Lymphoma is one of the most treatable cancer's in the Canine, especially if caught early before it spreads. With chemotherapy the remission statistics are over 75%. I thought your primary vet did everything correctly and I believe that you are in very good hands with an LSU Oncologist. It is certainly a sad diagnosis for "parents" of any age, but it is especially sad for older "parents" who don't expect survive their "children".
To increase his chances of remission and to decrease Smokey's side effects from the chemotherapy his diet and supplements should be optimized. I will be glad to list the protocol for you at your request on this forum.
Additionally, it would not hurt to find a good holistic vet who practices Chinese and western herbal medicine to help with adjunct herbs and support. Search the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association website for a holistic vet in your area.
Dr. Cheng. Thank you for your above response. My wife & I just got the results of a biopsy taken this past Tuesday and the results were our deepest fear...our beloved Smokey has lymphoma. He is a "tweeney" 17 pound, blue & tan neutered male Doxie who just made 5 last month. We are totally devestated as we are 66 & 67 y/o empty nesters and he is our "baby". . Our plan was that Smokey would "bury" me and be the comforting companion for my wife to old age...but that wasn't God's plan.
We are getting into treatment with him this week with the best oncologist in this area, Dr. Andrew Daters, who was head of the LSU Dept. of Vet Oncology until he recently started his practice in our area. We are parying that the treatment regemin (whatever it takes) gives us a few more years and a good quality of life for our precious baby........we love him so much and the pain of our heartbreak is overwhelming.
Any words of encouragement and/or stories of success with this terrible diagnosis would cetrainly be appreciated by me and his "mom". Thanks.
The dentistry could be incidental to an underlying condition. Your vet is doing everything correctly. Amoxicillin is an antibiotic for aerobic bacteria, and Metronidazole is for anaerobic bacteria, so you vet has your dog covered. A culture and sensitivity will determine microscopically the exact organism that is causing the infection and will show the correct antibiotic. Your dog is not that old so cancer may be lower on the list but unfortunately it could still be a possibility. An autoimmune disorder is also a possibility, but can be controlled by medication. It sounds like you are in good hands. Let us know what the test show!