best wishes,
Lena

They don't recommend chemo, and maybe not surgery since it is so aggresive. Would artemisinin benefit him? I just feel like, with his current condition being good and no obvious metastasis yet, he could have a good month or better...IF they can get this to stop bleeding.

While I have worked with dogs with brain tumors in the past and seen good results I feel like they are a tumor where I don't have a set protocol and a lot of it is me seeing an animal and getting a feel of what to do. I don't know where you are in Australia but you have some incredible vets in Australia. See the beginning of this list from the VBMA.
http://www.vbma.org/international%20members.html
Barbara is one of my herbal teachers and Elaine is also very active in the holistic community.
Here is also my article which has some other links to find vets outside the US
http://pathwithpaws.com/blog/2011/12/11/how-to-find-a-good-holistic-vet-to-work-with/

You are going to get so much better results from having someone who can actually see Gina.

Some formulas I have used in the past are Xiao Chai Hu Tang and Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang. Artmeisinin can also be effective. However there are formulas that can also work with her seizures and a good herbalist can tailor the right one for her.

best wishes,
Lena

You were recommended by a friend in the US. I am in Australia, but I do hope you can give us some hope.

Our 11 year old boxer girl Gina has recently been diagnosed with one, maybe 2 brain tumours via CAT Scan.

Surgery is not an option due to the location and I am not a big fan of radiation/chemo.

Gina is on Phenobarbitone and Prednisolone at the moment as well as a number of supplement, homeopathics and herbs.

I was wondering, if you know of any way to shrink the brain tumour without radiation or chemo? I believe Gina lived with the tumour for a long time already as she was suffering from head tremours since we adopted her in 2007 (she is a rescue). It only seems that the tumour has reached a critical size now.

She had her first seizure in April 2010 as our other boxer girl became very sick (she died eventually). Since then Gina had 5 other seizures, always weeks or months apart. The last two seizures were on the 1st and 2nd of January and about 1 week later she started having facial seizures. She had 6 facial seizures in one day, the last one progressed into a full seizure eventually and we brought her to the Emergency Clinic where she was put on Phenobarbitone and Prednisolone.

Gina is still adjusting to the Phenobarbitone, also she does not notice when her paws on her left side (it is a right forebrain lesion) are not properly placed on the ground and she often goes in circles.

I would love to give our beautiful girl life quality, but it would even be better if we could shrink that tumour a bit!

Dagmar

I had not seen anything online about pamidronate. Ill inquire with our vet about this as an option. Radiation isnt going to be an option for us because its going to be too costly I believe. We are in agreement that we would like to do the amputation, assuming that we can get comfort from a doctor that they feel comfortable in being able to fully excise the tumor. But, in reality, we're probably not going to be able to have the surgery scheduled for another week or two. He's in quite a bit of discomfort in the near term, so we're trying to find ways to keep him as comfortable as possible until then. The Tramadol doesnt seem to help him get through the night, so I think we're going to have to continue with the Morphine once a day (at night) for the next week or so.

Ill update as things progress.

Thanks!

I have used all the Chinese herbals you mention together. I usually do not use all of them if there are not lung mets but also am usually doing acupuncture with the animals I treat. It might be very helpful to find a holistic vet who can take a look at him and help come up with the best protocol that is specific. Bulldogs tend to be damp and if he is the herbals like Si Miao San and/or Hoxsey make be more appropriate for him however they will be able to determine that much better by seeing him.

I have had dogs I treat get treatments with pamidronate and it seems to help at least for awhile and they seem to tolerate it very well. It is a fairly new treatment but if amputation is not an option that and radiation might be good options. The best pain management I have seen for osteo is a combo of radiation, pamidronate, gabapentin, tramodol and a NSAID (like Rimadyl). I don't like morphine long term because of the side effects. Please read the warning about artemisinin and radiation.

You are doing a lot for him. He is a lucky guy to have people who care about him so much!

