Schmoopy Calcium Levels

03.03.15 – Calcium = 11 (within normal range) (Creatine Kinase high at 416 (range = 10-200)
06.20.16 – Calcium = 10.7 (within normal range)
12.07.16 – Calcium = 11.4 (within normal range)
04.10.17 – Calcium = 12.8 (above high normal)
04.27.17 – Calcium = 15.3 (above high normal) (earlier this week, SubQ fluids, Lasix & diuretic in an effort to get Calcium under control)
04.27.17 – Ionized Calcium = 1.41 (above high normal) (IV fluids)
04.28.17 – Ionized Calcium = 1.4 (above high normal)
05.01.17 – Ionized Calcium = 1.3 (on morning of surgery (prior to surgery)) (within normal range)
05.10.17 – Ionized Calcium = 1.43 (above high normal)
05.16.17 – Ionized Calcium = 1.88 (above high normal) - This is the highest it has ever been
05.17.17 – Ionized Calcium = 1.64 (above high normal) but less than yesterday.

05.18.17 – Ionized Calcium = 1.44 (above high normal) but going down.
05.19.17 – Ionized Calcium = 1.36 (slightly above high normal)
05.23.17 – Ionized Calcium = 1.12 (slightly below normal)
05.29.17 – Ionized Calcium = 1.87 (above high normal)

Monday, May 22, 2017

May 19, 2017 - May 22, 2017: Schmoopy's First Chemo treatment

May 19, 2017 – Friday morning around 8:00am: Dropped Schmoopy off at Hope Center Oncology

May 19, 2017 – Friday morning around 10:00am: 
                          Dr. McNeill called: ionized calcium now down to 1.36 (very slightly above normal)

May 19, 2017 – Friday:  Schmoopy had his first chemo treatment in the afternoon. 
                          My observations after bringing him home:
                          In General:  Agitated, restless, uncomfortable, nauseous, vomited 5x

                          How he presented when we brought him home:  In general, he has not felt well
                          since I brought him home on Friday (05/19) afternoon.

     I picked him up around 3:00pm and for that first hour, he vomited about 3-4 times. 
     I had allowed him some water but picked it up because I knew he wanted too much, too quickly.   
     That said, his vomit was not the clear liquid kind he has vomited in the past when he consumed
     too much water, too quickly.)
     I lifted the water, but he desperately wanted water.

     I called Oncology at around 4:00pm and here is what the nurse reported to me:
  • He ate a little bit, and a few treats for the nurses when at the Oncology office.
  • They did try to limit his water because (not sure why they did, but they did)
  • Nurse said he was anxious there.  
  • She said I could give him ice cubes if he needs something
  • They gave him injections of Cerenia and Ondansetron earlier in the day
  • She said I could give another dose of Metoclopramide (I gave it to him)
  • She also said she didn’t feel his nausea was from the chemo.  She thought it was more the stress of being there and commented that he was pretty anxious. So, they did limit his water while there because he seemed so anxious.  (Schmoopy also never likes to be alone.  Since a puppy he has always been this way.  For times when I have to crate the dogs at home, I cannot crate Schmoopy alone. He is fine when crated with his Sassy (my 9 year old American Eskimo.  I have a HUGE crate that I can fit inside with them (smile)))
The rest of the evening 05.19.17:
  • He seemed agitated, restless, wouldn’t/couldn’t relax from about 3:30pm until about 9:00pm.  This is not typical behavior.
  • Barking constantly (the way he barks when he wants something.  It’s a demanding something from me type of bark)
  • All he seemed to want was water (I allowed him some water but then he threw up)  I limited the water thereafter and gave ice cubes instead (which he chewed up and ate (he never chews ice))
  • All in, he vomited about 5x Friday afternoon.  It was brown, liquidy, with sometimes small pieces of food.  (It looked like it was likely the ID Stew they gave him to eat earlier)
I called Hope Emergency at around 8:20pm because I was concerned:
  • At this point he had not vomited for about 2 hours but cannot seem to settle down.
  • Carrie suggested I try giving him Tramadol (It has sedative effects too) (I did.  This seemed to help him settle down and get more comfortable)
May 20, 2017 – Saturday, around 8:00pm:
                           Eating very little, not feeling well.  Urinating and defecating seems normal.

     Called Hope Emergency because Schmoopy hasn’t eaten all day.
     Spoke with Sidney.  I told her the following:
  • I have been giving him all the medications I was instructed to give which includes anti-nausea medications but I’m concerned because I can tell he’s nauseous (tries to eat grass when I potty him, he has not eaten for me all day.  When I offer food, he comes to me and then turns his head away.)
  • Lethargic
  • Not eating
  • Not drinking much either
  • Sidney asked if I have an appetite stimulant and suggested I give this (Mirtazapine).  I gave this and did see some results.  He ate some food pretty quickly afterwards.  A little bit of kibble and a McDonald’s plain meat patty (no bun)  I normally don’t feed my dogs McDonald’s but I was desperate to try to get something in him.
May 21, 2017 – Sunday, around 8:00pm: 
                           Eating very little, not feeling well.  Urinating and defecating seems normal. 
                           Water consumption seems on the lower side (but maybe this is good?  I say this 
                           because before he was consuming way too much.  Hemay be drinking more 
                          "normal" now)
  • Schmoopy wouldn’t eat in the morning.   
  • Gave him the appetite stimulant again around 4:00pm (it’s a 24 hour dose, but the Hope Center said I could give a little earlier).  
  • He ate fairly well for me and then again for Peter in the evening.
May 22, 2017 – Monday, around 7:00pm:
                          Overall assessment:  Eating very little, not feeling well. 
                          Urinating and defecating seems normal. 
                          Water consumption seems on the low side

  • Schmoopy ate a very small amount of kibble and chicken in the morning (not much) for Peter.
  • My mom stayed with him until Peter got home (I had to fly to Denver for a business trip).  
  • Mom gave him the appetite stimulant around 2:00pm but would not eat for her.
  • Peter got home around 3:30pm. Schmoopy still wouldn’t eat.
  • Peter bought 3 McDonald’s plain hamburgers.  Schmoopy ate two of them.  (That’s still only 180 calories.)
     I'm concerned.  Peter to take back to Hope if he doesn't eat more by tomorrow.

1 comment:

White Dog Blog said...

Welcome home. Of course this is where you would share Schmoopy's journey in all of its details because here your family understands and surrounds you with paws and arms wrapped tighyl in encouragement and love.

Canine Chronicle - Westminster 2010 Edition

Canine Chronicle - Westminster 2010 Edition
Page 275