the good thoughts and wishes for Mali.

Christine

Hi Christine,

Before I forget, Tazzie's Mom Susan is right.  Emily did have to have her chemo every 25 days because of low blood counts.  Other than that she sailed through the chemo.  Our oncologist gave her Pepsid.  I don't know if she would have gotten nauseaus or not.  This is the same pepsid people take.  She took one tablet a day for five days after her chemo.

I am sorry that you are having problems with your oncologist.  I don't know if it would work for you but maybe if you asked things in a question instead of stating what you want your oncologist would be more cooperative.  Maybe like, I heard that ----- works well for nausea and I was thinking I'd like to use that.  What do you think?" That way if there is an ego at work maybe you would be stroking it and not, what she/he might see as questioning her decisions.  I know it is stupid but some people are like that.    I used to have to tell my old boss that I had been thinking about her decision and I decided I wanted to do it.  Thing is she never suggested it or vetoed by idea but she would forget and when I gave her credit for it then she liked it.

Glad to hear Mali is doing well.  Don't worry, you wont be able to keep him of the leash long!

Debra & Angel Emily

Hi Pam and Debra,

Yeah, I do sorta ask for stuff with the oncologist, but the nurse I do not. Or I'll ask if she can check if that is okay with the oncologist.

I have no issues with giving Reglan .. I've used it before personally and with my cats and even with Gabby. I also have pepcid and will give pepcid if someone is feeling a little off.

I will start Mali with the fish oil and continue with his SAM-E (which I know did not have any side effects pre surgery or post surgery). After Mali is okay on the fish oil / SAM-E for a few days, I'll add his mushroom caps.

I can wait on the artemisinin till after his chemo treatments .. not a problem to wait. I'm also posponing his rehab until a week after his 2nd chemo treatment .. just want to see how he does with this and where he's white cell counts are going into the 2nd round of chemo.

For joint supplements, I have a brand called liquid health ..level 5000 that I give to the dogs in their food. It contains: 5200 mg of Glucosamine per ounce, plus MSM, Perna, and Shark Cartilage. Level 5000 also includes several powerful antioxidants such as Ester-C and Grape Seed extract, digestive enzymes, as well as Cat's Claw (an herb) and Manganese to enhance it's benefits. I usually pour about an ounce into their food as I'm mixing up their dinner.

I'll try to post some pre surgery pictures of Mali. I did take some pictures of him post surgery, but they are still on the mem card in the camera. (I'm a bad mom when it comes to taking pictures .. as that I don't or do, but leave them in the camera way too long. Plus when I went to use the digital camera post surgery, the LCD screen is all screwed up .. so I hope the pictures are not distorted. I think Don may have dropped the camera. I'll have to get a new one eventually .. things are expensive now since being laid off last February.)