Recent Red Dog Happenings

Although we don't post nearly enough, we continue to document our fun whenever possible. Recent adventures include regular trips to the UTCVM therapy pool, as well as the usual neighborhood stuff.  Here are a couple of pics of Shiva the Red Dog getting her swim on with the help of Mr. Man.

She loves the attention and the water, but - most importantly - her hips love the exercise.  Since beginning regular swim sessions, we've noticed an increase in both her strength and stamina.  Her gait also remains straighter for longer.  At $20 a session, we think it's one of the best deals going.

Shiva also loves to enjoy time out in nature, and the recent warm weather has given her lots of opportunities to do so.  Check her out as chills in some "sweet grass" on a recent sunny morning:

We continue being grateful on a daily basis, as we know most folks who have gone through something similar to what we have no longer get this kind of special time with their beloved pets.  We are blessed to have this bossy creature in our lives, and we appreciate all the kind thoughts, words and prayers we continue to receive from all of you.  Keep checking back, and we'll do our best to post more fun stuff!

Halloween Festivity

Although we mean well, our blogging frequency and prowess leave much to be desired. The Red Dog insisted we prove to the world she still exists, so here she is joining her favorite cousins and her mom in some pre-trick-or-treating fun. Note she is in the "I don't like candy corn" camp!

The Red Dog's Anti-Cancer Regimen

Thanks to her extreme longevity both post-diagnosis and post-amputation, our osteosarcoma survivor Shiva the Red Dog has become a bit of a celebrity in the local veterinary world. In response to the many questions we receive from pet owners and veterinary professionals alike, we decided to dedicate a lengthy, detailed post to the subject of Shiva's atypical survival. What follows is a recap of her journey, as well as the anti-cancer regimen we have developed for her in the ensuing two-plus years.

(We cannot quantify, however, the immeasurable comfort we've received from faith. Belief in a higher power is an intensely personal decision best left up to each individual...but without faith and the power of prayer, we have no doubt that none of what you are about to read would have happened. And for that, we are eternally grateful.)

Initially diagnosed in April of 2009 by Dr. Brandi Maples, Shiva – a Golden retriever that was nine years old at the time - has since confounded the experts and thrived in spite of odds made even longer by her inability to tolerate the prescribed post-operative chemotherapy regimen.

Along the way, she’s experienced the support of some of the finest minds (and hearts) in our local vet community. From dear friend Dr. Becky DeBolt, who concurred with Dr. Maples’ diagnosis, to Dr. Mitch Rosenzweig, who agreed with the diagnosis while daring us to hope that Shiva might make it through such a trying ordeal under his surgical care. We also had Brenda Rasch, a local Healing Touch practitioner and physical therapist, treat the Red Dog in recovery as well as several times during her ensuing recuperation.

Bolstered by invaluable advice and support from Drs. Nancy Harvey, Lisa Chassy, Maria Fleming, Cornelia Porter and Daniela Fanikos, Shiva’s Mom and I faced the daunting odds in hope of a few months of what we would come to call “bonus time.” Although pathology results later confirmed the worst, lung mets were not yet present and we found ourselves in what we hoped would be a long window of wellness before the predicted inevitable end.

Two years and four months later, here we are, still going strong.

After Shiva’s successful surgery and equally unsuccessful round of chemo, we were forced to search out alternatives to the conventional therapy available to us. We were fortunate to find an excellent online resource at www.tripawds.com. Founded by Rene and Jim Agredano after their beloved German Shepherd dog Jerry received an osteosarcoma diagnosis, it has become the preeminent place for support, consolation and valid discourse of treatments both inside and outside the veterinary mainstream.

It was there that we met Dr. Pam Wiltzius, a California veterinarian shepherding her own English Mastiff Tazzie through a joyful fourteen month post-amputation journey.  With her help and guidance, we were introduced to an array of nutritional approaches used in the fight against canine cancer both here and abroad. From the more widely-used medicinal mushrooms found in a product called K-9 Immunity, to the less well-known but potentially just as promising Sweet Wormwood-derived substance called Artemisinin, we found hope bolstered by at least some preliminary scientific validity.

We since have added periodic dosing of a product called Hepamether, which is a slightly different, supercharged version of the active compounds found in Artemisinin. After giving Shiva daily doses of Artemisinin for around a year, we noticed some anxiety issues which may be attributable to the accumulation of the substance in the body. Since then, we have cycled her on and off of it, as well as mixed in the Hepamether as a change-of-pace.

In addition to the aforementioned products, we immediately put Shiva on a no grain/low sugar/no red meat diet to reduce the fuel upon which cancer feeds, as well as to eliminate what some consider the inflammatory properties of red meat. She also went on regular omega-3 supplementation and stayed on both her chondroitin-based Fresh Factors and glucosamine-based Dasuquin.

Combined with daily walks to both strengthen her remaining foreleg and combat the arthritis in her hips, this entire protocol is maintained with regularity.

As she has aged, we also have added regular acupuncture and cold laser treatments with Dr. Cheryl Cross and visits to Dr. Marti Drum at the UTCVM canine therapy and rehab pool. All-in-all, not a terribly onerous or expensive investment considering the rich reward of time we’ve received in return.

