Doxorubicin, aka adriamycin

Happier, healthier days

After Dr. Hamilton assessed Burke on Monday, July 13th he told us that Burke's had a negative prognosis given the fact that he came out of remission in one week.  We discussed our options: move into palliative care or try the adrimycin, the third chemo drug in the protocol.  We obviously opted for  the adrimycin and Dr. Hamilton said he would give Burke as strong a dose of the adrimycin as he could tolerate.

The first 48 hours were uneventful other than lethargy, lack of appetite, and loose stools.  On day three (Thursday), his lethargy increased, he refused all food, drank very little, and went from loose stools to liquid stools.  I took him to his local vet on Friday and they started intravenous fluids. They kept him on fluids from 10:30am until 3:00 pm and sent him home with the catheter so that they could continue fluids today if needed.

When Burke came home from the vets yesterday afternoon, he ate a little freezed dried raw chicken and maple syrup. I stumbled upon that combination after trying every food I could think of along with some of the over eighty suggestions from the Flat-coated Retrievers Health Support group - bless you wonderful people. I was also able to get some nutri-gel into him.

Last night, Burke had bowel incontinence. We didn't realise it until this morning when we woke. The bed, the floor, Burke...everything was soiled.  Burke was laying on the floor feeling terrible. We told him he as a good dogs and we loved him and Paul spoke sweet and calming words to Burke while I gently washed him. Afterwards, he wagged his tail and ate some more maple syrup and freeze dried raw chicken. Paul took Burke to the vets for his IV treatment and I got started on the house and bedding.  Paul said that Burke was nervous and shaking at the vets but he went with the vet tech willingly.  We can pick him up at 11:30 am.  I hope things will improve today.  I am feeling overwhelmed and sad and uncertain, but mostly sad for my sweet little boy