Sammy's Story

In this month's Blog I would like to pay tribute to a very special little beagle named Sammy. I was blessed to have been given the opportunity to meet, care for, and grow to love Sammy. Sammy was super resilient boy who battled a severe heart condition in addition to the bladder cancer I was treating him for. He fought hard, had a fabulous quality of life, and constantly proved me wrong by outliving all the predicted survival times for his condition. Sammy was blessed to have a wonderful human family that loved him immensely and took amazing care of him. Sadly, Sammy lost his battle in July 2012.

Below is “Sammy's Story” authored by his human parents. It is a wonderful tribute to his life and it proves how often animals actually end up rescuing us when we think we are rescuing them.

Dr. Gina Olmsted

   On Sunday, July 22, Sammy, our sweet Beagle, passed away at home, surrounded by those who loved him.

We'll never forget when we first saw his adorable face. We brought dog and cat food to the Animals for Life shelter in Middlebury, CT one Saturday morning in February, 2010, and as we walked through looking at all the dogs, there he was, quietly sitting on his haunches, one paw up against the cage door, calling to us with his eyes."I belong to you", he was saying.  We filled out an application, but were told that another family was ahead of us. But fate would bring him to us instead. When Sue brought Mac to the vet to be neutered, (that was the name they had given him) she discovered that he had a heart murmur and would need daily medication.  When the other family heard this, they no longer wanted him, and so Sammy found his forever home with us.

  He was sweet and funny and cuddly and a bit of a devil. He loved his walks and his couch and his stuffed lion and llama, which he "stole" from the stuffed animal basket.  And he adored his people. His heart and lungs got progressively worse, but it didn't slow him down. With the help of his local cardiologist, as well as the chief

cardiologist at the Animal Medical Center in New York City, he was stabilized.

  Then on December 10, 2011, we received the devastating news that Sammy had a tumor in his bladder. A wonderful internist at VCA Shoreline Veterinary Referral and Emergency Center in Shelton, CT diagnosed it, and that same day we had the good fortune to meet Dr. Gina Olmsted, an oncologist from the Veterinary Cancer Center in Norwalk, CT. She became not only Sammy's oncologist, but a dear friend who loved Sammy so much.  We tried 3 months of different protocols, including intravenous chemotherapy, but the tumor wasn't shrinking.  So together with Dr, Olmsted, we made the decision to stop all treatment.  His kidney function was very poor, but much to every one’s surprise, he rebounded, got a second wind, and had 4 more excellent months.
 
   We believe that he knew how much we needed him to stay with us through July.  My father's funeral was July 14, and by July 19 my nephew and sister, who were here from the west coast, had left to go home.  The house quieted down, and then Sammy began to slow down. For 3 days we were constantly with him, every moment of the day and night.  He wasn't eating any longer, nor could he take his walks, but he loved being outside on the grass and sleeping with us at night.

On Sunday, July 22, he spent most of the day outside on the grass, and we took turns staying there with him. By early afternoon he let us know that he did not want to be outside any longer, and he stumbled to the front door.  I carried him inside, and put him on a soft bed in the entry, but he was very restless.  Finally, he tried valiantly to walk to his couch, and so I gently picked him up and laid him in a comfortable position. At 5:10pm, he took his last breath, and went over the Rainbow Bridge.

   Over the past years we have loved a Springer Spaniel, a Collie, 2 Basset Hounds, a Flatcoat Retriever, and 2 mixed breeds, but none ever stole our hearts like this little Beagle.  We are heartbroken and bereft, and wait for him to come trotting around the corner.  We are so grateful to everyone who walked with us and Sammy on his difficult journey –  His local veterinarians and cardiologist, the veterinarians and staff at Shoreline and Animal Medical Center, and Dr. Gina Olmsted and the staff of the Veterinary Cancer Center.

We have been told by so many people how blessed Sammy was to have found such a loving home and such devoted parents like us.  But we are the ones whose lives were touched and blessed by the gift of this loving, adorable Beagle.

-Helen and Karen

 

“You can give chemotherapy to dogs like in humans?

I’ve been working in the veterinary medical field for a little over 10 years.  General practice, emergency, specialty dentistry, exotics, it seems like I’ve seen and done it all until I started working at The Veterinary Cancer Center. I’m from a small town in Texas where I feel that it is unheard of to treat an animal that has cancer. The common perception that I hear the most when people learn that I work at a Specialty Oncology Center is “Dogs can get cancer?”  Or my personal favorite; “You can give chemotherapy to dogs like in humans?  Or “You have the capability to radiate tumors too? “ The answer is yes you can.  I can honestly say that I had the same view and attitude but I came to realize the sheer science, beauty, and what a discipline veterinary oncology entails. My primary role in the hospital is Radiation Therapy, where I work alongside Tara, Rosie, and Dr. Farrelly. Dr. Farrelly is one of the few veterinarians in the country that is a double boarded in Radiation Oncology through the American College of Veterinary Radiology and Medical Oncology through the American College of Internal Medicine (Oncology). It is a true honor to learn and work with him.

