We have never had a dog with cancer before. We were completely blindsided by this diagnosis. We knew something was wrong when Buddy seemed to be easily fatigued and fragile. These symptoms manifested themselves in a very short period of time (about one week).
We took Buddy to our veterinarian last Monday. She detected multiple swollen lymph glands. She did some blood work and reported that Buddy had an aggressive form of canine lymphoma cancer.
We were shocked and devastated. We didn't want to lose our beloved pet but we didn't have the funds to provide him with traditional chemotherapy treatment.
On Wednesday, our veterinarian called and said she found an experimental drug trial at Texas A & M University that Buddy might qualify for. This program is testing dogs with lymphoma cancer. I was cautiously optimistic that this program might be able to help our dog. We made an appointment at the Small Animal Clinic at Texas A & M University for the next day.
College Station is about 70 miles from our home so my husband and I started out early in the morning. We had a 10:30 am appointment to see a veterinarian who would evaluate Buddy's condition. The doctor and student assistant that saw Buddy were very friendly and explained all of our options for treatment. We soon discovered that Buddy DID qualify for the clinical trial program.
We were sent home with medication and a large journal that I will use to keep detailed records of Buddy's treatment. We will take Buddy to the clinic once a week for four weeks and then every other week for as long as he is in the program.
We have hope. I will report Buddy's progress on our "Buddy's Canine Lymphoma" Facebook page. We would love for you to LIKE this page and support us in this journey.
This is a video slideshow of Buddy's first trip to Texas A & M Small Animal Clinic. Buddy is an Aggie!
Have you ever had a dog with cancer? Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.