My best advice would be to find a holistic vet to work with. Not only are they going to be able to work with you on protocol but they can also change that protocol if it needs to be changed as you go through treatment with him. In addition they may be able to do acupuncture with him, which I highly recommend. If you haven't seen my article on finding one here it is
http://pathwithpaws.com/blog/2011/12/11/how-to-find-a-good-holistic-vet-to-work-with/

best wishes,
Lena

Quick backstory. Our 4 1/2 year old English Bulldog had been limping around since late October. Our Vet initially diagnosed it as a possible torn tendon or ligament. Xrays were clear in October. We did NSAIDs (Rimadyl) and rest for a couple weeks. No change. So then we did a steroid injection in the shoulder. No change. He had good days where he would walk around on it and other days where he wouldnt put any weight on it. We tried one more time in Mid December to have another steroid injection. Again no change. So our Vet recommended that we go see an ortho specialist.

We got in finally to see the specialist this past Thursday (the 19th). He noted that he could see significant swelling in the shoulder and took xrays again. He came back, and much to our surprise, told us that he suspected it to be bone cancer in his shoulder blade right at the shoulder joint based on the deterioration in the xrays. We were completely caught off guard and hadnt even given thought to the idea that he might have cancer. We went home Thursday night and did some research and thinking, and we went back in yesterday and had x-rays of his chest cavity. Fortunately, it appears that there has not as of yet been any tumors metastasized into the lungs yet.

I understand that in this instance, amputation is the best course of action. I discussed with the specialist and the potential concern based on where the cancer is located, is whether they can get all of the affected area out with clean margins. He noted that he thought that would be his biggest concern, that the cancer would reoccur in the same area. We are fortunate to live in Colorado and be only an hour from Colorado State University, one of the best Veterinary schools and teaching hospitals in the country. We are scheduled to get up there this week to meet with one of their surgical oncologists to discuss the diagnosis and potential treatment. I believe we'll be able to do the surgery there for a more affordable cost for us than we are able to find anywhere else. Additionally, he would be eligible for the chemotherapy clinical trial they have, which would seem to be a good fit for us.

My questions stem mostly from thoughts on supplements. We would like to treat him with a combination of holistic and Western treatments. Ive done extensive research over the past several days, and have come up with lots of ideas and thoughts on holistic ideas. Ive picked up some of the SanSheDan and we've started giving that to him (we put it on his food...i thought this would be easier than trying to squirt it in his mouth). Ive also ordered both the Xhu Fu Zhu Yu Tang and the Xiao Chai Hu Tang. Is it ok/wise to begin giving these to him even though he doesnt present yet with any metastasis in the lungs? I guess, not having the amputation and biopsy yet, theres still a chance it could be a fibrosarcoma or chondrosarcoma with less of a chance of metastases. We've also ordered the Artemisinin and will start him on that as soon as it arrives this week.

In addition to these, we've change his diet to a high protein, grain free diet. We're using Instinct both dry and canned food, generally the canned in the morning and dry in the evening. We've also started him on some Algal-900 DHA and Fish Oil to provide him with more Omega-3 fatty acids, as there is some good research on this being helpful in the diet. We've also ordered some of Berte's Immune Blend (http://www.b-naturals.com/bertes-immune-blend-1-lb-p-17.html?cPath=22_16) as a supplement because it contains vitamin C, bioflavonoids, vitamin E, selenium, l-glutamine and l-arginine , digestive enzymes, pancreatin, acidophilus, B complex, and vitamins A & D.

We're also going to start looking for a holistic vet that is local here in Denver to begin working with. Having said all that (sorry for how long it is!) i have a few questions i thought you might be able to answer:

1. Do you foresee any problems with combining any/all of these supplements/herbals together? We will be sure to introduce them to him one or two at a time and monitor him to see his response.

2. Are there any additional supplements or herbals you would recommend?

3. What are your thoughts on bisphosphonates? Would it be worth it to have him treated with these until we're able to have his amputation done? He's in quite a bit of pain some days and we've been prescribed some Morphine ER for him, but I dont like him being on the Morphine.