Like I said before, Veterinary Oncology is a very interesting and amazing niche in veterinary medicine and Radiation Oncology is an even smaller niche that I find even more amazing. With my limited experience in the field I can say that I’ve seen some amazing and inspirational things being done. My personal philosophy is that I devote my life and time to my animals and I’m trusted in the care of your animal as a veterinary technician and want provide the best care possible. So when I see an animal that is clearly in pain or not feeling well due to a cancer, I want to see results just as you do. By working with Dr. Farrelly in the Radiation Oncology Department, I see animals that are in pain, but after a couple weeks of treating these patients, I feel like I can see the relief and see that they feel better.  Sure, the side effects of radiation are there, but getting down to the root of why we’re treating, we are potentially curing and prolonging an animal’s life. We can always treat the side effects (that’s the easy part).  Next month I’ll present one of these cases and show you firsthand the “awesomeness” of what we do for your pet.  Until then, continue to Hope, and we’ll continue to give Hope to your pet.

-Stephen Renner

My Amazing Job!

During my year here, I’ve seen a lot of amazing things happen.  Dogs that have to be carried or brought in on a gurney, return the following week walking, wagging their tails.  Tumors and lymph nodes shrinking, to almost nothing, with one dose of chemotherapy.  Dogs and cats going into remission for years, coming in for just rechecks to show us how happy and healthy they are.    Even more amazing is the things I’ve seen now that I am part of the radiation team here at the VCC.    Together with Dr. Farrelly and Stephen, we have treated 63 patients; each with their own unique radiation protocol.  

One amazing case we just finished with is Faith, a 9 year old mixed breed dog with a pituitary gland tumor.  The most amazing thing about this case (other than the fact that her owners found her in the woods of Maine as a puppy, and she resembles the most beautiful wolf you will ever see!) was that we were about to treat her brain!  I cannot express how amazed I was being part of her treatment.  I watched as Dr. Farrelly used a CT scan of her brain and films from the radiation machine to pinpoint where he wanted us to radiate her.  Faith did absolutely amazing during her 20 daily radiation treatments, and even became very comfortable with us (despite her clear reservations in the beginning).    I loved seeing her everyday…kissing her head…hoping that all this amazing work would help her live a long, cancer-free life!

Tara McNama, LVT

 

 

 

Emotionally Hijacked by Cancer

One of the biggest hurdles we face at The Veterinary Cancer Center is that most people associate cancer treatment in people with cancer treatment in pets. Witnessing a friend or a family member undergoing cancer treatment; even watching an episode of House will leave even the most optimistic person with a false and preconceived notion of what to expect in regards to cancer therapy in pets.

When my own dog was diagnosed with malignant histiocytosis I was immediately emotionally hijacked by my personal experiences with how my family members handled their cancer therapies. As a co-owner of The VCC, the doctors here still needed to remind me both intellectually and emotionally of how well pets handle cancer treatment.

Since cats and dogs have a limited life span (compared to people) the primary goals is not to cure the cancer, but to significantly slow it down. This not only gives them more time, but also gives them a higher quality of life… Even during treatment!

We do this by giving lower treatment doses then they do in humans (sometimes over longer periods of time) as well as treating the symptoms prophylactically. Many pets never show symptoms of either the disease or the treatment of disease. It’s truly amazing how well most pets do!

The other fact is that many pet owners and local veterinarians might not know all the amazing and novel therapies that have become available over the last few years. With the mapping of the genome, personalized medication, Radiation Therapy using IMRT, and the latest discovery regarding junk DNA, we are on the forefront of really making a difference when it comes to not only the treatment of pets with cancer, but for us humans as well.

Most people make emotional decisions every single day; it’s part of what makes us human. But I believe that one should never base a decision on fear or a lack of understanding. Always get the facts before making decisions about your pet’s health. The truth might surprise you…

 

David Duchemin

What I would change about the Veterinary Education System

I was at a conference recently with two colleagues of mine and we started talking about veterinary education. I am not sure how the topic came up, what we all started discussing the same point almost in unison. The topic was communication and how veterinarians discuss options with pet owners.  

All three of us had graduated from different veterinary schools, gone through different internships and residencies –and yet we all agreed that veterinary students everywhere need to re-organize their communication priorities. 

