Toni & Lyle Killpatrick's Greater Swiss Mountain Dog 'Roy' Is Again Proving To Be A Winner: Part 3

Last Updated on Tuesday, 03 January 2012 03:29

Read the first & second part of this series: Part 1 & Part 2

Roy-1 Happy New Year to all of you from the Killpatricks and our Hero Roy!

Starting the new year on a positive note is the best way to go, and we are so blessed that we are all doing well. Roy's progress has been close to a miracle, as you will read below. He is so happy and obviously loving life.

Here is the latest chapter:

It has been 12 weeks since Roy was diagnosed with a Grade 3 Mast cell tumor on his right ear.

Today is Day 1 of the New Year and our journey is going very well.

Roy is feeling exceptionally good, acting like a 2 year old... playing, running and just being plain silly. Playing with the grandkids, who were up here for Christmas vacation, and running around with all kinds of silly Christmas doggy hats on and chasing them into the pastures.

My oldest grandson, Landon, thought that he could out run Roy. Well, guess what??? He didn't make it, and I gave Landon about a 20 foot head start. When Roy got close to Landon, he tackled him. Down they went... Landon got up and started running again, but couldn't get any distance from Roy. Roy was right on his heels.

Roy-2 Roy's energy level is really high. Roy is taking Chinese Herbal medicine that Dr. Bissmeyer and Gloria Garland, a board certified specialist in herbal therapy, have prescribed. Remember, all of Roy's medicines now are all organic.

Roy's diet is now all GRAIN FREE, because grain free is low in carbs.
Many of the grain free foods have a significantly lower carb percentage compared to those made with grains as a primary ingredient. That's why some veterinarians recommend switching to grain free for dogs with cancer, to help reduce carbs in the diet, and thereby help to eliminate a fuel for cancer growth.

Don't get overwhelmed reading this diet. It looks like a lot of work, but it really isn't.

Roy is fed twice a day. I feed about 7 a.m. and again around 6 p.m.

1 ½ cups of FROMM Grain Free kibble www.frommfamily.com
1/4 cup Fresh vegetable (chopped in food processor)
3 tablespoons of 100% pumpkin
2 tablespoons of 2 % cottage cheese
Quarter size pieces of Beef liver or 3 oz. of Evanger Canned Rabbit or 3 oz. of mackerel (on a rotating basic).
1 capsule of 1200 mg of Fish oil
1 tablespoon flaxseed oil (whipped into the cottage cheese)
3 tablets Coriolus PS
3 tablets Power mushrooms (Ganoderma Reishi) immune
2 teaspoon Canine Hepatic (liver support) Standard process
Following supplements are from Nature’s Farmacy www.naturesfarmacywest.com
2 capsule NF Cancer support
1 ½ teaspoon NF Mega Omega (amino acid)
1 ½ teaspoon NF Cornucopia (substitutes for fruit and vegetables)
1 teaspoon NF Digestive Enchancer (digestive bacteria and enzyme)

When Roy is eating his meals, I want to take a moment to enjoy watching him eat. He smells it, as if to say, "Boy, that fish smells good." He looks up at me and I know he is smiling and telling me, "Thank you, Mom, for this delicious meal...I love you." I feel that my attitude, mood and my emotions play a big part on Roy's attitude and that makes a big impact on his healing process... I want Roy to be really relaxed when he is enjoying his meal...

Remember, dogs are carnivores. They MUST have meat... RAW femur bones are great for them, and it even keeps the tartar off their teeth.

On 12-6-11, Dr Bissmeyer drew blood on Roy and his complete blood panel was well within normal limits for his age and it even showed improvement from when he had the ear removed. His body was definitely affected by the tumor, but has since recovered and done well. There is no sign of either a high or low white blood cell count and no sign of liver or kidney disease. We will follow him with monthly blood evaluations at the clinic. All of his other exams and treatments are continuing to be done in the comfort of his own home...doesn't get much better than that!

About one weeks ago, 12-19-11, I noticed lots of white flakes on Roy's back. Didn't really give it a thought at that time, because it is winter and the weather is dry, and Roy has been rolling on the grass, playing very hard with the grandkids.

During one of Roy's Acupuncture treatments, I mentioned it to Dr. Bissmeyer and Gloria about his flakiness…I was thinking it had something to do with the treatments and just over stimulating his skin.

Dr. Bissmeyer told me to give him some Benadryl twice a day to see if that would stop him from itching, which it did. Dr. Bissmeyer also prescribed a Shampoo to be left on for 10 mins. and then, when dry, to put a medicated spray on ... We did this for one week, but Roy now has little bumps and scabs and lots of flakes with a slight odor to his back. You see, the only places that Roy is flaky is on his back from the withers to the base of his tail.

Superficial bacterial folliculitis is an infection that causes sores, bumps, and scabs on the skin. These skin abnormalities are easier to see in shorthaired dogs. In longhaired dogs, the most obvious symptoms may be shedding with scaly white flakes...
Dr. Bissmeyer prescribed an antibiotic for 7 days. And Gloria suggested to stop the mushroom therapy and Moxi treatments for one week, while he is on the antibiotics, but to continue his Acupressure twice a day.

This has NOTHING to do with Roy's Cancer. Roy has come down with some kind of allergic reaction to something. Grass, soap, or just the fact that the weather is DRY.
All of the medicine that Roy is taking is all ORGANIC.

We, as humans, can take a good attitude, like Roy’s, into the new year and we will all be better for it. He greets every day as brand new and doesn't dwell on the past, and he is accepting of his current responsibilities, which are to give others love no matter what the circumstances. You know what that does to us? It makes us feel loved and accepted; which is what we all want on a daily basis. Dogs already have this down to a science and Roy is now an ambassador of that love.

This little set back has not slowed down Roy at all. Just last week, we walked through town with Roy's best friend, King, (Susan Robinson's Swissie). It was so nice. People were stopping us and asking how Roy was doing, telling Roy how handsome he was without an ear and what an outstanding job Dr. Bissmeyer did removing his ear. All the hair has grown around the ear very nicely. They were calling ROY the "WONDER DOG." This made me really happy... and of course, Roy loved it too. You know dogs love attention and affection. Please give your dog as much love as you can!