4. Any other thoughts you might have for us would be much appreciated! Its still been difficult for us to deal with this, but I think Ive found that the best thing to do is to do our research and be as prepared as possible.

Thanks!

I hope she does well!

Herbs I bought:

Sanshedan Chuanbeiae
Artemisinin
Xiao Chai Hu Tang
Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang

You could try it and see how she does on it. If she gets sick then you can stop it. But go with your gut. If it doesn't feel right listen to that.

I had a wonderful golden retriever I worked with who had osteosarcoma and he tore an cruciate within a day of surgery for amputation of a front leg (at first we thought it was swelling from an IV). Because he was really walking on two legs after that he ended up tearing his other cruciate about six months later and they ended up having to euthanize him.

So if you can get the cruciate healed first it may be much better for Missy. Every cancer is different but even with osteo which spreads fast the Sanshedan and Artemisinin seem to be very good at keeping it from spreading.

Maybe you can do some acupuncture to speed up healing?

Ruta graveolens 30C homeopathic is a great one for cruciate injuries, you can use it with arnica.

I would consider waiting on the surgery until she is healed or at least mostly better as she needs that back leg to be strong if she loses the other. Yes there is a risk of the cancer spreading but if you don't wait there is a risk of her going down all together, if that ligament tears.

I know it is a hard decision to make.

Mushrooms should be cooked - you get more of the medicinal and immune stimulant effect (you get very little if they are not) and mushrooms have mild toxic properties if eaten raw. Actually a very good question that I should add to the article.

All other veggies are fine raw or cooked - if you cook them steaming lightly is the way to go because you don't loss as much of the vits. You are right that raw you get even more vits but they are not always as tasty.

If she is on chemo then any meat should be cooked but the veggies are fine either way. If she isn't on chemo raw meat is fine (except pork or fish) as long as it has been frozen first.

I hope the oncologist is able to help you with a good plan for Lola on Monday and I am sorry they are mets.

I have a 7 year old Boxer who developed Lymphoma about two months ago. We have been doing chemo pills once per month and Baytril (antibiotic), a stomach pill and prednisone daily. Also, we have been giving her natural things too (Artemisinin, Milk thistle & Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang). Her liver count has been somewhat elevated and she has been doing good the last 2 months since we about lost her in Oct. You can’t tell anything is wrong with her, she is very active, eating great and has gained all her weight back. We thought the chemo was working however last week her Vulva started swelling. I took her back to the vet and they thought she had stones. After urine analysis, xray and blood work … no stones. She had a 4 mm crystal but no stones. The swelling has continued and is really large now. She is still voiding properly and eating great but it is really large. Bigger then a golf ball and it is red and draining clear liquid and some spotting. This hasn’t slowed her down, she’s still acting amazing and eating great. The vet told us to try Monistat, that it may be a yeast infection but this seemed to make it worse. He changed her antibiotic and said maybe it was infection but after 2 days its no better. He told me yesterday he thought it was cancer of the uterus however our boxer has no uterus and ovaries and from all we’ve read that’s where cancer of that region comes from. Do you have any ideas or has anyone experienced this? He told us we were going to have to put her down soon if she stops voiding.

I did that and when Lola got out, she said that they got it all out, the margins were clean and there was no need for chemo. I was very worried about not doing chemo but she said that her and a group of 4 other doctors all felt the same. She got an infection about 2 months later and had to be rushed in where they treated her with a strong dose of antibiotic etc. She recovered and has been fine since, eating well, drinking, full of energy and life.

