Chemotherapy For Buster

Stage IV Lymphoma Shall Be Defeated!



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In late December of 2019, Buster the Exuberant (also known as Buster the Gleeful and Dr. Buster Ever-Underfoot) became quite unwell, and suspicion fell on what had appeared to be harmless lipomas; they were, in reality, enlarged lymph nodes. Buster received a chest x-ray, fluids, and antibiotics. Bloodwork, urinalysis, and biopsies were done and Buster was quickly diagnosed with stage IV lymphoma, along with a minor infection and an incorrigibly excellent attitude. Lymphoma responds well to treatment and most instances of it are diagnosed in either stage III or IV, which was good news for Buster, but after remission is achieved it usually returns. It is almost always ultimately fatal in dogs, with rare exceptions. Because canine lymphoma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in humans are so similar, treating and studying dogs can yield insights into potential medical options for people.

Buster made it clear that seeing the veterinarian was a relief to him, same as it was for us, and made it even clearer that he had a great interest in fighting off whatever was causing him trouble, so it seemed only fair that he be given a proper chance to do so.

Buster was taken to a veterinary specialist hospital, where the case was examined further. The recommended treatment regimen, CHOP, has a very good success rate and with a dog like Buster, whose enjoyment of life is unparalleled, it seemed the only choice that could be made. His vet informed us that a dog in her care has lived seven years beyond first remission, and we can't help but see that as a possibility for Buster. He's our hero!

We believe that his doctor, veterinary technicians, and all of the staff share our priorities and will always do what is best for Buster; his treatment and care will include no unnecessary tests or medications, and will include countless scritches and pampering. After just one visit, he has learned to look forward to it immensely.


A blurry, happy Buster being picked up after his second round of chemotherapy on January 17th.



Treatment So Far 

Buster received his first round of chemotherapy that same day (January 9th). It was an uncertain, challenging, and overwhelming day, but at the end of it he was gloriously happy and outrageously popular at the clinic. 

Buster was brought home and, despite everyone checking on him every two seconds, had an excellent sleep until the following day.

He proceeded to dispel all doubts about his improved condition by insisting on endless walks and absolutely reveling in the snow. The entire week after his first treatment was miraculously lively, and while his constant need to pee (a pesky but benign side-effect of his medication) was exhausting us, his optimism was contagious and his health was astonishingly robust. His lymph nodes quickly returned to near-normal size and he seemed to be working very well alongside his treatment, with only a brief and minor reduction in his appetite for kibble (though he was still just as keen as ever to get ahold of cheese).

Buster's second round of chemotherapy was scheduled to take place on January 17th. His doctor confirmed that his lymph nodes were indeed back to normal, and with his white cell count doing well and his energy levels high, he was cleared for his second treatment. He came home that day and did just as amazingly as before, which was inspiring.


Buster being Buster.



Where We're At

We are determined to do right by Buster, as he has always done right by us. We can't possibly regret deciding to go forward with treatment; the emphatically wonderful response his body has had to chemotherapy is too encouraging to ignore. If Buster found a weekly stay at a clinic too stressful, or if he suffered from side-effects, it would be a harder decision to make, but he has made it easy for us.

Unfortunately, he (and we) haven't made it any easier on our finances; for a larger dog breed, CHOP costs about $12,000 (not counting incidental expenses). We have set our fundraising goal at $12,000, intending to supplement as much as possible ourselves, but understanding that expenses arise unpredictably and it is better to ask for what we need than to waver and be indecisive.

Our pride in our dog is far superior to our pride in being financially viable adults, and we are doing all that we can to invest in Buster's treatment, regardless of the cost to ourselves. And so it would be foolish, and unnecessary, to refuse to share his story and ask for help simply for the sake of pride, or out of fear that we might seem weird, or even insincere. It is hard to imagine something we feel more ardently about than Buster. He means the world to us!

Buster is a happy, healthy, and devoted soul who seeks out what he believes to be good, and then shares it with everyone without hesitation (even if it's a piece of rawhide and we all don't really want it). His goofy ways bring us joy, his astuteness surprises and fascinates us, and he is the inspiration for much that we do. He is still too young to go to Doghalla, and not nearly done teaching us how to be the best humans we can be.

