Million Dollar Dog

We have had a difficult month or so with our baby.  For most of the summer, we wrestled with skin issues.  Generally, these clear up once the hot days of summer pass.  We've not been so lucky lately.  Instead, we are dealing with hot spot after hot spot, along with an odd growing bald spot on her tummy.  The only slightly amusing thing about this, is her new nick-name of Pizza Head.  It's been hard for us to find a method to impede her ability to either lick her hind leg (there's a spot there) or scratch her face, I found a solution: a neck-rest pillow topped with a pizza Halloween costume.  The latter wasn't something I sought out -- I came across it on a clearance rack at Michael's and thought that at $1.75, it was worth a try.  Paired with the pillow, it's working well. I am glad I purchased two!

After going through a couple of cycles of antibiotics and increasing her dose of skin/allergy meds, during which, she also had a very positive yearly exam where the vet stated he was very happy with her over-all health.   Finally, last week, I'd had enough.  We went back to the vet.  He bumped her up to a higher dose of antibiotics -- 750mg of Cephalexin, twice a day.  He gave me a prescription for a generic to fill at our pharmacy because I also requested an injection of a drug I knew would be super expensive.  Cytopoint is an injectible that the oncologist recommend and also told us would be the only drug she could use if on chemo.  Our past use of Apoquel ($2 per pill) was more affordable and had been working well. But it becomes less effective over time. At two pills a day, with repeated vet visits, maybe not the cheaper alternative after all!
 

In addition to the vet visits, we were following up with a prescription shampoo to be used weekly.  This was employed at the local self-service dog wash (where I can do a better job and blow out her coat).  On Mondays, a wash is $10.50 ($12.50 other days of the week).  She also got a grooming ($80) using that shampoo (done every six weeks).  The groomer noticed her bald spot and noted her skin felt dry.  That was what convinced me to go back to the vet.

The injection of Cytopoint cost us $117; and that didn't include the exam charge ($56).  We also left with a tub of anti-microbial wipes ($25) and a sulfur-based cream ($17).  The entire visit was $215.78.  The vet wants her back in two weeks to see how she's doing.  We are electing to have him do her lymphoma monitoring blood draw.  A visit to the oncologist will set us back $156 and was schedule for the same week.

Fortunately, the oncologist is OK with our plan this time. Going forward, I will bring her to whichever vet is cheaper for the shot of Cytopoint.  If the practice where we go for oncology is cheaper, we'll have her shot done during her cancer check.  If our regular vet is cheaper, we'll just drop in for the shot when it's due.

The shot needs to be given every four to eight weeks.  I am hoping we can make it eight weeks now that summer has passed.  We can supplement it with Benadryl without fearing a negative interaction.  I want to be optimistic about this new drug, which is supposed to disable the message sent to the brain that it feels the need to scratch. It should block the sense if itch/irritation and work within 24 hours.  She had the injection almost a week ago, and since then, without the indignity of the pizza barrier on, she's scratched off the scab on her face twice.  Argh!

We can't for the life of us, figure out what is causing her skin to erupt, but the vet believes her challenged immune system, due to the cancer, is at the root.  On the up-side, he thinks her over-all state of health is remarkable; he's not had a patient look so good nine months post-diagnosis.  So, we have that thought to comfort us. Oh yeah, and she is strong enough to have totally pulled me down, causing a very embarrassing fall, simply because she had to greet a mail carrier we met on our walk yesterday.

Why am I sharing this?  It's because this is the financial reality of owning a dog.  In spite of our best efforts to keep her healthy (which I believe we have done and are still doing), there is no such thing as an impenetrable shield.  Cancer sucks, and it will attack even the healthiest body.  Pets get sick, and that costs money.  This is not my way of saying we should have gotten pet insurance, because I don't think those policies are worth it.   But it is my way of saying that when you decide to have a pet in your life, you must be prepared to either pay for health care when needed, or possibly face saying good-bye to your pet if you can't afford it.  I love my dog dearly (I think that is evident), but I would not go into deep debt to keep her alive.

Going forward, if we solve the hot spot issue, we can expect to have to stay on the injectible, as well as expect to use the shampoo, wipes, and cream.  Two week's of antibiotics were $20.  The vet thinks we will want to use them for four weeks.

This has been frustrating and painful for all of us -- physically for her, mentally and emotionally for me and The Big Guy.  I don't know what the future has in store for her, but whatever it is, I expect it will be expensive.