A B-Day For G-Dog

Since it is Gallo’s birthday (and mine) today (and my Dad’s), I thought I’d put together a quick update on him for those who have been asking after him.

Last Friday, Gallo went through his third round of chemotherapy to treat his hemangiosarcoma. During the same visit, he also had an echocardiogram, which is designed to test the health of his heart muscles and whether the chemo drug they are using (Doxyrubicin) was affecting the overall function or strength of his heart. Since he had been butt-dragging a lot of late, we also had his anal glands expressed for the first time, which had results that made a bath afterward a must. Then he got blow-dried and brushed out. So if he was ever going to either attack me or run away, this was going to be the day.

Yet the positive news is that G’Lo handled the chemo and following fluid IV well, and he passed the EKG with good results as well. I had to wait about 20 minutes extra when I went to pick him up since he was just getting out of the bath, but when he came out, he looked a little tired but no worse for wear.

Gallo has gone through a few relatively minor side effects, but nothing too serious. From having IVs put in the same area so consistently, he developed a hardening of the skin on one of his forepaws, which irritated him and led him to bite at it. So we had to treat that with a spray applied twice a day that both made it taste bitter and helped it heal. His appetite and energy level wanes with the chemo, and he has little interest in water for much of the time. We feed him eggs and rice to help settle his stomach, and we spike his food with chicken stock and his water with apple juice. He has also begun to lose his whiskers and some of the hair around his ears and eyes. Those who know G’Lo well will tell you that he has plenty of hair to lose, but it is a little jarring to see him looking thinner and thinner every day. A kind friend has offered to take him wig shopping, but we’ll see. The vet tells us that his hair will eventually grow back, and he is beginning to put back some of the weight that he has lost through the early part of his treatment.

So he is now seven weeks through a 14-week treatment program, with two more chemo days remaining. Tomorrow, he’ll get his blood count checked, and then next week he’ll have a much-needed rest week. He may be the only dog who actually prefers his normal hard food to human foods such as eggs and rice, but luckily for us, he freaking loves his Science Diet. Plus, he handles his seemingly never-ending routine of pills and medications like a champ, with much thanks to the beloved liver Pill Pockets. He still tears around the yard, chases his toys around inside and he made it through a week-long stay with my parents in Hampstead while we were in Ireland … and that is something I couldn’t have made it through (I kid, I kid).

Gallo has handled a difficult time and a challenging process as well as could possibly be expected, and while it is difficult to see him losing so much of his trademark hair, we can’t argue with his progress thus far. Thanks as always to all of you who have sent along best wishes and prayers … they all appear to be working in their own way.

UPDATE, APRIL 25, 9:24 A.M.: As usual, I may have spoken a bit too soon on Gallo. During a walk yesterday, we noticed that Gallo was having difficulty defecating, and also spotted some blood in his stool (not much of a birthday for the poor guy). After calling our doctor, it was recommended that we give G some Immodium, rice and oatmeal to calm what was diagnosed as a "spastic colon" (this may be the most terrifying medical term I have ever heard). Not knowing what to make of the oatmeal, G'Lo ate just a little bit of it. We were headed into the vet this morning anyway for his normal blood count check, so they took a stool sample and discovered a slightly above normal amount of bacteria, red blood cells and white blood cells. Also, his red blood cell count was somewhat below normal. We were given the option of having him hospitalized today so he could be monitored and administered fluids, or sending him home with a different form of medication. I decided to have Gallo stay at the vet today (I don't think he was on board with my vote) so they could determine whether there was something more that could be done or something they may have missed. Our doctor mentioned that we may have to switch Gallo from the Doxyrubicin chemo drug to the other variety. I would rather not have to switch drugs on Gallo more than halfway through his treatment, but the doctor mentioned that G'Lo has a sensitive gastrointestinal tract and it was something to consider. We are slated to pick up G-boy in the early evening, so hopefully he will be feeling better by then.