Buster is doing everything he can to recover and (though he doesn't know it) be affordable; he requires no extra sedation, no extra medications, and his first chemotherapy session resulted in strong partial remission, a very promising sign.

Please support Buster's bid to be a miracle dog in even more ways than he already is, in whatever manner you can. Offering libations to Zeus is always encouraged; a little wine can go a long way if you get the right god drunk. All donations, barterings with deities, sacrifices and hugs will go towards Buster, his noble fight, and his continued high quality of life. He, and we, will make the best possible use of them. We hope everyone who does decide to contribute, in whatever way they choose, feels like a part of Buster's effort and feels rewarded, knowing what a tremendous difference every little bit makes to us and to Buster.




A Little More About Our Hero

Buster was born in India and shipped as a puppy to Nepal to live with his first family. They rather quickly abandoned him, leaving him tied up outside without food, water, or socialization for months on end. He found his way to a second home, but struggled to be stable and happy; he was incredibly jealous of his family's other dog and was a very confused, scrawny puppy at the time. Due to the incompatibility between the two dogs, Buster came to live with us in our home in Kathmandu, and was later brought to Canada just prior to the horrendous earthquake that struck Nepal in 2015.

Buster has had his share of struggles and bad luck; before being abandoned, he came down with a case of parvo and nearly died, and not long after he wound up with ehrlichiosis from a tick bite. He has been attacked by several dogs (all of whom were jerks) and learned to hold his own. He has always emerged from his battles happy, healthy, and better for it, and we believe lymphoma to be no different. 

For the duration of Buster's time with us, he has been a diligent member of our family. He has always and most notably been a companion to me, and now that I am married, a companion to my husband. As someone who finds the outside world a tad daunting (as I'm sure most of us do) and struggles with visual impairment, I have benefited to no end from Buster's presence. Where another person, or even a trained guide dog, would fall short or not quite fit the bill, Buster is perfect; he lends me normalcy, confidence, and is an extension of my eyes, all without forcing me to inconvenience someone else or feel out of place. It may not be something dogs are known for, or trained to do, but having a familiar being, indicating what he sees with body language, is very helpful for someone like me who can't necessarily see it themselves but can recognize what their dog is saying from far away or close up.

We don't have the resources to design this page as thoughtfully as we would like, nor do we have the time to strategize on how to make it as appealing as possible. We are completely wrapped up in giving Buster the best life we can and working full-time, but we hope this does not come across as careless on our part but rather helps to convey our commitment to our goal. We ask that people who feel they are willing and can afford to contribute do so, and we hope that frequent updates, videos, and pictures (admittedly often blurry ones) will suffice.




Other Ways to Support Buster

Looking for something a little less GoFundMe-ish? Help Buster (and us) out by clicking the following links, sharing them around, and considering making a donation to our Patreon! We run a small video game company, and would be thrilled to have you as a member of our community!

https://www.patreon.com/roomtoroam

https://www.twitch.tv/hazypawden

https://itch.io/jam/edujam-art-saves-the-world

https://hazypaw.itch.io/roomtoroam


Buster in Action

He rarely stops moving, and this isn't a fundraiser for a new camera, but hopefully his dogly charm shows!




Buster destroying snowballs on the 15th of January, just a few days after his first round of chemotherapy. You can just barely see where they shaved his little limbs for his chemo catheters.





Buster and Layla the lovely hamster. 



A Buster volcano.





A sprawling Buster.



Buster's non-stop tail waggin' on the 21st of January, four days after his second round of chemo. 



A drenched, muddy Buster in the car after his waggy woods walk. Nothing gets in his way!





Buster loves his sled.



One of Buster's up-close and personal moments.





A floppy-eared Buster.






A ferocious yawn, or perhaps just a lion imitation.



Buster on a hike in Nepal.





Buster has napped on many couches and loved them all.



Buster and his buddy Ellie at home in Nepal. Sharing is important.



Buster confronting his trepidation about the ocean.  



Buster always pushes the button.