Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Hi everyone!
Hunter just finished his 6th round of IV Carboplatin chemotherapy yesterday!
He has tolerated every single dose very well.
So we'd like to start metronomic chemotherapy in 3 weeks but...
Our Oncologist's office quoted us $950 for the 1st month of treatment and diagnostics and $700 for each subsequent month. However, we've always read that MP therapy was less expensive than traditional IV chemo.
We'd like to pursue this type of continued cancer fighting protocol..... but can't we do it for less? Is our vet just too pricey?
Read about our Hunter at http://superdog.....pawds.com/
7/27/2003 ~ 7/24/2013
Our Super Dog Hunter crossed over the Rainbow Bridge on a beautiful summer day in July, just 3 days shy of his 10th Birthday. He gave us everything since he was 8 weeks old. Hunter was a 14 month warrior of OS. We LOVE and MISS him every day.
Glad Hunter has tolerated his chemo so well!
Exactly what drugs is your oncologist talking about, do you know? Wookie is on Palladia and it costs us ~$550/month and we get his meds at Costco. He's 90 lbs so looks to be the about the same size as Hunter?
Right hind limb amputated 7/3/12 for OSA, started on alternating cycles of Carboplatin and Doxorubicin and oral Palladia. Single lung met 9/1. Met in the neck muscle removed 9/30. Large mass in sublumbar lymph node 10/2. Rescue chemo with ifosfamide 10/6. Mets to the rib and axillary lymph node 10/21. Started Leukeran and Pred 10/25. Wookie left this Earth for a far better place on 12/4/12. I miss you, Boo, you were my heart.
Sorry I forgot to mention the MP drugs. The prices quoted are for Cytoxan and Piroxicam.
If we went with Cytoxan and Palladia, the cost for the 1st month increases to $1,900 with subsequent months costing $1,500. So we didn't think we could consider those meds due to their excessive costs.
Oh, and Hunter weighs 69-70 lbs.
Read about our Hunter at http://superdog.....pawds.com/
7/27/2003 ~ 7/24/2013
Our Super Dog Hunter crossed over the Rainbow Bridge on a beautiful summer day in July, just 3 days shy of his 10th Birthday. He gave us everything since he was 8 weeks old. Hunter was a 14 month warrior of OS. We LOVE and MISS him every day.
Wow. We didn't pay nearly that much. Zeus was prescribed Cytoxan & Peroxicam and it only cost us $91 (I think! It was definitely less than $100) for a month's supply of BOTH meds. Zeus was only 42 lbs, so maybe that makes a difference? Also, because of (1) our vet not being an oncologist and (2) his weight he needed an in-between dose, the vet had our local apothocary drug store mix it and I bought it from them.
Now, we did have to do an initial 'baseline' x-ray at the time we started and I think our vet's plan was to do another x-ray 30 days after the first dose and then every few months after that to see if it was working. Maybe the price they gave you is for x-rays?
Unfortunately Zeus got very sick after only a couple of doses which is when we discovered the cancer had spread through his whole abdomen and we stopped the MP. Therefore, I never had to get a refill but I'm pretty certain about the price for that initial prescription.
Zeus was a Husky mix diagnosed with Osteosarcoma at age 11. A visible lung met and suspicious spot on his liver meant a poor prognosis-six weeks was our vet's best guess. We decided to fight for our boy and his right front leg was amputated on 12/1/11. We did six rounds of chemo, changed his diet and spoiled him completely rotten. We were blessed with 10 great months after diagnosis. Against the odds, the lung met remained a single met and grew very little over those months. A wonderful furbaby with the most gentle spirit, he fought with a strength that we never imagined he possessed. We have no regrets...
http://zeuspod......pawds.com/
Thank you for that information. I will definitely look into other ways of obtaining the meds.
Maybe our regular vet, or our holistic vet, can prescribe it for Hunter.
That's a HUGE price difference. We just paid for his 6th traditional IV chemo yesterday that included a CBC and we only paid $330. At his 5th chemo... he had the IV chemo, a CBC & chem panel, and xrays and it was about $600.
So even with all of those diagnostics, MP shouldn't cost $700 to $950 per month if the meds are that cheap.
I emailed the clinic to get a cost breakdown.
Read about our Hunter at http://superdog.....pawds.com/
7/27/2003 ~ 7/24/2013
Our Super Dog Hunter crossed over the Rainbow Bridge on a beautiful summer day in July, just 3 days shy of his 10th Birthday. He gave us everything since he was 8 weeks old. Hunter was a 14 month warrior of OS. We LOVE and MISS him every day.
Oftentimes price shopping when it comes to services is like comparing apples to oranges, but some things like comparing the costs of medications is just straightforward, like this. But it would be interesting to see the cost breakdown your clinic provides just so we know what they're talking about (you dont' have to name the clinic in that post, no need).
