Indiana's Story of Courage
Type of Cancer: Leiomysarcoma
In June 2006, Indiana was vomiting on and off for a few weeks.
I didn't really think a lot of it at the time, as dogs just throw up sometimes. One day, we saw that her stools
were black and tarry, and we immediately took her to the vet. They said she probably had a gastrointestinal bug, gave
her a steroid shot, and sent her home with some medicines. She felt great the next day, but the day after that, she
was much worse, and her gums were very pale. We rushed her back to the vet, and they suspected kidney failure.
We ultimately found out that Indiana was severely anemic and would need several blood transplants. They did an
ultrasound and found a mass in her stomach, which they immediately recognized as the culprit. It was bleeding and killing
her. The morning after a very risky surgery to remove the tumor, she was already doing much better. She looked
awful, with half of her beautiful, long, black hair shaved off and tubes coming out of just about everywhere, but she was
alive!
Indiana's
histopathology came back and revealed that the mass was indeed cancerous. Her cancer was called leiomyosarcoma, a very
rare cancer of the smooth tissues. Little is known about this type of cancer, and few studies have been done.
It is thought that leiomyosarcoma can be "cured" if clear margins are achieved during surgery, which they were for
Indiana. There is a small chance of metastasis though, so on the advice of the head oncologist, we opted for a round
of adriamcyin. She had four doses overall and handled them very well. At our very first echocardiogram to check
the strength of her heart, they found a mass in her right atrium. This was completely unexpected. The oncologists
suspected hemangiosarcoma, and we were devastated all over again. The vets didn't recommend a biopsy, as it could
stop her heart, and the results wouldn't change how we were treating her. So, to this day we still don't know
100% what it is. It has not grown, although it does change shape slightly. When Indiana was first diagnosed with
cancer, the doctors all but gave up hope that she would even make it to her ninth birthday.
They apparently had
no idea what a strong and determined girl Indiana is though. Or how much her parents would be willing to do to make
sure she stayed strong and healthy.
Indiana turned twelve years old in April 2010, and in June will celebrate 4 years
of being cancer free. We continue to see our holistic vet and oncologists regularly, but her tests always come back perfect
and clear of any other masses. We are so blessed, and we are grateful for each and every day with her. The vets
and students who treated her when she was first diagnosed cannot believe she is still with us. They say she is a miracle,
and we agree. Everyone expected her to die that first day, and no one thought she would still be here three years later.
So, take that, cancer!
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In honor of Indiana’s
brave spirit, her family established a foundation to help other dogs with cancer, called the Great Good Heart Foundation. Their
primary mission is to
provide education, primarily to the Kankakee County and southern Will County, IL areas, on the treatment and prevention of
animal cancer. This includes hosting monthly support group meetings. If you live in this area, please contact the Great Good Heart Foundation.
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