Daniel is doing AWESOME!
In case you don't know what I'm talking about, here's a quick summary. Daniel is our eleven-year-old greyhound. In late July, he was diagnosed with low-level T-cell lymphoma of the spleen. (Click HERE to read my first post about this). He is being treated with chemotherapy (CCNU) and prednisone, and he has responded perfectly. (The update I wrote after his first chemotherapy dose is HERE.)
Along with his cancer, a big concern for me has been his loss of weight while he's been sick. He is so thin. Since his first chemo treatment, I run him across the scale at my vet's office once a week to keep a close eye on it ... my normally 70-pound dog bottomed out at 58.2 pounds when I weighed him on August 15. (That's three pounds less than he weighed when he had his first chemotherapy treatment.) He has a great appetite, and will eat anything I put in front of him, but he was still not regaining any of his weight.
"Is breakfast ready, Mom?"
August 20 was our appointment for a follow up with his oncologist and his second chemotherapy treatment. Upon examination, Dr. Sheafor pronounced that Daniel's spleen is now "dramatically and palpably smaller" (her words) than it was when she saw him three weeks before. She reassured me about his weight loss ... she theorizes that it was probably the reduction in the volume of the cancer in his spleen that accounts for most of it. I was over-the-moon excited when she told me this.
"What's that?"
Our weight check this week revealed that Daniel now weighs 62.2 pounds ... that's a four pound gain within two weeks! He is still really thin, but that's okay because he is going the right direction and he should soon be back to a better weight.
"Yum!"
Our happy, active Daniel is back. He has a spring in his step, a boyish twinkle in his eyes, and he has the energy to run and play again.
Thank you for all of the wonderful messages that so many of you have sent asking about Daniel. It is wonderful to report that he is fantastic, and I can't hardly stop smiling about it.