Hello again from Montreal.
When I last posted on Jan. 29, our 7.5 yr. BMC Mick had just been
diagnosed with Eosinophilic Gastroenteritis. He responded well to steroids
and antacids, but feeding was a big problem -- none of the hypoallergenic
diets were working. Mick kept losing weight, and we couldn't get any
follow-up from the vet Internist! We went to the University of Montreal
Faculty of Veterinary Medecine "companion animal clinic" for a follow-up
visit. A "total body X-ray" showed some suspicious shadows in the abdomen
and the ultrasound that afternoon identified a mass close to the pancreas;
biopsy results the next day showed cancerous cells.
I'd never known exactly the meaning of the expression "devastated", as
applied to your own state of being until that day. We were more completely
devastated when, at surgery on Feb. 17, two tumours were located in the
pancreas. Mick underwent a "debulking" of tumour mass and after a day or
so of rough going in the ICU, he came home with us, walking into his house
with a grin, and then flopping onto the floor for 48 hours of near
continuous, contented sleep. He has gained weight (15 lbs. in three weeks)
by eating a wide variety of fresh cooked meat protein, along with cheese
and bread and the occassional multi--Vit. and has had no vomiting or
significant bowel problem since the surgery. He's needed two other
procedures to repair a wound hernia left by the Vet. Surgery resident when
he closed, but we are glad to have gone ahead with the "medium" choice --
vs. closing right away having done nothing or removing the pancreas and
whatever else possible.
Pancreatic tumours are rarely caught and treated at an early enough
stage. The pathology is carcinoma, with some abnormal secreting cells --
this is not lymphoma or malignant histiocytosis or a sarcoma or even an
insulinoma -- and treatment for these is not usually very effective. Since
Mick is doing well and the tumour did not show metastasis to the lymph
nodes taken, we have decided on a little chemotherapy. Three weeks ago he
had a dose of Adriamycin, and last Thursday his second injection, this time
with Carboplatin (Paraplat).
Does anyone out there have any experience with these drugs and BMD's?
The Adriamycin was well tolerated, but the Carboplat seems to have made
Mick lethargic, acting as if he is achy (flu-like symptoms), and made him
nauseous and anorexic. He also seems to have some rear leg weakness &
wobble which developed very soon after the Carboplat. We are watching out
for pancreatitis or infection, but we believe these are chemotherapy
side-effects at the moment.
And now some general comments. Mick's early symptoms were almost
exactly the same as "the gulps". (Thanks for this info!) But Mick had
never had any such symptoms before, and they worsened over a course of
weeks. One of our vets told us that pancreatic tumours are associated with
"strange" oral behaviours in some animals, ie. sidewise grating of the
teeth in cats! We now think of Mick's gulping, swallowing, etc. as his
"cancer symptoms". The eosinophilic gastroenteritis was also likely
secondary to the tumour, and was treated effectively with the steroids --
repeat biopsy at the time of surgery was normal. Please consider
investigating any such abnormal oral/esophageal/gastric behaviours in your
Berner, especially if they arise and worsen in a relatively short period of
time.
We are still very sad that Mick will not be with us for the time we
had hoped. The prognosis is still a matter of weeks to months. But he was
out walking in the Spring weather today, looking at the squirrels,
listening to the traffic, sniffing everything and everywhere, and going up
to strangers and expecting at least a rub and maybe a treat. We love him
and he loves us and he will go on ahead of us with dignity. When it is his
time. Will keep you posted. Thanks.
Fred. Salevsky, Helen Macgregor, and Mick
