Kipp has Lymphoma.

It started out with some weird vomiting a couple times week and a half ago. He had gotten into some other food, but he can usually eat ANYTHING so it had me worried. After the second time he vomited I took him to the vet. Blood work checked out normal. So we went to a bland diet and anti nausea meds.

Next day he had diarrhea. So we got i/d food and abx

He improved a little bit but the persistent diarrhea was still there so back to the vet. x-ray, u/s showed a bunch of weird stuff. They did fluid aspiration and sent if off for analysis. Results came back yesterday - lymphoma. Trying to find out if there are any treatment options for him now.

It's been a rough few days. He's a smaller dog, only nine and has been super fit/active/healthy.

Kipp has remained pretty active and still has a good "let's go" attitude but his appetite is just not there He's refusing many tasty morsels. But oddly enough the past couple days he's eating some of the cheap dry cat food that the barn cats get. And he's keeping it down.

This just sucks.

So sorry to hear this news. I hope some excellent treatment options are to come for Kipp on this journey.

Do you have access to green tripe? That may help his appetite.

I am very sorry to hear this, Mara. I know you'll do everything you can as far as looking into your options and seeing to his comfort. I sure wish there was something, anything, I could do to make this easier for you.

I tried canned green tripe the other day with no success. Also no success with a couple types of meat, cheese or eggs. He ate some raw beef and freeze dried raw the other day but then vomited several hours later. I have kinda force fed him through smearing PB on the roof of his mouth. The cat food is the only thing he chose to eat in the last 2 days. At least it's food with a decent protien level.

Is it possible to mix a little cat food with his normal food to see if Kip will eat that? I've also had good luck with the Natural Balance rolls when I need to get a dog to eat. We call it doggy crack around here.

I'm so sorry Mara, and I'm sending you healing thoughts....

Betty

I think the local TSC has Red Barn rolls. I should give that a try. Apparently he'll lap at a gruel of K9 SuperFuel - that's decent calorie/nutrition wise.

Mara, I am so sorry to hear about Kipp...

At the end, all Shyner would eat was Carnivore Cookies http://leerburg.com/89.htm and Red Barn meat rolls. Before it got bad she would eat Solid Gold Sun Dancer kibble. Maybe give those a try?

Hugs to you and Kipp!

--Kel

Oh, that is so very sad. I am so sorry.

Prednisone buys time usually and is usually an OK treatment option in terms of side effects for the short term. There are newer medications too, but I am not familiar with those.

I'd feed him absolutely anything that he wants to eat with 0 regard to protein, nutrition etc. Some studies suggest that better nutrition can actually help the cancer develop more than the patient improve. So if he wants cookies, bologna, cat food, dry bread, ice cream -- whatever, in small quantities, it's all good.

I am so very sorry for you, what a blow, and in the spring, such a drag.

Looks like I'll be trying a combo of prednisone and basic oral chemo with him. The type of lymphoma that he probably has (G/I with a suspected intestinal tumor) doesn't respond that well to traditional chemo so that's out. With the oral meds I can give it to him at home so it will be easy on him. The answers I got today really suck but at least I have answers now and am at peace with how I decided to to proceed with treatment.

So sorry Mara. It's never an easy road when they become so ill. You are both in my thoughts.