The Dr did no follow up with any blood-work, a chest x ray or bone scan as it’s mentioned on so may sites. This has a high incidence of spread and I am shocked by her lack of follow up with such a serious cancer. She said see you in 6 months for a chest x ray just to be sure, so that;s what I did. I took her in last night for her 6 month follow up and had a chest x ray done. The dr said her lymph nodes felt good and were not swollen and the surgery site looked wonderful. She came out from the chest x ray and sai there were 3 concerning spots on her lungs. I immediately froze and said but you told me not to do the chemo. She said I would have made the same decision based on what we knew of the tumor then. I am getting the official results from the radiologist today but I know it’s metastasis.

She said it could be age spots but that’s highly unlikely I feel. I am unsure what to do at this point. She is 8 yrs old and health otherwise except for hypothyroidism which she takes a pill for. She also said that the chemo would not work at this point but that there are other ‘therapies’ available to shrink it. I feel she should have done the chemo back then but she insisted there was no reason to put her through it.

My question is what do I do now? get a 2nd opinion if it did mets or start your 2 drugs mentioned or both? Also possibly acupuncture? I just want to save my baby.

I’m referring to the : Artemisinin and Sanshedan Chuanbeiye

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

Adrienne and Lola

I did that and when Lola got out, she said that they got it all out, the margins were clean and there was no need for chemo. I was very worried about not doing chemo but she said that her and a group of 4 other doctors all felt the same. She got an infection about 2 months later and had to be rushed in where they treated her with a strong dose of antibiotic etc. She recovered and has been fine since, eating well, drinking, full of energy and life.

The Dr did no follow up with any blood-work, a chest x ray or bone scan as it’s mentioned on so may sites. This has a high incidence of spread and I am shocked by her lack of follow up with such a serious cancer. She said see you in 6 months for a chest x ray just to be sure, so that;s what I did. I took her in last night for her 6 month follow up and had a chest x ray done. The dr said her lymph nodes felt good and were not swollen and the surgery site looked wonderful. She came out from the chest x ray and sai there were 3 concerning spots on her lungs. I immediately froze and said but you told me not to do the chemo. She said I would have made the same decision based on what we knew of the tumor then. I am getting the official results from the radiologist today but I know it’s metastasis.

She said it could be age spots but that’s highly unlikely I feel. I am unsure what to do at this point. She is 8 yrs old and health otherwise except for hypothyroidism which she takes a pill for. She also said that the chemo would not work at this point but that there are other ‘therapies’ available to shrink it. I feel she should have done the chemo back then but she insisted there was no reason to put her through it.

My question is what do I do now? get a 2nd opinion if it did mets or start your 2 drugs mentioned or both? Also possibly acupuncture? I just want to save my baby.

I’m referring to the : Artemisinin and Sanshedan Chuanbeiye

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

Adrienne and Lola

Sometime dementia and anxiety reach a point where nothing works and we know they are only getting worse. I think it is different dog to dog when the right time is. For me working with a shaman Rose DeDan towards the end helped me realize that Mel was clearly ready to go as well. He didn't want to live he life in the way he was living it and he didn't feel very good even though he was somewhat ok during the day.

With both my dogs that I have lost over the last three years dementia was a large part of their decline. I was amazed that within the sadness over their lose there was also a large sense of relief. I realized when they were gone and could remember them in their prime easier how much they were suffering through their dementia and I was glad I was able to let them go before it got worse.

Sometimes euthanasia, while hard, is one of the greatest gifts we can give our animal companions in the end.

Okay I have collected the following:

Artemisinin 100 mg

Hepasunate 50 mg

K9 Plus wafers

GNC Ultra Mega Superfood Complex

Meeker Rasperry powder (waiting on it – not here yet)

So – now trying to figure out what to give whom and how much

Bailey is the one with the amputated leg – he has not yet started chemo – he weighs 80 #

Bongo cannot have surgery – started radiation therapy – he weighs #116

I know that Arte cannot be given while undergoing radiation – same with Hepasunate?

Any recommendations greatly appreciated. Bongo is also on Tramadol 50 – 4 tabs every 8 hours; Carprofen 100 1 every 12 hours; and Gabapentin 600 1/2 tab every 8 hours

Thank you again

Sharon