Thought I'd post an update on Pippin's progress, as I have been eagerly reading everyone else's posts - especially Heidi's, and am finding I'm coming up against the same unknowns.
The CV247 arrived, and the first dose was given this morning. She really doesn't like the taste, couldn't interest her in it at all, even when mixed with things she normally loved, so I'm afraid I had to pin her down and squirt using the syringe. I have just ordered some of the Dr Linus Vitamin C powder that Beverley just said John Carter favoured - maybe that will be more to her liking. The diet we have embraced fully - with the proportions featured in the Dogs Today article : everything organic, only low-sodium bottled water, and she LOVES it. I hadn't even thought of using a blender (thanks to Heidi's mum for that one), which I guess might be a better idea - am sure I read somewhere that dogs have a limited ability to digest cellulose.
Now Pippin is a dog that lives for food, and each day revolves around the next morsel. I read on one of the posts about the baked oat treats, and promptly made some - rapturously received! To all of John's old patients - are they the only treat he recommended? Or can I use morsels taken out of her dinner throughout the day. I'm just so worried about getting the proportions wrong. And the other thing I really wanted to ask was about carrot juice. Someone mentions that John recommended that doggie patients drink carrot juice - as much of it as possible. It makes no mention of this on the bumph that comes with the CV247 - shall we go for it?
Beverley mentions that John used to alter the diet for different cancers... Does anyone out there remember anything being said about tailoring it around lung cancer? A lady called Sheila posted some John Carter memories, and mentions a lady she used to travel with whose dog had lung cancer. It had been diagnosed as having 3 months to live, and with John's help ended up living for another 3 years! Maybe she could contact her and ask if she remembers any of John's specifications for lung cancer...??
So how is Pippin doing? Well, we knew the lung tumours (2 found on x-ray just before Christmas) were about egg-size, and I can only assume they are now even more advanced, as her coughing has worsened since then - she tends to have a few coughs during the night, but now her brief walks will make her cough too. She is much quieter than she used to be, and sleeps more, and more heavily, although will be extremely perky when she knows food is imminent! Her gums are still a nice pink, and her coat still glossy, although she now has the cachectic look that all cancer dogs eventually get - bit on the ribby side, and her vertebrae are prominent, although she hasn't actually lost any weight - she's around 25kg. This change has been so fast really. As I said in my first post, she was ridiculously fit for her age up until Christmas, and SO many people would say - 'is she a puppy?' because of her youthful looks!
We as a family are so tuned into her, that we are watching with baited breath for any improvement - very early days I know (!), but if we only see an improvement in well-being, that will be welcome indeed. I have included a photo of her - my favourite of her actually, taken before she got poorly - just look at that dear little face! I'm loathe to send you one of the recent ones, although I will dig one out for a future post.
So that's where we are at the moment. I'm keeping everything crossed, not only for Pippin but for all of our fellow CV247-ers!
With kindest regards,
Kate
John always used a syringe without a needle to squirt the CV247 mixture down the back of the throat, so do continue! No pets ever got to taste it - for humans he mixed it with orange juice and it didn't taste much different than juice.
I wonder if we can find any more recent John Carter CV247 patients who can see if this diet that is being sent out with the drugs is the same as he was using before he died?
It seems to have moved quite a bit since my era.
And I think anything from the diet sheet can be used as a treat. My old Sally loved veg and would steal things from the veg rack.
Good luck to Pippin and all the lovely dogs and cats trying CV247.
Beverley
My dog Rosie ,a Cavalier king charles Spaniel was being treated for mammary cancer just before John died. We started visiting himi in 2006 and rosie was given CV247 for a year . Ond day just before Christmas we went to the surgery in Kenton and he had left a message to say he was retiring but that he could be contacted by phone. I went home and made the call and then collected the medicine from his house. Sadly he then was unable to supply me with any more and when I contacted him it seemed his memory had gone. Rosie lived an extra 18 months due to John.
ReplyDeleteHer diet was raw organic chicken , organic carrots ,red peppers apples, and sometimes raw liver. She loved the diet which we blended in a mini chopper and her coat became beautiful and she had vitality! What a wonderful man John was! We knew of him because he had treated my husband's brothers dog in the 80's. When we visited him we only met up with one other couple. The waiting room was eerily quiet and on a book shelf there were old pictures of the dogs that John had treated.
Cathy
ReplyDeleteCan you email me? Would love to hear some more about Rosie and her treatment. My email is beverley@dogstodaymagzine.co.uk
Beverley, Editor, Dogs Today
When my beardie Harry was seeing John Carter we obtained the Vitamin C powder at the chemist by John's surgery. I also obtained it at my local chemist who ordered it for me. The actual name is Linus Vitamin C powder - manufactured by Chatfield Pharmaceuticals - 0207 3704664. The last box i obtained from Boots the Chemist. Hope this is of some help. Best wishes.
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