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From the Trenches

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A Vet’s Story

[/trx_title][trx_title type=”4″ align=”center” color=”#434544″ weight=”700″ bottom=”mini”]by Dr. Eileen Savier CVA, CVCH[/trx_title][vc_column_text]

Diagnosis: Cancer

More than one process, more than one treatment.

Lilly presented for an exam one morning for a new mass her owners found. Her physical exam was overall unremarkable outside of a large mass on the front of her chest near her scapula. I used a needle to collect some cells from the mass to evaluate under the microscope. The cells were very abnormal, nothing like what I had seen before. Initially I thought we were dealing with some form of Lymphoma but since there were no other areas of lymph node enlargement or masses we would need a biopsy to be sure. Lilly was next scheduled for a biopsy. Lilly was placed under anesthesia and two 8mm biopsies were collected from the mass and sent to the pathologist for evaluation. When the biopsy returned we found that Lilly was not suffering from a form of Lymphoma but an even more rare form of cancer. Lilly had an osteosarcoma but it was not growing in a bone as they typically do it was growing as a soft tissue mass near some pretty vital structures. At this time we took chest x-rays to be sure there was no evidence of disease in her chest. When that test was normal we referred Lilly to a specialist for tumor removal. This would provide Lilly the best change for complete surgical removal. It took approximately two weeks for Lilly to recover from surgery she then started chemotherapy. Lilly started Carboplatin treatment with a veterinary oncologist. She received a total of five treatments.

This is the point in Lilly’s journey where if we were utilizing only known tried and true medicine her story would be finished. Lilly was a special girl though so we did some more digging and started some non-traditional and experimental treatments. Firstly we started a Turkey tail mushroom supplement called IMYunity. The research we have with the supplement shows it help prevents metastatic disease (the spread of cancer to distant tissues). The second supplement we started was Wei Qi Booster. This is a combination of supplements designed to help support the production of white blood cells from the bone marrow. A low white blood cell count is a common side effect of Chemotherapy. The last component to Lilly’s treatment is an experimental vaccine developed by two doctors at Yale University. So far Lilly’s remission has been going very well. At her last check up she was still free of metastatic disease.

The other additional treatment we could have considered versus the experimental Yale Vaccine is a DNA targeted medication from a company called FidoCure. This is something additional you could consider adding to your pets treatment plan.

This combination of treatments has served Lilly well, but it took a collective team effort to provide Lilly with her best chance. This outcome took the combined effort of a veterinary general practitioner, a veterinary surgeon, and a veterinary oncologist. The term “It takes a village” doesn’t just apply to raising children it applies to care for your pups too![/vc_column_text][/trx_section][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1533135180690{margin-top: 40px !important;}”][vc_column css=”.vc_custom_1533134942241{background-color: #d9ae4c !important;}”][trx_title type=”2″ align=”left” color=”#f6f2e4″ left=”20″ right=”20″]About Dr. Eileen Savier[/trx_title][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1533135315368{padding-right: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 30px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;}”]Barks & Recreation is proud to feature Dr. Eileen Savier CVA, CVCH as our Veterinary Blogger in our “From the Vet” Series. Currently part of the team of doctors at Keystone Veterinary Clinic, Dr. Savier is a 2012 Graduate of the Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, She completed her clinical experience at The Ohio State University and after veterinary school she pursued further education and certification in Veterinary Acupuncture, Chinese Herbal Medicine, and Fear Free veterinary visits. Dr. Savier has a special interest in integrative medicine, animal behavior, and internal medicine and is committed to improving animal health care by integrating Eastern and Western philosophies. She enjoys working with fearful & aggressive dogs and cats and she has had additional training in low stress handling techniques and encourages positive reinforcement during exams and procedures. Her clinical interests include pain management, animal behavior, geriatric patient care, and internal medicine. Dr. Savier is a member of the following associations:

• American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)
• International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management (IVAPM)
• American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP)
• American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB)
• American Association of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (AATCVM)
• Ohio Veterinary Medical Association (OVMA)

Dr. Savier shares her home with two (soon to be three) dogs, two cats, and a toddler. She lovingly refers to her two dogs as Coconut Retrievers as they were rescue dogs she brought home from the island of St. Kitts. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her family, going to the beach, and planning her next Disney vacation.

Join us every month for Dr. Savier’s “From the Vet” series to get more information related to the health and welfare of your furry family members![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]