Sally, to answer your question (since I was curious too) I pulled out Shelby's file. She had her first 4 chemo treatments with Adriamycin and Doxorubicin to treat the hemangiosarcoma that was found her in spleen. And for the first 4 treatments, she did great (no tumor growth, clean ultrasounds, etc). Then when her leg really started bugging her and it was removed, they switched her to Carboplatin while waiting for the results of the biopsy. That was also when we first discovered her lung mets (so in a way, it was a blessing in disguise to have to remove the leg and do more X-rays to see the mets that hadn't presented themselves prior). The switch of chemo from her oncologist, Dr. Turner, was on the basis that we needed something stronger (I guess) to fight it since the first chemo wasn't doing as great of a job. So Shelby had one treatment of the Carboplatin and then we discovered that the leg biopsy was also indicative of hemangiosarcoma - which is why it broke in the first place but also while they were able to fix it, she didn't present the same kind of pain that would come with the ostosarcoma.

When we visited with Dr. Turner yesterday and had more X-rays done, Dr. Turner recommended a couple more treatments of chemo to further stabilize the lung mets prior to putting Shelby on her maintenance treatments. It doesn't make a lot of sense to me since I'm not a doctor but it sounds like since Shelby does have an aggressive blood cancer, this is the best course of treatment. Of course, it will not hurt her since she does well on chemo (no major side effects except losing her whiskers and maybe some nausea on day 3).

She also has Cerenia for 4 days for nausea. Also interesting (well maybe not since it's a blood cancer) is that Shelby's red blood levels are being attacked too. So for about 3 months now, she's been on Ferrofood (iron like pills) and that has helped her greatly. After her transfusion, her blood levels looked great. Yesterday, they were a little low so we will increase her Ferrofood to 2 pills a day (and yes, she deserves steak and other iron rich foods). We go back in 3 weeks for another check-up.

I had really thought we would be done after 6 chemos but this cancer is a BITCH (pardon my language) and it's fighting us just as hard as we are fighting it. I still feel like we are winning though.

The mushrooms are the ones that were featured recently on the news (here in LA at least) and are Coriolus versicolor mushroom - I think that's the mushroom therapy that I read about on this site too. Dr. Turner told me I was the second person that week to ask about them for fighting hemangiosarcom and she said it can't hurt to get Shelby on them if I want.  

Shelby's other fancy daily meds include Glucosomene, Metacam  and fish oil tablets! I will continue to cook for her but don't have to, apparently, worry about her getting fat. Her onco also said that barley was fine for dogs fighting cancer (I guess it's a carb not a grain). 

So that is the complicated, long version of Shelby's treatment plan! (and extremely costly I might add but I tell Shelby since I don't have kids, it's her college fund). I am pleased with the treatment she's getting at her hospital, and with Dr. Turner, so I don't presume to question the decisions. And they already know that I am a huge advocate for my voiceless pooch so they know I would speak up if I did have issues! So maybe because we switched her chemo type 1/2 way through treatment is why she gets extra now? She seemed perky, happy and alert this a.m. so all was right in my world! 🙂