I weighed 75 pounds and also had to get a special compounded version of cytoxan, which ended up being cheaper. Our costs were right in line with what Zeus paid for MP. The most we ever paid for both cytoxan, doxycycline and Metacam was $175 a month. On average it was about $90, and that's doing mail order. You can get these meds in generic form and save a lot, so definitely shop around for them.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Pet Apothecary also compounds for exact weight and I am sure their price will be much more affordable. The first quote I hadfor the chlorambucil was $400/mo at Sam's and then Pet Apothecary was about $90/month and went up a bit when Harley gained a lb. or two. They mail or you can pick up
Harley is an 8 year old Golden Retriever. Amp surgery for an infiltrative lipoma canceled due to two masses in chest. A rescue, he found his forever home on 3/18/07 and left for his eternal home on 1/09/13. His story and medical history are at http://myharley.....pawds.com/
I have always found Diamondback Drugs to be a very reasonably priced compounding pharmacy. What dose of piroxicam is your dog taking? He might be able to take the human product for $4 a month (needs no compounding). Ask your oncologist; they should be pretty understanding about cost issues!
Pam
Our oncologist was kind enough to call me personally this afternoon and said she put more detailed information on pricing together for us. I'm picking it up from the clinic tonight after work. She said she'll put Hunter's doses on the paperwork too and I am free to check around for better pricing. She wonders if I'll find a cheaper source that she doesn't know about.
GOSH! Let's hope so!
On the phone today she said they are estimating $1,000 the 1st month to start up with all of the diagnostics (including new chest xrays, CBC, chem panel, urinalysis, and meds). Hunter just had clean x-rays on 9/6, but she wants new ones because if we go ahead it will be 6 weeks after that date.
She said it would cost about $350 per month for MP maintenance without x-rays, and about $600 per month for MP maintenance with x-rays.
She wants new xrays every 2-3 months.
Read about our Hunter at http://superdog.....pawds.com/
7/27/2003 ~ 7/24/2013
Our Super Dog Hunter crossed over the Rainbow Bridge on a beautiful summer day in July, just 3 days shy of his 10th Birthday. He gave us everything since he was 8 weeks old. Hunter was a 14 month warrior of OS. We LOVE and MISS him every day.
I've never met an onco doc who didn't have a pup's best interest in mind so I don't doubt that she only wants what's affordable and best for you both.
I can see the x-ray cost has a lot to do with it too, especially if sedation is required. When I was on MP we did bloodwork and x-rays once in April, then again in September, so that kept our costs down. We could have done the xrays more often but chose not to.
You might have said this before but what region of the country are you in? I forget. Oftentimes that really plays into the costs of veterinary care.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I've found that where you live definitely plays into the cost of vet care. We live in San Diego and my mom lives in Prescott, AZ (a smallish size town). When she had her dog, her bills were usually 50% to even sometimes 75% cheaper than ours.
I don't remember exactly what we paid for the Cyt/Piroxicam, but we just got it straight from the onc. and I don't remember it being as pricey as what your onc has quoted. As for xrays we generally did them every 3 months.
Hope he tolerates the new routine well!
Jackie, Angel Abby's mom
Abby: Aug 1, 2009 – Jan 10, 2012. Our beautiful rescue pup lived LARGE with osteosarcoma for 15 months – half her way-too-short life. I think our "halflistic" approach (mixing traditional meds + supplements) helped her thrive. (PM me for details. I'm happy to help.) She had lung mets for over a year. They took her from us in the end, but they cannot take her spirit! She will live forever in our hearts. She loved the beach and giving kisses and going to In-N-Out for a Flying Dutchman. Tripawds blog, and a more detailed blog here. Please also check out my novel, What the Dog Ate. Now also in paperback! Purchase it at Amazon via Tripawds and help support Tripawds!
Hi, Hunter and family live in southeastern Wisconsin. Probably pricey area and pricey vet clinic (WVRC).
Our holistic vet doesn't have an opinion on the metronomic chemotherapy for us.
When we were given the statistics back in May they said 1 yr. and possible 2 yrs. after amputation and chemo.
We know Hunter can beat that! But.... what did they mean by chemo? Did they mean IV chemo only?
Read about our Hunter at http://superdog.....pawds.com/
7/27/2003 ~ 7/24/2013
Our Super Dog Hunter crossed over the Rainbow Bridge on a beautiful summer day in July, just 3 days shy of his 10th Birthday. He gave us everything since he was 8 weeks old. Hunter was a 14 month warrior of OS. We LOVE and MISS him every day.
When we got our Cytoxan right from the vet, it was about $50 for a week's worth (for an 80 lb pup)...but when they sent it to Diamondback Drugs (the compounding pharmacy Dr. Pam mentioned), we started getting it for about $50 a MONTH (including shipping)...obviously quite a huge difference (and this is actually an increased dose over the standard pill).
Definitely shop around!
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