Month 2 of remission was a great one for Sweet Reet! She has been even more spunky and energetic, and playful than ever! We are celebrating every single day with this angel, as we know she is one of the lucky ones to have taken a bite out of cancer. Even though Rita’s Lymphoma is no longer observable and is no longer causing symptoms, we know there can still be millions of cells remaining in her body that cannot be detected at this time. The cells can keep growing and eventually the cancer may again be able to be detected, which would be considered a relapse. With a focus on Margarita’s wellness…good nutrition, supplements, exercise, and happiness…we are remaining positive and hopeful that Margarita took a big enough bite out of Lymphoma to enjoy many more years of happiness!

After our last update, Wayback Burgers saw our post, and was so touched that we chose their establishment as Rita’s celebration meal, they contacted me and sent Margarita a huge package of goodies!

Check out the video below to see what toy she pulled out of the box first!

We were blown-away at this extremely generous gesture, and can’t wait to return to Wayback Burger to use the included gift certificate to get Margarita another treat!

Month 2 Oncology Recheck

On September 10th, Margarita saw her oncologist, Dr. Risbon. Rita’s physical examination was normal and there is no evidence to suggest recurrence of lymphoma at this time. Doctor’ Risbon can hear you very faint murmur on Margarita’s left side when using a stethoscope. I informed Dr. Risbon that I am trying to obtain an appointment sooner that the scheduled November date with Dr. Bossbaly, the cardiologist. Dr. Risbon agreed that Margarita’s heart seems to improved so much that she is hopeful for a confirmation from the cardiologist that the heart has healed itself to some degree.

Dr. Risbon also examined Rita’s mammary mass. She can still feel the small mass (3-5 mm) in association with the nipple which she feels is unchanged from previously. The mass will continue to be monitored for changes/growth. Only if there are changes to the mass will surgery be considered, pending an approval for anesthesia from Dr. Bossbaly.

Dr. Risbon also recommended holding off on vaccines at this time in order to avoid any unnecessary immune system stimulation as this could risk causing a relapse. She said that flea/tick medication and heartworm preventative is fine for continued use.

Month 2 Primary Veterinarian Recheck

Margarita also saw our primary veterinarian, Dr. Campbell, for her monthly check-up on September 19th. The last few days leading up to this appointment I felt as though Rita’s mammary mass had changed a bit. When I checked it the day before her visit, there was what appeared to be a cut on her nipple, and the tissue of the mass seemed to feel different and a bit larger. Dr. Campbell examined it, and agreed. Upon further examination, Rita’s nipple is now excreting a bloody discharge, which is not a good sign. Dr. Campbell said that if Rita had not just been through chemotherapy, she would choose to remove the mass immediately. However, Margarita’s case is very complex. The decision was to continue to watch the mass over the next month and reexamine it in October as long as there are no major changes. The hope is to wait until November when Margarita will see her cardiologist. At that time Margarita’s heart disease will be reassessed, and we will know if she is cleared to handle anesthesia or not. Of course if there happens to be remarkable changes in the mammary gland mass in the meantime, this course of action may have to be altered.

The good news is that aside from the mammary gland mass, Dr. Campbell said Rita’s heart sounds great, and her respiratory rate is normal!

Post 2-Month Check-Up Treat

This month, Margarita enjoyed a treat from Five Guys!

She had a bacon cheese dog, and fries!

As always, thank you for joining Margarita in her journey to take a bite out Lymphoma.