Magic Cures - Odie's chemo-day was every Thursday, meaning I had to deliver him to the St. Paul campus of the University of Minnesota by 7 AM. A cheery attendant greeted us, and then took Odie to the Oncology Lab where he spent the day while I was at work. Leaving him for the day was necessary because most chemo sessions took several hours, longer if blood work was required. Later in the afternoon, I would pick him up. But before I could leave, he always demanded - with a loud bark- a biscuit from the bowl of treats located on the receptionist's desk. The staff enjoyed watching Odie snatch the treat out of midair and I felt very happy knowing my dog was doing so well!

By the third week of treatment, Odie went into complete remission. The swollen nodes on his neck and elsewhere disappeared completely. During the entire course of chemotherapy, he tolerated the powerful drugs very well. The only side effect I noticed was that he seemed lethargic for several days after a chemo session. But after taking it easy for a few days, he was back to his old self, insisting on long walks and playing energetically in the backyard. The relish with which he enjoyed this time confirmed that I had indeed made the correct therapy choice for my dog.

He finished the 12-week induction protocol on April 15, and then started the maintenance phase three weeks later. This phase provided a break for me, both in terms of time and money. In addition, the oncologist instructed me to decrease the prednisone to every other day, (vs. every day during the induction protocol). This was welcomed news as I was getting tired of picking up urine-soaked newspaper every day after work (frequent urination is a side effect of prednisone).

Time to Rejoice - During Odie's long period of remission, he did the same things all dogs do - long naps in the warm sunshine, foraging in the garden for kale - his favorite vegetable, and long chew sessions with a fresh rawhide bone. Knowing our time together was short, I included Odie in as many activities as possible. For instance, I would take him for long walks in a park or include him on daily errands around town. Having my dog so healthy made me very happy. I kept myself optimistic by hoping that despite the odds, Odie would remain in remission indefinitely.

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Odie's Year with Cancer
Discovery | Remission | Recurrence | Farewell

Odie's Chemotherapy
12-Week Protocol | Side Effects

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