Oliver completed radiation!!

[emily_the_spoiled]

So we have now reached about 2/3 of the way through the treatment. Now including today's treatment, there are 6 more to go. So far he has had only a few side effects and thankfully none of them have effected his appetite (although I am not sure anything would ). The vet did warn me that the last few treatments are when they are likely to start seeing some side effects, so please keep your fingers crossed for him that they won't be too bad for him.

When I went to drop him off this AM, the radiation machine wasn't working and they were waiting for the repair person to come. I haven't heard back from them yet which likely means that it is going to take awhile to fix the machine ...

The vet also showed me this great video of Oliver opening the cage door and escaping. They tried a different closure the next day and he managed to open that also. They have now rigged something else up, but they tell me that he is still trying to get out. Since he has 7 more days there, I am pretty sure by the end he will have managed to figure it out again

[Catty1]

What a clever boy! You'll have to add Houdini as a middle name!

I am glad the side effects have been few, and that any that do show up in the next 6 treatments are not too bad.

I take it his appetite has not been affected?

What happens after the radiation is done? Is there a waiting period and then a test of some kind to give Oliver the all-clear?

[emily_the_spoiled]

After he finishes his radiation he is put on piroxicam in an attempt to prevent the cancer from coming back (similar to tamoxifen for breast cancer). Unfortunately there is no test he can be given to determine whether he is cancer free. I just have to cross my fingers and hope that is doesn't come back (along with the tamoxifen). There is a high probability that it will come back with a low 1-year survival rate. But if he makes it to one year he is likely to survive.

I am trying to keep positive thoughts about this because he had clean edges when they remove the cancer and it had not spread to the lymph nodes or lungs. When they tested the biopsy, they found that this particular type of cancer had a high mitotic rate (which means that is grows very quickly). So that is the down side, but this also means that it may be more responsive to the radiation.

[phesina]

More prayers and good wishes and healing energies for you from us, Oscar Houdini! (What a clever boy you are!)