Max's Journey

Hi everyone!  It’s been a very long time since I’ve been here to update my blog, but today seemed like as good a day as any.

Max has been through 2 chemo treatments and they have been the most distressing 6 weeks of our lives.  At first it seemed Max was going to do wonderfully with his treatments.  He had no initial reactions and seemed to be doing as well as he had after his amputation.  I thought he was in the clear when DAY 10 hit…
I felt him shaking in the middle of the night, but I didn’t give it much thought and figured he was dreaming, but then I realized this is no dream he’s shivering as if he was cold.  I held him close to me and he seemed to settle, so back to sleep we both went.
In the morning, I put him on the floor and that’s when I knew something was terribly wrong.  He would not take even one step.  With his food dish filled a few feet from him, he was not going to move.
I called the vet and when she returned my call she told me she knew exactly what was wrong and she would call in a prescription for antibiotics for him.  His white blood count had dropped severely and it’s not uncommon for that to happen.  I was thrilled there was something that was going to make him better.  I went to the pharmacy, picked up his meds, and gave him one as soon as I walked in the door.  WELL, Max had a surprise for me…within 30 minutes he started vomiting.  OK now what, ah the anti-nausea meds.  OK I gave him that pill.  STILL, Max was determined to keep surprising me…seems he was allergic to the anti-nausea meds.  He started breathing heavy and getting fidgety…it was not good.  Eventually, I was able to (thank you Google) figure out what helps settle puppy tummies.  Are you ready for this???  Maple Syrup!!! Seems it works like flat soda does for people, a tiny little bit goes a long way!
Finally, I could get the antibiotics into him and they were staying down, the worst was over.

Now, it’s July 21st and time for the second chemo.  I don’t like that he has to go because he’s finally back to himself and I’m afraid he’s going to have a problem again.  However, I take him and I am reassured by the vet that what happened to him is normal, but as a precaution they are going to lower his dose and they gave me something to give him for the first 4 days after his treatment.  I feel better with this and off he goes for his shot.  Once again, Max has another surprise waiting for me.
The good doctor comes from treating Max, wringing her hands, sits down next to me and says…”we have a problem”.  It seem Max has decided he has had ENOUGH of those people and their poking and sticking and probing and has pitched a fit that has made him turn blue.  I didn’t understand turning blue until I realized he was fighting them so hard he was having trouble getting oxygen.  He went into an oxygen cage to try to get him to settle down.  She told me we had some options…give him a puppy Valium or forgo his treatment.  At that point, I’d already put him though the trauma so I said give him the Valium and get the shot in him.
A short while later the vet tech comes out with “mini-Mike Tyson” and sits with us and explains that maybe the next time he should have a Valium before he comes for the treatment.  I agree to this then I ask why he’s all wet underneath.  She said it was the alcohol from the shot.  I accepted this answer.   She explained that he fought the Valium and they had to rush the chemo into him because he was not cooperating.  I pay the bill and off we go…get Max in the car, start the car, look down at my WHITE pants to discover the “wet” is not alcohol.  Max got himself so upset that he peed himself and consequently me.  WHAT A WONDERFUL ADVENTURE!!!!
After a shower for both of us, I wrapped my little boy in a towel and sat with him…and guess what happened next…the Valium kicked in and he slept like a log!

Max did fantastic with the chemo this time around and I was starting to let my guard down when DAY 10 came around.  We woke up that morning and he seemed VERY WARM to me.  So, I put him on the floor and he would not move.  I was so upset.  I carried him to his food dish and he turned his nose up at it.  I got even more upset and picked up a nugget of food and hand fed him.  He agreed to eating this way.  I figured it was a day for him to do nothing but rest…and rest he did.  I went out for a little while and got a harness for the other dog and came home and was tying to get him fitted in it and I realized something was making a funny noise.  It was Max.  He seemed to be having some trouble breathing.  Needless to say the harness didn’t get fitted and off Max and I went to the emergency vet.
The tech came right away looked at his gums and said he was very pale and whisked him away.  She came back a short while later said he was in an oxygen cage doing very well, but he had a fever and the vet would be out soon to talk to me.
The ER vet came out got all the necessary information about him and asked if they could do xrays and blood work…I agreed to this.  He comes back and says his lungs are clear, his heart looks good, he has food in his tummy BUT…he turned blue when we tried to do the xrays and blood and he’s back in the oxygen cage.  OK now whats going on here!!!  Does my dog have PTSD?  Has he gotten it in his head that when they touch him something bad happens?  I am beside myself that my little boy is so afraid he’s turning blue!
The vet gave me antibiotics for him and he did fantastic with them and in 2 days he was back to himself again.

He goes on August 15th for his next chemo.  I will give him the Valium before he goes, but I think I need some reassurances before I agree to the treatment.  Will he bottom out on day 10 again?  Can I give him preventative antibiotics on day 8 or 9 before he has a problem?  Can I go with him to possibly prevent him from turning blue when they touch him?  What happens to him if he keeps depriving himself of oxygen?  How much stress does being oxygen deprived put on his body?  I’m not comfortable with the chemo and I’m not sure it’s the best for him anymore.  I hope the vet can help make that feeling go away.  The picture is after we left the vet…how can you look at that sad face and not feel bad that he is having a hard time?

Wish us luck with our next treatment!

Max & Lisa