2/28/2012

Let it grow, let it grow, let it grow.....

Here are pictures of Matt's garden. I think the picture below is watermelons or cantelopes that are being grown inside. I'm amazed how fast the seeds are growing. 


This isn't even the entire garden. There is a small area behind me that will house corn....again, I think. I get confused on where everything will be planted. But he keeps it straight, so that is all that matters.



We started Pal on Neoplasene last night. I chose to try this on him because of the tumors on his lungs and because I am going to be using Neoplasene on my 18 yo TB mare, Savvy, who has melanomas.  Pal is a 10 yo male black lab who is healthy other than these blasted tumors. He is happy, eats great, drinks great, goes the bathroom normal and likes to beat the crap out of my other lab. His breathing is labored and he is especially uncomfortable when it is warmer than 60 degrees. It sounds like he has a chronic case of asthma, but it's worse than that.

This is taken from http://www.holvet.net/neoplasene.html
Neoplasene® Background:  Neoplasene is a relatively new drug available for veterinary use.  It is derived from the perennial herb bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis), so named because of the reddish sap of the root.  It has historically been used as a dye, an emetic (induces vomiting) and a wart and tumor treatment, esp. by Native Americans.  In cancer it has been used as a caustic escharotic paste called Black Salve, which "burns" any flesh it comes into contact with, whether it is healthy or not.  This is indiscriminate necrosis.  Neoplasene is not Black Salve, anymore than refined stainless steel is crude iron ore.  Nor is Neoplasene whole bloodroot.   It is, only in part, an isolate of the active ingredients of bloodroot called benzyl isoquinoline alkaloids, with the primary one being sanguinarine.


Another good website is http://www.buckmountainbotanicals.net/index.html.


Pal's diet is very strict. He is supposed to get 11oz per meal of his new diet which is 50% ground beef, 25% white rice & 25 % cooked veggies. This is mixed all together and then the liquid Neoplasene is added. We then add some type of dairy(yogurt, cottage cheese, etc) to the meal as well to help settle his stomach. We are starting him on a very small dose. He is also not allowed to have any dry dog food or dry dog treats, which is won't be happy about this!!! He is also only allowed to drink water directly after his meals and nothing in between. 


I'm very hopeful but anxious as well....I'm anxious all the time so that is nothing new:) Keep checking back on updates on Pal. Savvy will start her treatment on April 3rd. 


Live strong & rock on!

2/27/2012

Long time, no write...

I know it's been a while since our last up date. We are no longer "nine is enough" since we lost Jo, but we aren't changing our name NOR are we adding another animal to make it fit!!!  We miss her every day!!!

Matt has been spending ALOT of time in therapy, aka gardening! I can't wait to post some pictures of the garden. He keeps expanding it! I lost track of everything he is planting. He is using the smoke house, which has electricity, to start his seeds under a continuous light. So far both in the ground & in the smoke house he has onions, elephant garlic, 4 types of potatoes, spinach, lettuce, 2 types of strawberries, 3 types of fig trees, 3 types of watermelon, 3 types of cantelope, lavendar, a couple types of tomatoes....and more. I told you I couldn't remember it all! He loves watching things grow and I love eating what he grows. I am helping a bit by providing some lovely compost for his garden!

I am starting a treatment tonight on my 10 yo. black lab, Pal, called Neoplasene. It's a type of "chemo" drug used ONLY for animals. He has some tumors we are going to try to overcome. The diet is very strict once he starts. I'm excited and nervous at the same time. I will be using this same treatment, but in a different form, on my 18 yo gray TB mare, Savvy in April. I will be posting about the treatment for both of them. Please pass this blog along if you know of anyone with a dog, cat or horse with tumors or melanomas.  I want to reiterate that this drug is only for animals.

Live strong & rock on!!