From:
DeMilia
Date: 2001-03-02 16:36:00 UTC
Subject: advice please- swelling submandibular nodes
I have posted earlier about Tish's lymphoma. I have asked my vet to look into
chemotherapy drugs but so far he is having problems with suppliers not having the drugs
and with not even being able to get in contact with the suppliers. She is scheduled to
have a bone marrow aspiration on Monday to see if she is even going to be able to be put
on chemotherapy. The vet gave me prednisolone to give her in the meantime but I chose not
to give it to her considering that it would probably cause her to become resistant to the
chemotherapy. My problem is that her submandibular nodes (under her cheeks) are enlarging
at such a fast rate that I am afraid by Monday she will have a hard time eating. Every
day they get a bit larger. As far as the chemotherapy goes- I don't know if the vet will
be able to get the drugs, I don't know if it will be more expensive than I can afford, and
I don't even know whether or not Tish can even go on chemotherapy, it depends on the
results of her bone marrow aspiration! And, of course, we can't even be sure that they
will be effective! At this point I'm about ready to give her the pred anyways! To top it
all off Chiana started throwing up food earlier, I figured it's a little hair blockage
since she constantly grooms herself, but now Lexx is throwing up too!! I have no idea
what could be wrong, they are both acting normal otherwise. It is just becoming so
stressful!
So to sum it up, if anyone has advice on whether I should go ahead with the pred please
e-mail it to me so that I will get it as quickly as possible. I am so much wanting to
give it to her but am holding off because of always hearing about the resistance build
up. I just can't decide which is the right thing to do! As far as the throwing up- if
it's still going on tomorrow I guess I'll have to make ANOTHER trip to the vet tomorrow.
*sigh*
Thanks,
Michelle
By the way- my vet is pro surgery but when I asked if we should remove the submandibular
nodes he said "NO". If anyone knows why they should not, or could not, be removed please
post it on the board. I'm just curious.