Spencer has finished 10 of his 15 chemo treatments. Yay for being 2/3 done! If we were still doing the adria/cytox combo we would actually only have 2 more treatments to go; but with the swap to mitox we went up to 15 weeks. I’m ready to be done. I think Spencer is definitely ready to be done. I noticed a sore on his leg. Since doing an IV in the front leg is easier position wise than a rear leg, that is where he has had it each week and I think it was just too much. So this week they did one of his back legs. Poor guy. And he is starting to not like going. For a while now he has walked in to the the vet’s office willingly; but has obviously preferred if we would walk right back out. But he has dealt with it. Well, this week he REALLY wanted to go back home. Poor guy, he was actually shaking and his teeth were chattering. It made me feel so bad. And to make it worse, this was a mitox week, which means he is there for several hours.
I think it is a very good thing that we have the cabin that we go to every week. Spencer LOVES going up there. And I think that each time we get in the car he is optimistic that he is going to the cabin, so he gets in the car willingly. But then when he realizes we are at the vet, he starts to get nervous.
Has anyone else dealt with a dog who seemed to have some anxiety about the chemo treatments? Did you do anything other than try to comfort your pet? In the past we have given Spencer “Happy Travler” pills when we had lots of company; I’m thinking about asking if it would be OK to give him a couple of these before we head out for the vet’s office…
we only had five rounds of chemo – but they were an all day event. i sat next to the crate where gayle got fluids, then the chemo, then more fluids….knit, knit, knit. she wasn’t really keen on it, but having me there with her made it ok i think. don’t know how you can make it any better, but at least you are on ‘the back side of the hill’ and will be finished with this portion of the adventure soon. the cabin sounds like a great get-away, maybe an extended visit after the last chemo would be a good reward!
charon & gayle
We brought a bag of cut up cheese sticks to each chemo appt and let the vet tech feed the heck out of him. =) He associates her with a bag of cheese now. Good stuff!
I can see how the anxiety would be learned over that many treatments. Keep it light and FUN and pawsitive and ask the vet tech people to work with you with maybe giving him some very special treats the day of his chemo appointments. Grill a steak if you have to! =)
Nancy and Butchey
thanks guys! I am definitely going to try that special treat idea!!!