Katie's CT scan

[Stacy]

Today I have a newfound sympathy for patients and parents at work. From my perspective I look up and three hours has gone by, and it seems totally normal that results from tests aren't back yet. From the patient side - they tell you that she should be finished by lunchtime barring emergencies (with other people's dogs) and then it's 3:00 and I've heard nothing. I was trying not to lose my mind, but honestly I was losing my mind! 

Unfortunately, we still have adenocarcinoma of the nose. I was really hoping that they would call and say, just kidding. It's a polyp and we can fix it. 

She said it's a rostral mass that starts at the incisors and ends at the tip of the nostril. There is no bone destruction, but it is on the nasal seputm. 

The doctor continues to be very optimistic that we can "cure" this with radiation. She also said she spoke with one of the surgeons who said we could remove it surgically by cutting off her nose! She said she probably wouldn't do that to her dog, but she wanted to put it out there. I will not ever do that to her. She also mentioned piroxicam and palladia as another possible option. She said she wasn't sure how well it would work, but that we could try it. 

I told her that I've been reading everything I can find and there are no good outcomes to nasal adenocarcinoma. One of the journal articles I read seemed to consider it a success that the dog was in remission for 10 weeks. And she said, basically, that since she is such an outlier I am going to have trouble finding studies that deal with the tumor in the same place and stage that Katie has. She also feels confident that with stereotactic radiation we won't irradiate her eye and cause her to go blind or see a lot of the other truly terrible side effects that come with radiation. 

It's definitely a lot to think about. And I'm going to speak with the people at Colorado State at least. I have always said that chemo and radiation is a road I wouldn't go down with my dogs. But then if there's a chance that we can do something and give her a normal long life I wonder if it would be a mistake not to take that opportunity. I wish she could tell me what she wanted to do. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I am so sorry, Stacy. I was hoping for a different diagnosis. Whatever decision you make will be the right one for you and for Katie. Hugs to you both. 

[Stacy]

Thanks Karen - I was hoping for a different diagnosis too! I'm still reading, and trying to find the one right answer. The thought of doing the wrong thing for her is just agonizing. Luckily I don't have to make a decision right this second. But I feel some pressure to figure it out. I feel like this thing is growing by the second. 

[Lindsey Holt]

I'm truly heartbroken for you. Jake and I are sending you virtual hugs and wishing you peace in whatever path you choose.

[Stacy]

Thank you. It's a good reminder to hold them close every day. We don't always know what tomorrow holds.

[Stella]

Oh, I'm so sorry to see your news. It is so hard to know what to do for the best. Like you, I've always said I'd never put my dogs through chemo / radiation, but it's easy to say that until you actually have to make a decision. Hugs to you and Katie.

[Stacy]

It's so much easier to know what to do before you're faced with this situation! I always thought I knew what I would do, and now I am really questioning that. I think, well maybe I'll just do one round of radiation, but nothing more than that. But then when it came down to it would I think that maybe one more would be a good option too? But not doing anything also seems impossible. But I'm trying not to get ahead of myself. I still have people to talk to. Perhaps the answer will become clear over the next few days.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Is Colorado State a vet school near you? Do talk to them and give yourself a little time to decide what to do.

[Stacy]

I wish Colorado State was near us! It's about 9 1/2 hours by car. But my vet said it was the closest place that does the stereotactic radiation. We can go there, but if we have to stay for a few days or a week it's going to take some serious job begging, borrowing, and pleading. But I'm definitely going to talk to them and see what they think. 

MU and K-State are both only a couple hours away, but I guess the radiation therapy they are doing there takes a month of daily treatment to accomplish. And it's not as precise and has more side effects. I guess, I'm not very knowledgable about radiation. 

I was looking, and it seems like UC Davis is doing some experimental cryoablation. It's a single treatment and while not meant to be curative it sounds like they're having some good results with tumors not returning, but I'm not sure California is really an option.

It surprises me that there's nowhere in the Kansas City area where they do vet radiation. I can't possibly be the only pet owner in the area whose dog has a tumor that would benefit from treatment. It makes me wonder what everyone else is doing. Maybe I need to research a little further, but I would think that the specialist we have been seeing would know if there were other options available. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Stacy, I think it would be worth a call to Iowa State, their veterinary school does some cutting edge research and maybe they do the stereotactic radiation? 

https://vetmed.iastate.edu/vmc/small-animal/specialty-care/oncology

[Stacy]

I'll check them out. The vet seemed to think that Colorado State and Cinncinati were the two closest places doing that type of radiation. And we are kind of halfway between the two, and I like the scenery better in Colorado than Ohio. But Iowa would definitely be closer.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

I am so sorry you are going through all of this with Katie! No words of wisdom here....just hoping for the best possible outcome for Katie! 

[Stacy]

Thank you! I just hope I make the right decision for her.