What do I mean “communication priorities”—I mean medical/surgical options need to be prioritized above finances. Don’t get me wrong, finances are AN important consideration when discussing any medical therapy, but they should not be the primary one. Information about options- ALL the options available, should be THE most important consideration.  Once a veterinarian and pet owner both understand what options are available for the pet, then, and only then should finances-or whatever other constraints –time, emotional, finances, etc.--may be pertinent to that pet owner be discussed. 

By prioritizing information and options first and finances second, we can better insure that the pet will get the best care possible AND that everything will be done that the pet owner can afford. If the priorities are stay as they are, clients will continue to feel that optimal care was not recommended or given, veterinarians will feel they need to be accountants, bankers and financial managers first and medical professionals second.  

We, the veterinary profession, need to trust pet owners. Trust that they can make the best decision for their family and their pet. This requires accurate and complete information. Veterinarians need to allow the owners to hear ALL of their options and then help them make choices, rather than only communicate those options the veterinarian THINKS the owner’s can afford.  Veterinarians need to be medical professionals not financial professionals. Pet owners come to us for medical information and guidance. 

Survey after survey over the past 25 years have shown that owners would have done more for their pet if their veterinarian had recommended it. The impetus to change the way we as veterinarians communicate needs to start at the veterinary schools throughout the country, this is where we learned the current communication prioritization.  

Empowering the pet owners and informing them of all the options available—as a starting point for discussion –may not be easy, but it is the right thing to do for the pets that have been entrusted into our care.

Dr. Gerald Post

Getting to know you

 

     I thought I would use this first blog entry to introduce myself; I am Dr. Jaclyn Smith. I have been a proud member of the VCC family since July 2010, when I started a 3-year residency program in medical oncology. What’s a residency, you ask? A residency is a vigorous additional training in a specialized area of veterinary medicine. It’s typically a 3-year program, following completion of veterinary school and a 1-year internship. WOW, that’s a lot of school/training! I know! I was born and raised in Ohio, so it’s only natural that I attended The Ohio State University for undergraduate and veterinary school. GO BUCKS!! I then moved a bit further northwest, to the windy city, for my 1-year internship and following, worked my way down south for some warmer weather in Atlanta for a 1-year oncology specific internship. You see, the residency programs are highly competitive so some people choose to have an additional year of training in order to become more qualified and prepared for the rigorous residency. From there, my career took me to the east coast to join VCC.

      I grew up surrounded by animals and veterinary medicine. My dad, whom I get most of my passion from, is a veterinarian still practicing in Ohio. Having always had pets growing up, it’s only natural that I now share my home with my very own “zoo”!  My family consists of Neo, a10 year old wildly crazy, but lovable Boxer, Annabelle, a 9 year old wiggly and happy Boxer, Balboa, a 7 year old timid, but sweet Chihuahua, and Wally, the coolest 5 year old cat I know! But wait, that’s not it! I also share my home with an incredibly supportive boyfriend Stephen and my sister Erica, who is also my best friend.

                Well, that’s it for now, but more to come later!

 

Jaclyn Smith, DVM

You're a Veterinary Oncologist?!?

                         When I tell people that I am a veterinarian I am always asked what kind of animals I work with. I go on to explain that I actually only see animals with cancer, whether they are cats, dogs, ferrets or rabbits (and hopefully, one day, horses). Ninety-nine percent of the time the reply is "How sad, how can you be around such sick animals all the time?". Although there are aspects of my job that are sad there are many more aspects that are happy, exciting and emotionally touching.

                        Prior to becoming a veterinarian two of my own dogs were diagnosed with and treated for cancer. I was devastated, but I was so thankful for the help of the veterinary oncologists and technicians who were there to help me and help my dogs. That is the happy part of my job. I have the privilege of being the veterinary oncologist who is there to help people and their pets. I am able give people more time with their best friend and I can help sick animals feel better. There is nothing that makes me happier then seeing a smiling owner being pulled across the waiting room by a tail wagging dog or seeing an owner snuggling their purring cat.

                        At the Veterinary Cancer Center I also have the unique opportunity to be involved with research and clinical trials. Many of these clinical trials are looking at medications and treatments that will not only benefit our four-legged friends but may also help humans with cancer. Being on the cutting edge of cancer research for humans and animals is very exciting and rewarding!

                        Another aspect of my job that I find very rewarding and touching is being able to help someone say goodbye to their best friend. There a few things more difficult then making the decision to let your friend go. I consider it a sacred responsibility that I am trusted to help an owner say goodbye and allow that animal to transition peacefully. I am honored to be present in the last few minutes of a long relationship and hear the words of love and thanks that all owners have for their pet as they take their last breaths. Yes, it is sad but it is important and I am a better person and a better doctor because of every euthanasia that I have performed.

           

JenniferMcDaniel, DVM

The Veterinary Cancer Center