Had her follow up appointment yesterday and they were genuinely super happy with her recovery. Actually, they were almost shocked it seems as they really thought she was going to need surgery at one point. They did cultures of the bacteria and while I forget the name, it was something especially tough to get rid of. So, now we just have to keep up with the antibiotic drops 3 times a day. E-collar off and she is still feeling great. In fact, she wasn't quite up to full out B-500 last night, but when Roo, the youngest wanted to play, my wife chased her around and Lion was running along with them at least. She is continuing to get visibly stronger every day. We are starting to add some cooked chicken for more protein to try to build what muscle we can back up.
Coming off the corticosteroids has affected her appetite a little, but it is now starting to rebound. When she was taking them, she turned into a zombie dog who went back to puppy stage times about 5. We had to re-puppy proof and she even got on top of a table to drag down a leather messenger bad of mine I had put into the center of a dining room table. She would get up in the middle of the night and start to walk half dazed around the house, looking at all the closed doors, probably thinking, HMMM, there is toilet paper behind this one, shoes in here, a basket with onions in the pantry that I enjoyed eating the fabric liner of.
I forgot to mention this before, but she actually started feeling really bad about a month ago when they checked her over, they found a ball of fabric strips in her stomach, some of which had been there for years, plus the leather pieces from the bag, which was making her sick it seems. Here was a dog, still eating and pooping, but had a half coke can of fabric in her stomach. She had always been a ripper, from toys to the occasional shoe or purse and can chew through a Lupine 1" wide leash in about 30 seconds, but I always found pieces in the poop when I picked up or we found tons of pieces on the ground at the scene of the crime, plus we would watch her toys and take them way once she got them apart, so we never realized a certain amount had been building up.
When we had the first consultation in 2009 and they operated, I remember them saying that 18 months was typical with this diagnosis if things worked out and that 24 would be near miraculous, but of course they also said that there just wasn't that much research about dogs and certain types of cancer. At least Lion has allowed them to add about 7 inches worth of literature to the available information on file so far. 
I will say that everyone at NCSU CVM have always been super good to work with. We have had students that worked on her that have now graduated and moved on. Some that have seen her on and off their entire time in Vet School and especially the "backroom" staff that does all the work. I found out that during the last ultrasound, when it was apparent that the second treatment protocol was not shrinking her lymph nodes, and seeing how weak Lion looked, the Radiological tech cried. (and honestly, she was so weak and frail that even I thought she would be gone in a week if the trend was not reversed). Everyone there is always excited when she comes in. I guess it helps to have a super cute and cool dog, though I am sure they are nice to everyone.
Waiting room, Midnight Saturday/sunday
Coming Home Monday (this was at a stoplight)
Begging for a treat Tuesday night. The new clear E-collars are so much better than the old one we had!
