5:00 a.m: alarm
5:50 a.m: on the road to UC Davis
8:30 a.m: Xanadu goes back to get ready
10:00 a.m: chemo begins
4:00 p.m. I receive a call that he has finished treatment
7:00 p.m: I arrive home in San Jose
Overall, today’s initial infosamide treatment went well. They pumped 5 liters of fluid through Xanadu, and even though he went out 6 times, he still peed on his bed. An accident at age 12? He hasn’t had an accident in YEARS. At least they washed it for me!
He did great through the treatment. But when it came time to xray his lungs,an additional spot was found, and it is quite large. I only spoke with the vet student about the xrays, so I am not going to stress over it. We will start the inhaled portion of the chemo on Wednesday. I need to buy my mask tomorrow.
Today is Xan’s first day of IV Ifosfamide treatment. We left our house in San Jose just before 6:00 am to make the 2 hour journey to UC Davis. Always the car-loving dog, Xanadu didn’t seem to find it strange to leave the house so early. We stopped midway for Peet’s Coffee and morning meds, which he happily gobbled up. I am nervous and anxious for this first treatment to be behind us. I have no idea how he will respond to chemo, but based on his attitude thus far, I think he will continue to beat the odds.
I am ready for anything.
After much deliberation and feedback from my online friends at Bone Cancer Dogs – (if you have a dog with Osteosarcoma, I strongly urge you to check out this phenomenal group of individuals), I decided to give this trial a shot. It is a big commitment that comes with a lot of time and expense. We’re looking at a 10 hour day every three weeks for the IV portion, plus two 45 minute inhaled at-home treatments each week for 6 months.
Lucky for me, UC Davis has free wireless access so I can be productive while I wait! Below is more about the study:
Patient Disease
Canine patients with Osteosarcoma with confirmed Metastasis to the lungs
Study Name
Relapsed Osteosarcoma/Amputated with metastasis to the lungs
Purpose of the Study
The goal of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of Ifosfamide IV in addition to aerosolized Gemcitabine in dogs with relapsed gross metastatic disease.
Eligibility Requirements Any prospective patient must be examined by the VMTH Oncology or Radiation Oncology service veterinarian, and require the following baseline evaluations at the owners expense before a dog can be considered for enrollment in the trial:
Confirmed diagnosis
Physical examination with weight recorded
CBC, Chemistry Panel and Urinalysis All within two weeks of enrollment (referring blood work is acceptable as long as it was run at a commercial lab)
Baseline Evaluation for Eligibility
Histologically or cytologically confirmed disease
Amputation
Visible Metastasis in the Lungs as noted by a radiologist
Informed owner consent
Owner must be able to perform treatments at home.
Return every three weeks for IV treatment of Ifosfamide and bloodwork.
