Re: Jen-- how is Ewok doing?--Another tumor

[Lernermichelle]

1/2 cc Dexamethasone and 1/2 cc depomedrol.  Though the norm, when giving Depomedrol, is to give a whole cc at one time, and I have done that as well because some vets insist that is the right amount if you give depo at all. But the vet who taught me about doing the combo shots uses 1/2 cc of each.   If it works, you wait to give the next one until the symptoms come back. It can be anywhere from weeks to days to somewhere in between.  If the shot does nothing for him, he probably is in bad shape.   When Simon was really bad, the oncologist gave him a dex shot and a depo shot. I do not remember if he did 1/2 cc of each or 1 cc of each.  Simon did not get better that day, and I had 2 dex shots at home (from the vet who had taught me about them with my other two), and with the oncologist's knowledge I gave him a dex shot (1 cc, think, but it might have been 1/2 cc) the following day and, I think, the day after.  When he did not respond, I thought it was all over.  But two days later he sat up and asked for food and water and by the next day was running around. What I think happened was that, for Simon, the cancer was in his liver and bone marrow and so he was sick due to very high liver bilirubin levels and very low hematocrit. What I think happened is that the dex and depo shots did work right away in terms of shrinking the lymphoma in the liver and bone marrow, but it took him a few days to process the high bilirubin levels out of his system and make enough red blood cells to bring his hematocrit back up.  So I think he may have had less cancer right after the shots, but I did not know that because it took him a few days to actually feel better, if that makes sense.  With Josephine and Buddy, who had cancer in different places, the dex and depo shots always worked within 3 or 4 hours until their last days when the shots did not work at all.   So I guess I would ask for a combined dex/depo shot of either 1/2 cc of each or 1 cc of each. If it works, I would expect to see a difference within 24 hours for sure.  Since he does not have high liver or kidney values or as far as we know lymphoma in his bone marrow, I would assume that if the steroids are going to work they would make him feel better pretty quickly-- that the shrinking of the tumors itself would make him feel better.   The one possible side effect of strong steroids, short-term, is diabetes.  But it is very rare for that to happen in the short-term and usually is a long-term effect.  Given Ewok's situation, I do not think there is a down-side to trying the steroids.  Or to trying CCNU.   If your oncologist has reservations about using dex/depo combination shots on him, you can tell him to call the oncologist who treated Simon. I have not been in touch with him for months, but he is a really nice guy and I am sure he will remember what happened and be willing to talk about it.  His name is Jeff Philibert and he is at NEVOG in MA (New England Veterinary Oncology Group).  He did research on heavy steroid use in cats before agreeing to do the shots.  The other thing is that your oncologist would probably agree there is not much of a down-side to trying at this point, if the Elspar does not help (which hopefully it will).   Lots of hopeful wishes, Michelle   In a message dated 12/16/2005 3:53:45 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Hi Michelle! Thanks, again, for all of your sage advice and encouragment!  My regular vet is going to call me back, I will ask her about the stronger steroids...what are their full names and how were they administered and how often?