Oh, and Shiva also survived a battle with a malignant melanoma tumor in the interim that sprouted between the medial toes of her remaining front leg just to make sure we've been paying attention. What fun!

Please note that, while we have had tremendous success with this regimen, there is no guarantee it will work for you and your pet. When faced with an osteosarcoma diagnosis, run - don't walk - to the nearest veterinary oncologist or orthopedic surgeon for a second opinion. Time is of the essence with this disease, and every second counts. The window of time for successful amputation is small. Consult with your vet(s), visit the tripawds website and pray. Then make your decision. That's what we did, and we haven't looked back.

What follows - thanks to requests from all of you - is Shiva's daily diet and supplementation regime, which is unabashedly combined with a boatload of faith on the part of her parents and a mixture of the finest conventional medical care and alternative therapy available. Enjoy!

* We since have switched from Innova to the grain-free formulas made by Earthborn Holistic.

AM Meal:

3/4 cup Innova EVO Turkey & Chicken Formula Dry Dog Food (which we buy at the Red Dog's favorite glorious retail experience Agri Feed), supplemented with cooked chicken or shredded cheese for flavor

100 mg Artemisinin or 40 mg Hepamether (never given together, as both seem to produce a certain amount of anxiety over time)

2 – 3 Fresh Factors

1 Dasuquin

1000 mg omega-3 fish oil

PM Meal:

3/4 cup Innova EVO Turkey & Chicken Formula Dry Dog Food, supplemented with cooked chicken or shredded cheese for flavor

K-9 Immunity-Plus chewable supplement (we used to give her K-9 Immunity capsules and Transfer Factors, but the ingredients since have been combined into a convenient chewable)

1 – 2 Fresh Factors

She takes a day off of each supplement every so often to give her system a rest. While not necessarily scientific, this approach seems to work best for her.

* Please feel free to post questions in the comments section below, message me through the site or contact me through the facebook link on the right side of this page. We're happy to share whatever we can that might help you and your canine friends.

Checking Out a New Pool

As most of you know by now, Shiva's Mom and I spare little expense when it comes to the health and well-being of our pets, but this is especially true when dealing with our Red Dog. A walking - well, hopping is more like it - medical miracle, Shiva spreads her own special combination of cancer awareness and goodwill wherever she goes, and she recently had the opportunity to do so in a bastion of modern veterinary medicine when she visited the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine to try out their new therapy and rehab pool.

A guest of our dear friend Dr. Cheryl Cross, and under the supervision of the Red Dog's new bestie Dr. Marti Drum, Shiva was able to overcome her initial white coat apprehension to enjoy a nice dip in this little gem. Although our main concern was exercising her arthritic hips, we also hoped to provide our spoiled dog with a regular place to swim through the winter. As you can see, after learning how to negotiate the tight turns, the Red Dog really got with it. She also seemed to do better once her float coat was removed. We'll leave that for her future oceangoing voyages.

We found the staff and the facilities at the UT Vet School to be top notch, and we have since returned and plan to make this awesome place a regular stop in our wellness routine. Thanks, Drs Cheryl & Marti. WOOF!!

Photographic Evidence of a Cattle Dog's Mind at Work

Having observed his latest obsession Kennedy use her new pink car seat, our resident lunatic Cattle Dog mix Joey (aka JoJo Sweetface) decided to try it for himself after she got out of the car earlier this afternoon. Observe the result:

Back to the Cape

As many of you know, Shiva the Red Dog made what we thought would be her final pilgrimage to the beach shortly after her amputation surgery two years ago. Instead, it was the first of a string of beach visits to places both old and new. Thanks to excellent care and more than a little luck, she continues to amaze everyone as she thrives in her post-amputation and post-osteosarcoma world.

To celebrate the completion of her second unlikely year of survival, we decided to return to that magical place we call "the Cape." A few quick emails to our old friend Wendy at the Cape Escape, and we were in business. To say we had a blast is an understatement. In addition to Shiva and two other doggie friends, we took three of our family's human little ones for their first look at the white sand and green water of the gulf.

Here's a video that captures just a bit of what was an all-too-short but oh-so-special trip to that wonderful shore:

Acupuncture, Cold Lasers and the Red Dog

It's hard to believe we're in July already, and the Red Dog continues to thrive. Although her post-amputation regimen is comprised of many parts, one of the most important is her regular tune-up with her veterinary acupuncturist, Dr. Cheryl Cross, DVM, CVA. A graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Cross combines her scientific education and training with extensive experience in Eastern and complementary medicine to provide Shiva with the best of both worlds.

Aside from providing us with nutritional and medical advice, Dr. Cheryl applies traditional Chinese acupuncture therapy to areas of specific stress for a three-legged dog. She also employs cold laser therapy, which may provide additional relief to stressed and aching muscles and joints (and Shiva seems to love it).

We've put together a short video of a couple of Dr. Cheryl's in-home sessions with the Red Dog so you can see part of what has kept her going strong for so long. There's also a special guest appearance by Olivia, one of the Red Dog's favorite cousins. Enjoy!