[lucasmom]

Hi Xena's Daddy-
Our stories are almost exactly the same...so sad that we both have to go through this, as others before us have done. My Lucas is acting like his old self. I think he is responding nicely to the pain meds (tramadol and piroxicam). He is barking and the squirrels in the backyard and best of all, he now greets me at the door when I come home from work!!! He had given that up for the couple of weeks after diagnosis. Other than his tumor growing like wildfire, he is doing quite well. I thought about measuring the circumference because it appears to be larger than a golf ball now. When will it stop growing??? Dear God, this is so scary. I have noticed that Lucas does not drink like he used to, but that his appetitie is very good. He is eating only the low carb diet prescribed by the U of Colorado that I provided in an earlier thread. I make 50 meatballs a week that he gets his pills "hid" inside of. He loves those meatballs!! I do not give him any kibble, biscuits, or other carbs. He doesn't seem to mind!! I just pray that he continues to do well. I wouldn't even know that anything is wrong with him except for that darn growing tumor. I am praying that the Artemisinin will shrink the tumor. I have noticed that since I have been giving him 100 mg twice per day, the lipomas under his armpits have shrunk in half! He has had these fatty tumors for years that the vet biopsied years ago that were negative for cancer. Now they are shrinking!!! I hope that the tumor on his leg responds the same. We can keep in touch and support one another. I love my dog so much...my heart is slowly breaking. Please stay in touch with me on this thread. My best to you and Xena...I will pray for her when I pray for Lucas.